Last year, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslims increased in the United States. To try to defuse tensions, the council suggests bringing minority groups together. One such initiative is tied to Ramadan celebrations
America’s winter wonderland is starting out this season as anything but traditional.The calendar says December, but for much of the country, temperatures beckon for sandals. Umbrellas, if not arks, are needed in the Pacific Northwest, while snow shovels are gathering cobwebs in the Rockies
Hundreds of thousands of lights, a Christmas tree forest, and a glittering holiday field. Holiday Road in Leesburg, Virginia, has all of these things and more
Since the Taliban gained control of Kabul, the United States has evacuated nearly 105,000 civilians, according to the White House. They arrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginia
A teacher from Virginia needed a private place to conduct her remote learning classes. Lesia Bakalets tells about how she turned a small space into an unusual office
From virtual theatre plays, to choral ensembles performing outdoors, this year’s Christmas celebrations have taken a creative turn
The battle to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia is complicated by the land donor’s descendants, who are fighting to keep the statue in place. Virginia’s governor and Black Lives Matter want the statue removed as they consider it a symbol of white supremacy
COVID impact on food industry and restaurant services in the US led to job loss for many local chefs. Two chefs who served in Washington DC, now prepares Halal food for Muslim families in Virginia. The chefs are part of a new food equity pilot program targeting underrepresented groups like Muslims who are not served by traditional food delivery programs
Even though human interactions are very limited because of the coronavirus pandemic, business is brisk at a Virginia animal park that’s found a way to safely keep its doors open. As VOA‘s Saqib Ul Islam reports, visitors are lining up for up-close-and-personal interactions with the animals, while still adhering to social distancing guidelines
A Virginia man is doing his part to help medical workers caring for people with COVID-19. Jeremy Filko is using his 3-D printer to create plastic mask shields for doctors, nurses and other first responders. Due to a shortage, some medical workers are being asked to reuse their N95 medical face masks, which are usually discarded after one use