When Covid-19 closed schools in March 2020, Matthew Vaughn-Smith was standing beside Columbia Community Care (CCC) Founder and Executive Director Erika Strauss Chavarria outside Swansfield Elementary School when she turned to him and said, “We have to do something.”
It’s no surprise Vaughn-Smith and Strauss Chavarria were together when the safety net for so many families threatened to vanish completely. Like Strauss Chavarria, Vaughn-Smith is an educator, currently serving as assistant principal with the Montgomery County Public Schools. But their connection runs deeper.
“We’ve been siblings in struggle for over 10 years,” says Vaughn-Smith. “We met while we were in union work, and we were always in each other’s spaces with the goal of pushing the union past bread and butter politics.” Together, they advocated for things that were student- and community-centered as well as restorative justice practices in school. Vaughn-Smith was responsible for getting union support that fueled the eventual passage of Maryland HB425/SB651 in the 2017 General Assembly that prohibits the suspension or expulsion of public school students in PreK through second grade.
“Four-year-olds were being pushed out of school, which of course has an impact on the cradle- and school-to-prison pipeline, even at such a young age,” adds Vaughn-Smith. The impact of the legislation continues to demonstrate statistically significant decreases in suspensions, especially for Black, brown and indigenous students across the state.
Vaughn-Smith has a passion for helping people. In 2020, he founded the Anti-Racist Education Alliance, Inc. (AREA), a 501(c)3 nonprofit that actively works to dismantle racist systems and structures within education and the greater community through service, advocacy and relationships.
“We want to liberate classrooms by decolonizing curriculum, create culturally responsive and restorative spaces, and amplify voices of Black, indigenous and people of color so they’re seen and heard,” he says. “We know you cannot aspire to that until basic needs are met.”
Meeting the basic needs of Howard County residents is one of the tenets that drew Vaughn-Smith to supporting CCC, which provides hunger relief through food pantries and grocery delivery; mentorship and youth engagement through its STAND, PUSH and volleyball programs, and community connections to improve the well-being of everyone.
“I’m born and reared in Howard County, and understand that we appear to have a certain level of privilege,” says Vaughn-Smith. “But, when you pull back the layers and look beneath, you can see that not everyone is living the Howard County or Rouse dream.”
He was one of those people; growing up, his mom worked two to three jobs just to afford living in Howard County. Now, the dad of four wants to ensure all children have opportunity to thrive. A self-described hyper-involved citizen, Vaughn-Smith believes in spending time and energy that fuels one’s passion. That’s why he donated food and money in the early days of Columbia Community Care, and now, his time as Board Secretary as well as a member of the its executive team and internal affairs committee.
“Erika has a way of seeing a need and acting, and I love that about her,” he says. “Her passion drew me in.” Because of their aligned visions, Strauss Chavarria also serves on AREA’s board, and the two leaders and their organizations often partner on events and initiatives. “CCC is kind of like AREA’s big sister,” he adds.
With the positive impact CCC is having in Howard County, Vaughn-Smith believes other Maryland counties could benefit as well. “I live in Howard County, work in Montgomery County and worship in Anne Arundel County,” he explains “And in each of those spaces there is a need, especially for a food pantry like CCC that never turns anyone away and always protects the dignity of those who come.”
“Matthew is steadfastly dedicated to the mission of CCC and the people it serves to make sure they feel safe and supported,” says Strauss Chavarria. “We are fortunate to have his amazing, innovative insights as we continue to make an impact for those we serve today, and for generations to come.”
