NAACP Arlington Branch is excited to host Glow Unapologetically: Embracing Black Brilliance, the 78th Annual NAACP Arlington Branch Freedom Fund Banquet. NAACP Arlington Branch is excited to host a vibrant evening honoring those who have embraced, shared and utilized their power, brilliance and heritage. October 4th will be an energetic and exceptional celebration of Black excellence, brilliance, and unapologetic pride.
See you Saturday, October 4th, for Arlington's biggest civil rights & social justice event of the year!
Tickets are sold out and will not be sold at the door on the night of the banquet.
Glow Unapologetically: Embracing Black Brilliance
78th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet
Saturday, October 4, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
George Mason University - Mason Square (Arlington)
Van Metre Hall
3351 Fairfax Drive
Arlington VA 22201
Attire: Cocktail Formal
We look forward to seeing you at George Mason University’s Van Metre Hall!
The venue is 2 blocks from the Virginia Square Metro Station, has plenty of bike parking, and bus stops in easy walking distance. And there is always Uber and Lyft!
If you do plan to drive, be scroll down for important for details about parking. The garage is tricky to find, and there is a new garage payment system.
George Mason University - Mason Square (Arlington)
Van Metre Hall (formerly Founders Hall)
3351 Fairfax Drive
Arlington VA 22201
Paid parking is available in the Van Metre Garage
The Van Metre Garage entrance is in the alley behind the main building, via Founders Way North. Enter the garage from Kirkwood Rd. in the middle of the block between Washington Blvd. and Fairfax Dr., across from St. Charles Church.
Watch for signs to Van Metre Hall by the elevators and when you get upstairs.
Details for General Ticket Holders & Reserved Table Guests
VIP, Sponsors, VIP Tables & Awardee Guests - please scroll down this page for more details
Public Transportation - Metro Accessable
Metrorail stations on the Blue/Orange/Silver lines are very close. The Virginia Square station is 2 blocks away & Clarendon is also close,. Bus stops are within walking distance of the venue.
Biking
There is plenty of bike parking.
Parking - Finding the entrance is tricky
Paid parking is available in the Van Metre Garage. There are multiple garages, so be sure to enter the right one.
The garage entrance is in the alley behind the main building, via Founders Way North. Enter the garage from Kirkwood Rd. in the middle of the block between Washington Blvd. and Fairfax Dr., across from St. Charles Church.
Please be sure to exit the garage before 10:00 pm.
Watch for signs to Van Metre Hall by the elevators and when you get upstairs.
How much is parking?
Van Metre Hall Garage Weekend Parking Rate: $10.00
Paying for parking - There is a new system
Before going to the event Saturday (or at least before you leave the event) be sure take these steps to setup your parking account. There is limited cell service in the garage, so it is important to setup your account before going downstairs to leave the garage.
It is not like other garages where you exit with a credit card. Your license plate is your parking ticket - and you drive in and out of the garage without using any ticket machines.
Visit the parking website https://app.metropolis.io/sign-in
Enter your phone number, then enter the code they send you
Provide your name and email address
Select Daily Vehicle (or Rental Vehicle if you have a rental car)
Enter your license plate number
Enter your payment method & click Save Card
Then you just drive in and out of the garage - there are scanners that read your license plate
Park in the Van Metre Garage
Be sure to setup your parking account at home, or before leaving the event. There is limited cell service in the garage. Parking in the Van Metre Garage is included with VIP & Sponsor Tickets - you don't need an parking account, just a voucher.
Look for the sign by the alley on Kirkwood Dr.
This is the alley, it's mid-block
Enter the Van Metre Garage (there are multiple garages)
The Van Metre Garage is the first garage if you enter from Kirkwood Dr.
Just drive in, you don't take a ticket (your license plate is your ticket)
It's easiest to setup your parking account before you leave home. You will need your license plate number!
Or you can setup your parking account upstairs (where there is cell service) before you leave the event and go down to the garage (where there isn’t service). You will need your license plate number!
Details for VIP Guests
(Including Sponsors, VIP Tables & Awardees)
What time is the VIP Reception?
The VIP Reception reception starts at 6:00 pm. When you check in to the banquet, you will be given a bracelet for admission to the VIP Reception.
VIP Parking - Finding the entrance is tricky
VIP parking is only available in the Van Metre Garage. There are multiple garages, so be sure to enter the right one.
The garage entrance is in the alley behind the main building, via Founders Way North. Enter the garage from Kirkwood Rd. in the middle of the block between Washington Blvd. and Fairfax Dr., across from St. Charles Church.
Watch for signs to Van Metre Hall by the elevators and when you get upstairs.
VIP Parking Vouchers
Parking in the Van Metre Garage is included for VIP Guests - you don't need an parking account, just a voucher.
When you check in to the banquet upstairs, please tell the NAACP Arlington Branch volunteer that you parked in the garage. They will give you a parking voucher. The voucher has a QR code on it, that is for the garage attendant and you don't need to scan it.
Give the parking voucher to the garage attendant as you exit the event. If you don't provide the voucher, George Mason will charge you for parking.
Please be sure to exit the garage before 10:00 pm.
Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan
Keynote Speaker
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 4th District
As the daughter of community leaders and educators who were raised during the Great Depression in the segregated South, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan was raised with a strong sense of servant leadership and a calling to strengthen her community. Jenn was born in Petersburg to parents who served the community and worked at Virginia State University. Her family’s experiences and her study of history taught her that government either can be a force for progressive change to solve problems or a force of oppression that benefits a select few. At a young age, Jenn dedicated herself to ensuring the government is a force for positive change for all. Jenn served the greater Richmond area in the Virginia General Assembly for 18 years, earning a reputation as a strong legislative champion. She passed over 370 bills, including landmark legislation to protect reproductive freedom and voting rights, address climate change, and build an economy that leaves no one behind. Upon the death of Congressman A. Donald McEachin, Jenn won a special election to Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia. Jenn serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee. She is also a proud member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Jenn lives in Richmond with her husband.
NAACP Arlington Branch Awards
More details about these awards and the people who inspired them
2025 Award Descriptions & Winners
Willard W. "Woody" Brittain Community Appreciation Award
Dr. Gregory Washington
President, George Mason University
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring Mr. Willard Woodson “Woody” Brittain for his many contributions to the corporate worlds and the Arlington community. This award is given to an Arlington individual, group, or organization that, through their action/service, have contributed many hours of their time towards the betterment of Arlington County and its residents.
Esther Georgia Irving Cooper Civil Rights Activist of the Year Award
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti
Commonwealth’s Attorney, Arlington County and the City of Falls Church
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring Esther Georgia Irving Cooper, co-founder of NAACP Arlington Branch. She worked to improve educational opportunities for Black children in Arlington, and led our local and state NAACPs in challenging inequalities in the county’s high school facilities. In 1940 she organized and became the first president of the NAACP Arlington Branch and soon joined NAACP Virginia’s executive board. This award is given to an individual, group, or organization actively involved in advocating for various civil rights causes.
Henry L. Holmes Meritorious Service Award
Tim Aiken
Project Manager, Memorializng the Enslaved in Arlington, Arlington Historical Society
Jessica Kaplan
Editor, Arlington Historical Society Magazine
Dr. Scott Edwin Taylor
President, The Black Heritage Museum of Arlington Virginia
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring Henry L. Holmes, the first African-American elected official in Arlington. A prominent local civic leader, he served as the Commissioner of Revenue for 27 years. After emancipation, he moved to Freedman's Village and gained political and community success. Among other accomplishments, he founded St. John’s Baptist Church and the Butler-Holmes community (now Penrose). This is awarded to an individual, group, or organization that has supported the Branch, the Annual Freedom Fund Banquet, or the Arlington community for over two years.
Charles P. Monroe Civil Rights Award
Regina Chambers
(individual or group/organization)
Honoring the former County Board Chairman, Charles P. Monroe. He was a community advocate for increased public participation in County government, with a focus on affordable housing and other issues affecting the financially disadvantaged. This award is granted to an individual, group, or organization that has advocated for the civil rights of those living in Arlington County.
NAACP Arlington Branch President's Award
Rev. Kathy Dwyer
Senior Pastor, Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Adrian Nelson
Pastor, Lomax A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. Dr. Tina Smith Nelson
Minister to Women, Lomax A.M.E. Zion Church
(individual or group/organization)
This distinguished honor is given to an individual or group/organization that is “actively challenging others to embrace diversity and ensure greater opportunity for all people.” Granted at the discretion of the Branch President.
NAACP Arlington Branch Scholarship
(individual)
This one time scholarship is awarded annually to students who have demonstrated academic merit and success and are residents of Arlington County, provide community service in Arlington, and/or attend religious services in Arlington.
NAACP Arlington Branch Future Leaders Scholarship
(individual)
This program was founded in 2021 through a partnership with a generous donation from Amazon HQ2. This renewable scholarship supports promising Arlington students in furthering their higher educational goals.
Willard Woodson Brittain, Jr. Scholarship Award
(individual)
The Willard Woodson “Woody” Brittain Foundation provides scholarships for students who are actively involved in the Arlington community. This scholarship is renewable for the three consecutive years following the original award, subject to academic performance and available funding.
Freedom Fund Banquet Purpose
The NAACP Arlington Branch Freedom Fund Banquet is an annual fundraiser that supports programs that seek to improve the quality of life for all people through focusing on education, economic development, crime deterrent, and health and safety. Additionally, the event is an opportunity to promote the local Branch and its mission and to acknowledge the contributions of organizations and individuals who have benefitted from the legacy of those who came before us and are following in their tradition of “Giving Back to Their Community.” This is a time for recommitting the fundamental principles of the NAACP, while encouraging others to seize the mantle of leadership so that we can all stay the course.
Disclaimer
Contributions or gifts to this NAACP branch are not deductible as a charitable contribution for Federal Income tax purposes. However, organizations that purchase ads, sponsorships, or tickets for business purposes, may be able to deduct these expenses as a business expense.
NAACP Arlington Branch Vision
We envision an inclusive community rooted in liberation where all persons in Arlington can exercise their civil and human rights without discrimination.