CiviC Leadership

Who is Symone Walker?

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I’m  an immigrant from Jamaica who came to Northern VA nearly 33 years ago at 16. 

I started my education at NOVA community college, then  transferred to George Mason and graduated with a BA in Psychology. 

I  then pursued my paralegal certificate at Georgetown and worked for a  government contractor for four years before going to law school. I received my Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College  of Law in 1998, and my LL.M. in Litigation & Dispute Resolution from George Washington University in 2001.  I worked as a DOJ attorney for  20 yrs and also as a DOJ mediator for 14 years. 

My family has deep roots  in Arlington. We have owned and operated AA Locksmith Service for 40  years. We opened in 1980 in what used to be Adams Square Mall on the  Pike, but due to the development of Penrose Square, we relocated to 10th  St. in Clarendon. 

My younger siblings attended Swanson and  Williamsburg, and both graduated from Yorktown. 

But, most importantly, I  am the Mom of two middle-schoolers at Gunston who are the center of my  world. 

Civic Leadership

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  • Ashlawn Elementary PTA: Fun Fair committee volunteer 2009, 2010, 2011
  • Arlington Montessori Action Committee (AMAC): Secretary and various committees & advocacy (2009-2017)
  • Drew Model School PTA: Various committees - Nominating and Bylaws (2012 - 2018)
  • Gunston Middle School PTA: Fundraising and Nominating Committees - (2017 & 2018)
  • Coalition of Arlingtonians for Responsible Development (CARD) Steering Committee on Schools (2017-2018)
  • Arlington Special Education PTA (SEPTA) policy review committee (2017 - present)
  • Arlington Special Education Advisory Committee (ASEAC), policy review and special education program review committees (2019)
  • Superintendent's Committee for Equity and Excellence (SACEE) (2019 - present)
  • Volunteer Judge for Court Competitions with the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. The National Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition serves as an opportunity for high school students participating in Marshall-Brennan classes to display their oral advocacy skills, network, and learn about careers in the law.
  • Volunteered with Street Law's Legal Diversity Pipeline Program to teach Constitutional Law to Wakefield High School students (2017 & 2018)
  • Partnered with Challenging Racism and Ford Theatre Education to facilitate classroom discussions of August Wilson's Fences at two DCPS high schools.
  • Education Initiatives through Arlington NAACP Civic Engagement:
  • Started the Arlington NAACP Education Committee as serve as Co-Chair (2019 - present)
  • Leading an effort with Del. Patrick Hope to get legislation passed for mandatory screening of reading disabilities and instructional intervention K-3 (2020 legislative session).
  • Destination 2027 Implementation Task Force. Destination 2027 is Arlington County's Health Equity Initiative. (2019 - present)

Parent Advocacy

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  • Black Parents of Arlington (BPA)
  • NoVA chapter of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
  • Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
  • Decoding Dyslexia Virginia
  • Member of the following APS online groups to share information and keep informed:
  • Arlington ADHD listserv
  • Arlington Reading listserv
  • Arlington Gifted listserv
  • Bringing Student Equity to Education Now (B-SEEN)
  • Arlington Education Matters - Facebook
  • Other Volunteering with Youth:
  • Brownie and Juniors Girls Scout Troop Leader (2016 & 2017)
  • Alfred Street Baptist Church HBCU Fair, College Interviews Coordinator (2019 & 2020)