BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//sebbo.net//ical-generator//EN NAME:Alexandria Library X-WR-CALNAME:Alexandria Library BEGIN:VEVENT UID:b17d864f-5449-4473-9c4a-b71018ccd65f SEQUENCE:0 DTSTAMP:20260801T000311Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T150000 SUMMARY:Backroom Deals in Our Backyards LOCATION:Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library\nCharles E. Beatley Jr. Ce ntral Library X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Charles E. Beatley Jr. Cen tral Library;X-APPLE-RADIUS=10;X-TITLE=Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Libr ary:geo:38.81226,-77.11717 GEO:38.81226;-77.11717 DESCRIPTION:Join us for a discussion with author Miranda Spivack and activ ist Queenie Cox about the book Backroom Deals in our Backyards..\nhttps:// alexandria.libnet.info/event/13644829 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Miranda Spivack's book\, Backyard Deal s in our Backyards\, received a Publishers Weekly starred re view which called it "a stunning survey of 'accidental activists' who face d down harm to their communities arising from malfeasance and deception in local government. Spivack argues that lack of transparency is the main av enue by which fraud and incompetence are able to flourish at the local lev el\, and that the problem is growing\, contributing to the erosion of the American public&rsquo\;s trust in democratic governance." The review concl udes that her examples are "deeply upsetting\, each one more indicative of a society whose priorities have gone dangerously out of whack than the la st."

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Miranda grew up in Fairfax County\, \; and went to St. Pa ul's nursery school in Alexandria\, Hollin Hills Elementary\, Bryant and G roveton before decamping for Sarah Lawrence College in New York\, and even tually Yale Law School\, where she was a journalism fellow. Most recently\ , she was an editor and reporter on the Metro staff of The Washington Post . You can read more about her at www.mirandaspivack.com

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In addition to The Post\, her work has appeared in The New York Times\, Reveal from t he Center for Investigative Reporting\, USAToday\, the McClatchy Newspapers group and Washingtonian magazine. She is a four time g rantee of the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

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Queenie Cox\, who se activism is featured in the book\, is a native of Gum Springs\, the old est African American community in Fairfax County. She works tirelessly to enhance the quality of life for Gum Springs residents\, aiming to achieve parity with other communities within the Mount Vernon Magisterial District . Queenie has served as the Mount Vernon representative on various Fairfax County boards and task forces. \; \;Queenie has been acknowledged by various organizations for her community service to include Fairfax Cou nty Police Department and:

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Copies of the boo k will be available for purchase at the event.

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