Join OSG and APAH at Queens Court for an afternoon of reading with our younger friends and neighbors. All are welcome! We will meet in the lobby of Gilliam Place. Contact Donna Budway at donnab@ourstompingground.org for any questions.

*Note: Sign-up is mandatory. We will communicate any changes via email and our Whatsapp group here.

We’re reading On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. The OSG Book Club meets every Tuesday at 7 PM. All are welcome! You’re welcome to purchase the book yourself but it is not required since the host will read out loud in the group. If you’d like to join, just register once to receive the Zoom link, and we’ll send it automatically thereafter.

About the book: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity.

Asking questions central to our American moment, immersed as we are in addiction, violence, and trauma, but undergirded by compassion and tenderness, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is as much about the power of telling one’s own story as it is about the obliterating silence of not being heard. With stunning urgency and grace, Ocean Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are. The question of how to survive, and how to make of it a kind of joy, powers the most important debut novel of many years.

In the parking lot at the Kenmore Middle School
200 S Carlin Springs Road, Arlington VA 22204

Event Page

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Years of data tell us that people with disabilities are more likely to encounter law enforcement than typically developing peers, and more likely to struggle to navigate that interaction. We’re here to help you get ready for any police interactions so you feel safer and readier, and to give officers a chance to learn directly from people with disabilities and their families. The idea of interacting with police officers can feel intimidating, especially if you or your loved ones have a disability. One of the best ways to manage that anxiety and prepare yourself for a successful real world interaction is to practice!

The Arc of Northern Virginia is partnering with Arlington County Police and Arlington Fire and Rescue to hold a practice event for people with disabilities and first responders.

For this event, participants will have the opportunity to engage with police and fire/rescue staff in a controlled environment, practicing scenarios like interacting with police in traffic stops or car accidents, as well as engaging with fire/rescue personnel in an ambulance, medical crisis or in a fire emergency.  Afterwards, participants are also welcome to exit the vehicle and talk with officers and responders, ask questions, and share your concerns. This is a learning opportunity for the officers and fire fighters, too.

This event is open to anyone with any disability or general anxiety about police interactions, regardless of where they live. The person with a disability can be the driver (licensed or unlicensed and getting ready to drive), or a passenger or bystander.

We’re reading On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. The OSG Book Club meets every Tuesday at 7 PM. All are welcome! You’re welcome to purchase the book yourself but it is not required since the host will read out loud in the group. If you’d like to join, just register once to receive the Zoom link, and we’ll send it automatically thereafter.

About the book: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. Asking questions central to our American moment, immersed as we are in addiction, violence, and trauma, but undergirded by compassion and tenderness, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is as much about the power of telling one’s own story as it is about the obliterating silence of not being heard. With stunning urgency and grace, Ocean Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are. The question of how to survive, and how to make of it a kind of joy, powers the most important debut novel of many years.

We’re reading On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. The OSG Book Club meets every Tuesday at 7 PM. All are welcome! You’re welcome to purchase the book yourself but it is not required since the host will read out loud in the group. If you’d like to join, just register once to receive the Zoom link, and we’ll send it automatically thereafter.

About the book: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. Asking questions central to our American moment, immersed as we are in addiction, violence, and trauma, but undergirded by compassion and tenderness, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is as much about the power of telling one’s own story as it is about the obliterating silence of not being heard. With stunning urgency and grace, Ocean Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are. The question of how to survive, and how to make of it a kind of joy, powers the most important debut novel of many years.

Join OSG and APAH at Queens Court for an afternoon of reading with the neighbors. We will meet in the lobby of Queens Court. Contact Donna Budway at donnab@ourstompingground.org for any questions. *Note: Sign-up is mandatory since we need a headcount and may need to cap the number of reservations. Additionally, things may change. We’ll communicate these changes via email and our Whatsapp group here.

Join OSG and APAH at Gilliam Place for an afternoon of reading with the neighbors. We will meet in the lobby of Gilliam Place. Contact Donna Budway at donnab@ourstompingground.org for any questions. *Note: Sign-up is mandatory since we need a headcount and may need to cap the number of reservations. Additionally, things may change. We’ll communicate these changes via email and our Whatsapp group here.

From 4:00pm-5:00pm located in the parking lots of 4200 S Four Mile Run Dr, Arlington, VA 22206.

Join us as we practice riding our bikes using a Capital Bikeshare bike where we will borrow bikes with our Bikeshare accounts and practice riding near the fields and parking lot! A great way to build up confidence!

Max of 5 participants.

Join OSG and APAH at Gilliam Place for an afternoon of reading with the neighbors.

We will meet in the lobby of Gilliam Place. Contact donnab@ourstompingground.org for any questions.

Please RSVP below.