Donald Hall, Chief Strategy Officer, Visionary Consulting Partners, LLC. August 3, 2022
The Fairfax City Council recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of a series of motions – proposed by Councilmember Janice B. Miller, and seconded by Councilmember Jon R. Stehle, Jr. – to change the names of 14 city streets, due to their perceived association with racial segregation and slavery.
The Trigger
The development stems from the recommendations made by the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) of Connecting Fairfax City For All (CFCFA) – an initiative launched last year, to promote social and racial equity and inclusivity, to ensure a better future for resident of the Fairfax City
The SAG made its recommendations to the Mayor and the City Council in September 2021, on the basis of multiple interactions with local community leaders and resident groups.
Our Response
As the co-founder of a highly-regarded healthcare consulting firm headquartered in Fairfax City, and a member of the SAG, our COO Michael D. Thornton, Sr. was among the first of many business leaders to laud the City Council for its historic decision:
“On behalf of fellow members of the SAG and residents of the City of Fairfax, I extend heartfelt thanks and felicitations to our honorable councilmembers for a decision that marks an important milestone in our journey towards a more just, diverse, and close-knit community” he declared.
“That the causes CFCFA espouses align closely with our own corporate values and philosophy, only serves to reaffirm Visionary’s commitment to this inspirational movement” Mr. Thornton added.
All of us at Team Visionary agree wholeheartedly with our COO’s sentiment, and are truly proud that he represented Visionary and the business community as a member of the SAG.
Next Steps
While new names are yet to be chosen, the council has directed staff to begin public engagement to arrive at a selection process for the renaming exercise.
During the Staff Presentation following the vote, came some good news for Fairfax City residents: The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced it would run a series of events at City Hall, to help residents obtain identification cards bearing their new addresses.
Watch this space for further updates!
