Natalie Roy was ebullient : “I’m back, and with a bionic knee no less!” The “bicycle realtor,” small business owner, former high school tennis coach at Yorktown High School, president of her neighborhood’s civic association, PTA president, and community activist launched her second campaign for a seat on Arlington’s county board.  She told a crowd of about 80 at the Black Heritage Museum on Sunday night she is passionate about Arlington, her home of 32-plus years, and she has decided to run again because that’s how dedicated to shaping Arlington’s future she is. “I believe the County Board needs a voice like mine advocating for transparency and community responsiveness. I will bring that voice. With me, what you see is what you get,” said Roy. She added, “The County Board’s mantra should be, ‘What can we do for you?’ Not, ‘this is what we think is best for you.’”

Roy didn’t just speak about Roy, she invited those who encouraged her to run again for county board to come up and talk. Roy had actually netted 6,708 votes to Susan Cunningham’s 6,952 votes in the county board primary, i.e. second most votes, causing many supporters to hang onto her yard signs and urge her to run again. It was reflective of the high spirits and enthusiastic support that several residents got up to speak about her role in the community, her energy, and her understanding of what people want from county representatives.  

Celina Penovi said people were tired of hearing the same old non-responses from the County Board. She knew Natalie would get back to people with real answers. 

Roy outlined some of her priorities: 

1. Housing: Advocating for an intentional, community-supported, planning-oriented approach to address the urgent need for ADA accessible-affordable housing and diversity. Roy opposes the current densification trend and aims to preserve Arlington's history.

2. Environment & Energy: Drawing on her environmental advocacy background, Roy commits to increasing greenspace, reinstating glass recycling, protecting the tree canopy, expanding bike lanes, and transitioning the county fleets from gas to electric.

3. Fiscal Responsibility: Acknowledging the high commercial vacancy rate impact on the County budget, Roy pledges to conduct a comprehensive assessment and explore creative solutions to convert old buildings for housing or community purposes.

4. Schools: Roy emphasizes closer collaboration between the County Board, the School Board, and Arlington Public Schools in addressing challenges, particularly those exacerbated by the pandemic, to ensure student well-being.

5. Public Safety: Committed to working closely with firefighters, police, dispatchers, and emergency personnel to obtain the necessary tools, resources, and community support needed to ensure we all have a safe place to live. 

6. The Arts: Recognizing the positive impact of arts on the community, Roy, a passionate arts advocate, vows to support arts organizations, artists, and cultural professionals, ensuring their continued vibrancy in Arlington.

Roy’s energetic 90 year old father came up at the end of the speeches and got a big round of applause for his support to Roy as he urged those in attendance to “make support for Natalie go viral.” Energy must run in the family. 

For more information, see:  https://natalieforarlington.com/.

For more on the Black Heritage Museum, see: https://arlingtonblackheritage.org