“Once you stop being active, you start losing.”

Roland Watkins

What does it mean to stay - and stay out - when "there's always someone who thinks that you shouldn't be there"?

In this new video released for Black History Month, Roland Watkins reflects on moving to Arlington in the early 1990s as part of an openly gay interracial couple and facing housing discrimination...more than once. Rather than leaving, Roland chose to stay, make Arlington home, and commit himself to the work of building a more fair and inclusive community for over 30 years (and counting).

Click here or the image below to watch the new video.

Over the years, Roland has served on multiple county commissions focused on equal opportunity and human rights, and currently serves on the Commission on Aging. He also made history as the first Black president of Equality NoVa helping lead Virginia's oldest active LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

Roland's involvement with Arlington Community Foundation's LGBTQ+ Community Group continues his lifelong work of connection and community across generations.

Despite being retired, he doesn't plan on becoming less involved any time soon and hopes "the younger generation understands that you cannot walk away."

About Arlington Community Foundation

Arlington Community Foundation provides the tools and expertise to personalize and maximize charitable giving, builds connections between community members, resources, and local nonprofits, and drives initiatives and advocacy to create economic opportunities and prevent displacement.

Trouble seeing this e-mail? View it as a webpage.