Organized Democratic volunteer, Radhika Murari, of Reston, VA. The 11CD Democratic Candidates Forum became a community event that grew from an invitation to meet the candidates in her living room to 200 people gathering at the Reston Community Center. The evening featured the following nine out of the ten declared Democratic candidates – Amy Roma, Irene Shin, Stella G. Pekarsky, Leo J. Martinez Nucete, James R. Walkinshaw, Candice Bennett, Amy Papanu, Dan Lee, and Priya Punnoose. Ross William Branstetter IV did not appear on stage.
The event aimed to highlight the ten invited contenders competing for the party’s nomination ahead of the canvass scheduled for June 28 at 17 different locations across the 11CD from 7 am – 7 pm.
Event organizer Radhika Murari in a huddle with the candidates to review the rules of the forum before the program began.
Author
Tania Hossain is the editor, publisher, and co-owner of The Independent News Press, a consortium of local print and online newspapers in Virginia. She focuses on writing about community issues and advocates for local newspapers, both print and online, especially in the age of Ai from selfie filters to betting on military strikes. A Merrifield resident, she is a keen backyard gardener, loves forest bathing and a curious biohacker, believing that proactive health keeps one out of the costly illness industry. Inspired by Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine launch, she feels fortunate to be running this newspaper.
