Awareness

Getting involved starts with becoming aware. Welcoming Falls Church is a learning community. This year we invite you to join us for our Celebrating Community | Our Stories: A Film Series starting with Raya and the Last Dragon in partnership with Sunset Cinemas.

Join us on Friday, Sept 17 at 7:45pm at Cherry Hill Park for a free film screening

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon travels to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together in harmony long ago. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well. Raya and the Last Dragon features the voices of Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, a warrior whose wit is as sharp as her blade, and Awkwafina as the magical, mythical, self-deprecating dragon named Sisu. Characters also include a street-savvy 10-year-old entrepreneur named Boun, the formidable giant Tong and a thieving toddler Noi with her band of Ongis.

Save the Dates for future films:

Resources

We invite you to check out these resources:

The Danger of a Single Story. This TED Talk given by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – with over 19 million views – highlights the ways that we all benefit from a variety of perspectives of life, society, and community. Continue on with Ms. Adichie's Americanah – for [a] knockout of a novel about immigration, American dreams, the power of first love, and the shifting meanings of skin color. . . . A marvel. (NPR)

Behold the Dreamers. Considered by many to be one of the top narratives of the contemporary immigrant experience – an Oprah pick, PEN/Faulkner award-winner, NY Times/Washington Post best book of the year, etc. This was our first recommended book in 2018! FCCPS Superintendent Peter Noonan made the book one of his recommended summer reads in June 2019, and we brought Imbolo Mbue to Falls Church in September 2019. She spoke powerfully about Immigration and the American Dream as well as her personal experiences living in Falls Church. Enjoy a podcast review of the book from our podcasting media partner Three Way by creator Erin Keating here.

Refugee. This award-winning book by Alan Gratz follows three children at three different points in time, all connected by the same goal: escape. Refugee is appropriate for children 8 years and up and provides an unflinching look at the lengths some young people must go through to find safety. Mr. Gratz joined our students by videoconference to speak on October 28, 2020 in honor of National Immigrants Day.

Becoming aware is a great start. We hope you will consider how to take action.