LETTERS
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LETTERS
he Junior League of Washington is marvelously and meaningfully “Living Our Values Everyday”! This edition of 3039M highlights the many inspirational ways JLW actualizes our vision and successfully serves as a vibrant presence in the lives of women and children. We feature how our voluntarism at Horton’s Kids, Langley, and Historic Alexandria Docents serves as a resource throughout the community to effect positive change, seek common ground, and inspire hope. We celebrate the military members within the League while honoring the hands and hearts of the thousands of members who have lovingly supported the National Book Festival for sixteen years. Within each article and photograph our love of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community is perfectly captured and appropriately anchored in our values. Our values-driven mission delivery has received two special awards. In June, Washington School for Girls, an independent Catholic day school solely serving girls in grades 3-8 in Anacostia bestowed us with the “Best Friend Award” as an expression of appreciation for the human and financial resources we have invested towards their tuition-free model. In October, New Endeavors by Women honored us with the “Volunteer Service Award” to acknowledge the exemplary service we’ve rendered for more than thirteen years in support of their mission to transition women out of homelessness. Our values of COMMUNITY, LEADERSHIP, SERVICE, DIVERSITY, COLLABORATION, EMPOWERMENT, RESPECT and INTEGRITY are at the heart of how we lead, learn and love. Our annual theme is more than a hashtag. #JLWLOVE is a collective commitment to shared beliefs that genuinely influence our behavior. Enjoy reading more about the spark we’ve ignited and the members who literally and lovingly live our values everyday. On behalf of the 2018-2019 Board of Directors, thank you for your service to the Junior League of Washington and devotion to #JLWLOVE! TYCELY WILLIAMS President, 2018-2019, Junior League of Washington Our cover features From top to bottom: National Museum of Women in the Arts Committee Chair Onika Williams looks at the piece “They Call Me Redbone but I’d Rather Be Strawberry Shortcake” by Amy Sherald (more on page 8). JLW volunteers show kids how nutrition can be fun at the Kids in the Kitchen event at Anthony Bowen YMCA (more on page 6). JLW volunteers assist children with Halloween activities at the Lee-Fendall House’s Pumpkin Hunt (more on page 7). JLW volunteers work with consumers at Langley Residential Support Services (more on page 24).
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iving Our Values Everyday reminds the members of the Junior League of Washington and the greater Washington community that the women of JLW purposefully and passionately strive to live out their values in all that they do. JLW recently adopted a set of values that are showcased throughout this issue of 3039M. The JLW’s Sustainer Committee is focusing on the changing demographics of the JLW COMMUNITY and how best to serve each and every member (page 28). Each year JLW members attend the Association of Junior League International, Inc.’s Organizational Development Institute (page 27) to improve their LEADERSHIP skills and learn from other women in Leagues across the country. The Horton’s Kids Committee (page 2) and the Historic Alexandria Docents Committee (page 7) SERVE children in their communities by hosting events that are fun, educational, and inspirational. The National Museum of Women in the Arts hosts “Fierce Women” tours (page 8) to showcase a DIVERSE group of female artists who overcame challenges and social norms to achieve success in their field. The JLW’s Kids in the Kitchen Committee is working towards greater access to healthy food to enable kids to make healthy choices and COLLABORATING with the AJLI’s Food Security Network to address food insecurity across the country (page 6). The Done in a Day Committee is launching a new pilot this year that requires members to devote a certain percentage of their community placement to working with and EMPOWERING those who are in need of a second chance (page 15). In two articles, we honor and show our RESPECT for the volunteers who keep coming back to placements at Langley (page 14) and the National Book Festival (page 31). We showcase a former JLW member, Meg Graham, (page 12), whose INTEGRITY and devotion to helping others has inspired a scholarship and so much more. This issue highlights women who are truly living their values every day in unique and important ways. Through the emphasis on our values, JLW is striving to meet its mission with the greatest possible impact in the community, and that is what L.O.V.E. is all about. Enjoy! REBECCA PRYBELL Editor