LAZERA

Mission:  LAZERA transforms communities by creating lasting social and economic equity, through shared power, intergenerational partnerships, leadership development, and healing-centered practices. 

Vision:  We envision a thriving community where youth and community members are recognized as leaders.  Where lived experience shapes solutions which create equitable systems of support, leading to healthier communities and generational opportunities for all.

Why:  The life expectancy of residents for the community we serve is 8 -15 years less than our neighbors in other Fairfax County communities.

OUR INITIATIVES

LAZERA’s work is guided by the 4 Ps—Power, Privilege, Proximity, and Purpose. We build shared power by centering lived experience, confronting privilege to advance equity, leading from proximity to strengthen trust and relevance, and cultivating purpose-driven leadership rooted in service and accountability. Together, these values shape our commitment to healing, systems transformation, and generational opportunity.

1 BROTHERHOOD EMPOWERED TEEN LEADERSHIP 

A Teen-Led program that fosters resilience and leadership skills, preparing the teens for mentorship and impactful community roles.  Our mission is to empower a cohort of male teens through leadership opportunities, exposure to college and career pathways, mental health support, communication enhancement, advocacy, and peer support in a safe space. The program aims to support teens in gaining a sense of belonging, leadership skills, plan for future steps in life, expanded social capital, boosted cultural capital, and event planning/civic engagement skills.

COMMUN1TY+ (Collective Impact)

COMMUN1TY+ is a community-rooted initiative that brings residents, grassroots leaders, nonprofit partners, and public systems together to create healthier, more connected, and more equitable communities along the Route 1 corridor.

At its core, COMMUN1TY+ is about two things: collective impact and community voice. We believe lasting change happens when community members are not just consulted, but trusted as leaders, decision-makers, and co-creators of solutions. That means centering lived experience, strengthening relationships, and building the kind of shared spaces where healing, strategy, and action can happen together.

Since 2020, COMMUN1TY+ has helped cultivate connections between residents, county agencies, and community-based organizations. Today, the work continues to evolve into a stronger, more human-centered model rooted in trust, leadership development, and collective action.

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ACTION TEAM (HCAT)

The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) provides 25 HCAT grants across Virginia to provide infrastructure support to build and sustain the capacity to implement promising practices and activities emphasizing policy, systems, and environmental change by improving access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity to prevent and reduce childhood obesity in Virginia.   

LAZERA is a proud to be the backbone agency for the Route 1/Buckman Loop HCAT. Working with community members and local partners to increase community based physical fitness activities, access to healthy food, and stress reduction through mindfulness and mental health.