The Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia which includes the historic community of Newtown. The Newtown community was built following the Civil War by and for the African-Americans of the Harrisonburg area. There were two individuals from the Newtown community whom had insurmountable impact, which can still be seen in our community today; Lucy F. Simms, a well known educator, who lived and taught here for over 50 years of her life and Elon Rhodes, the first African-American to serve on Harrisonburg City Council and School Board who was a life-long resident of the Northeast community. Both Lucy F. Simms and Elon Rhodes have educational facilities named after them (the Lucy F. Simms Educational Center and the Elon Rhodes Learning Center, respectively). Both are buried in the historic Newtown Cemetery which is at the heart of the Northeast community.
As of today, historic Newtown continues to be a vibrant neighborhood in the city of Harrisonburg. The Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) works with organizations ranging from the Roberta Webb Daycare Center, Harrisonburg Parks & Recreation, the Harrisonburg City Police Department, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and both Eastern Mennonite University and James Madison University, respectively. As a community we look forward to growing and evolving, together. We are a historic, proud, and diverse group of community leaders.
Karen Thomas, President and Founder
Karen Thomas has lived in the northeast neighborhood of Harrisonburg, Virginia, her entire life. Ms. Thomas helped found the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) in 2005 and is the current President of the Association. When an uptick of violence happened in the area, the community did not step down. This moved Ms. Thomas and other concerned citizens to found the Northeast Neighborhood Association. “I had seen so many neighborhood watch programs come and go. There’s always a big to-do about it, then, when it dies down, people go home,” Ms. Thomas stated.
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Harrisonburg, Virginia, can be proud of what it does when it comes together. There are few examples in "The Friendly City" as noteworthy as the Northeast Neighborhood Association’s community efforts to make their area a safer place. “The Northeast Neighborhood Association not only addresses crime within our community, but we work to elevate our community by restoring the history, maintaining the beauty of the neighborhood and addressing any problems the community or individuals within the area are confronted with.”
Board Members
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Staff
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Karen Thomas
Eldon Kurtz Sarah Sampson Ruth Toliver |
Susan Zurbrigg
Meldorise Jordan Katrina Walker Randy Jones |
Steven Thomas, part-time staff and Restorative Justice Coordinator
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