Columbia Pike Partnership Annual Gala

The Columbia Pike Partnership (CPP) held its annual gala at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse, located at 2903 Columbia Pike.

Speakers included CPP board chair Nikki Macdonald,  CPP executive Andrew Schneider, business owners Peter Fejeran of the Cinema & Drafthouse, and The Cornerstone, Mesfin Abozin of Aziz Flowers, County Board Member Susan Cunningham, and cating head of Arlington Economic Development (AED) Katharine (Kate) Ange.

The evening featured lively networking, locally-prepared appetizers, and a spirit of community fellowship. Among those attending were activist Janeth Valenzuela, County Board Chair Takis Karantonis, Dr. Tsehaye Teferra of ECDC, Dr. Pryalal Karmakar of Prio Bangla, Kidist Ebenezer, Marsha Semmel, Jerusalem "Jerry" Solomon, Pike Presidents Group chair Alex Sakes, and many others. 

Photography by Lloyd Wolf.

Peter Fejeran , owner of the Cinema & Drafthouse

CPP Executive director, Andrew Schneider

Mesfin Abozin of Aziz Flowers

ECDC's Refugees First Thanksgiving celebration 2025

The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) held its thirteenth annual Refugees First Thanksgiving celebration at their headquarters just off Columbia Pike.

This year the new refugees were mainly from Afghanistan and Ukraine. Volunteers from many countries provided and served food, and there was entertainment by a local Indian girls dance troupe, Ukrainian dancers and musicians (note the Ukrainian national instrument, the bandura), Afghan male dancers, an Afghan musician, and an African teen girl on violin. Arlington County Board members Takis Karantonis and JD Spain attended, as did Commissioner of the Revenue Kim Klingler. Remarks were made by African Community Center (ACC) director Sarah Zullo and Dr. Tsehaye Teferra, executive director of ECDC.

The entertainment was provided by the Kuchipudi Classical Dance by Bharatha Mallika school of Kuchipudi dance, the School of Ukrainian Dance by the DC Music Academy, the Afghan traditional dancing was an Afghan Attan, a classical musical performance by Samira Hussein, the Afghan musical performance was by Ahmad Ghulaamiand, and the Ukrainian musical performance was organized by Sribini Dzherella.

Thanks to Lullit Paulos, Kidist Eben Ezer, and Ezana Teferra of ECDC for their help.

Photography by Lloyd Wolf.

Dr. Tsehaye Teferra