Thursday, November 12th | 11am – 2pm | Renaissance Arlington Capital View
The annual Spirit Awards Luncheon celebrates the individuals who make Arlington a better, more inclusive place to call home. This year’s celebration will carry special meaning.
The 33rd annual Spirit of Community Award will honor the late Honorable William T. Newman, Jr., lifelong Arlingtonian, and founder of Arlington Community Foundation. Named in Judge Newman’s honor in 1993, the Spirit of Community Award has recognized extraordinary community leadership for over three decades. As the founder of Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) and the namesake of the award, Judge Newman shaped the very spirit this celebration was created to recognize. This year’s luncheon will include a tribute to Judge Newman’s incredible wide-reaching and dynamic legacy in Arlington.
This year’s program will also recognize two Arlington leaders carrying that spirit forward today.
The Spirit of Leadership Award will honor Devanshi Patel for her extraordinary nonprofit leadership. Devanshi is a lawyer, educator, and architect of youth infrastructure whose work is redefining how communities prepare young people to lead, contribute, and shape the future. As co-founder and CEO of the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA), she has built an organization centered on a fundamental belief: communities are strongest when young people are intentionally developed as leaders and engaged partners in civic life.
The Spirit on the Rise Award will honor Alejandra Underwood as a selfless emerging leader. Growing up in a single-parent household, Alejandra witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by families whose basic needs go unmet. After immigrating to the United States in 2009, she turned those experiences into a commitment to service. Today, she serves as a Constituent Services Liaison in the Arlington County Manager’s Office advocating and expanding opportunity for all.
Early bird tickets and tables are now available through September 20th. Click below to save your seat(s)!
[Top] Judge Newman [Middle] Devanshi Patel, center [Bottom] Alejandra Underwood, center
Strengthen the Movement.
For over 30 years, the Spirit Awards Luncheon has been a symbol of unity and shared purpose in Arlington. With this year’s event honoring Judge Newman and the cross-generational leaders carrying forward his legacy, sponsors have a meaningful opportunity to stand with a beloved community tradition at a defining moment in its history.
By sponsoring Spirit, you’re not only investing in the people and stories that define Arlington, you’re aligning your brand with a powerful legacy of service, innovation, and connection. Sponsors enjoy meaningful visibility among the hundreds of event attendees and thousands of community members reached through digital channels, as well as the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to community in a highly respected setting.
We welcome both individual and company sponsorships, with a variety of levels and benefits to fit your goals. Contact Jamee Hood at jhood@arlcf.org or 703-243-4785×205 to explore how you can be part of this inspiring celebration.
