Dear ,

My colleagues, Salim Khalfani and Dora Muhammad, and I spent the last few days in rural parts of Virginia meeting with delegates (Delegate Jason Ballard, Pearisburg -- see below photo, and Delegate Wren Williams, Stuart), health care professionals in Blacksburg, Martinsville and Lynchburg, clergy and lay leadership groups in Martinsville and Lynchburg, and speaking at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. 

Sometimes we think of Virginia as divided between urban and rural areas, but I was struck by how similar many of our concerns are.

Our meetings with Delegates Ballard and Williams were focused on solitary confinement, because they serve on the House of Delegates Public Safety subcommittee that will be the first to hear the bill to limit the use of solitary confinement in Virginia’s prisons and jails. Both delegates were concerned about the severe mental health problems and diminished life expectancy caused by isolating people, and offered ways they might help get this bill passed.

Our meetings with health care professionals focused on maternal health challenges, particularly for Black and Brown women. Everyone was concerned about the “maternal health deserts,” where there are not enough facilities for women to get help in delivering babies, resulting in higher rates of infant and maternal mortalities. Lack of access to care is felt in communities across the commonwealth. Health care professionals were excited about a requirement for training on unconscious bias in health care, which has been proven to play a direct role in Virginia’s high rate of maternal and infant mortalities. 

People were concerned about affordable housing, both for very low-income families but also for more moderate-income families who are ready to buy their first homes but can’t find anything they can afford. We also heard about the lack of housing options for seniors who no longer can maintain their housing but cannot afford to move to the available retirement communities.  

Clergy and lay leaders expressed eagerness to get their congregations more involved in voter registration and getting people out to vote for this year’s very important midterm elections.  

And then last night, I talked with a Church and Society Committee in Blacksburg about what’s involved in starting a Living Wage Certification program.

Although there are many issues of concern for people of faith, VICPP priority issues – health care equity and access, criminal justice reform, affordable housing, living wages, and civic engagement – resonate with people across the state. Northern Virginia and Stuart, Virginia are a long way away, but Virginians across the commonwealth share many values and concerns. 

We’ll be working diligently over the next few months to nail down our priorities for the 2023 General Assembly. The concerns and ideas for solutions we hear inform our deliberations. As I always say, your voice matters.

From the road, 

Kim Bobo 
Executive Director   

P.S. Virginia is truly a gorgeous state.

Is there an upcoming community event in your area? Check with the organizers about distributing the JAB brochures! Then email us a request with your address, desired quantity, and event details and we will mail them to you. Click the button below to send an email to: jab@virginiainterfaithcenter.org

VICPP thanks Supervisor Andrea Bailey (Prince William County Board of Supervisors) for including our JAB brochure in the 300 backpacks donated through her office at the second annual Back-To-School Community Event. On Saturday, August 13, nearly 1,000 backpacks were donated at the event sponsored by the Prince William County Community Foundation and spearheaded by its founder Vanessa Gattis. An estimated 2,500 people attended the event held in one of the county’s commuter lots. Along with free school supplies, free boxes of food donated by the Northern Virginia Food Rescue and free meals and snacks from local food truck vendors were available. Several local elected officials helped organize the event and helped secure the commuter lot: Del. Candi Mundon King, Supervisor Margaret Franklin, Supervisor Andrea Bailey, and Dumfries Vice Mayor Monae Nickerson. 

Registration is now open for the series of workshops and events convened by Voices for Virginia’s Children to mark Virginia’s third annual Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week. The conference aims to empower the voices and experiences of marginalized communities in acknowledgement of truth to promote healing, reconciliation, and justice. In past years, the week has been a time to reflect on personal and organizational growth related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. This year, the event will celebrate good trouble-making and young change-makers. Click the button below to register!  

On Tuesday, August 23 in Norfolk, the PUSH Coalition will convene the third roundtable focused on addressing the maternal care deserts across Virginia. Health care professionals serving Hampton Roads will be invited to join faith and community leaders seeking solutions to help stem the region’s maternal mortality rates, the highest in the Commonwealth. Lunch will be provided. If you are interested or would like to suggest someone essential to add to the invite list, please click the button below to email VICPP Health Equity Program Manager, Dora Muhammad, at: dora@virginiainterfaithcenter.org

The mobilization tour organized by the Right to Vote Coalition will make its next stop at the Simms Auditorium in Harrisonburg. This community-led event will provide support and resources to educate those who have had or are eligible to have their voting rights restored, the families of individuals currently incarcerated, and those who don’t realize the power of their vote. Mark your calendars!

You are invited to join VICPP and other faith leaders as we head to the Eastern Shore of Virginia on Sunday, August 28. We will hear from farmworkers and advocates, and later join a farmworker mass in the fields. We will meet with advocates and partners in the afternoon. In the evening, we will get to meet with farmworkers, and celebrate a sacramental Mass with them and other representatives at the Eastern Shore Farmworker Ministry. For more information, email VICPP Faith Organizer, Sheila Herlihy, at: Sheila@virginiainterfaithcenter.org
Click the button below to register!

Mark your calendars for 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 10 and register today for the first follow-up to the Together in Faith Symposium as VICPP continues to look at ways to combat racialized and religious violence in Virginia. We will be hosting a virtual screening and discussion with the producer and writer of the new documentary short (36 minutes), “Are We There Yet.” The film follows the cross-country road trip of Marisa Prince and Calvin Lee, co-founders of American Awakening, to better understand the Doctrine of Discovery, its connection to contemporary Christian Nationalism, and if it's possible to chart a new course for the American Christian Church. Join us via Zoom for this noon matinee event! 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER.

Click the button below to register!

Potential overdoses, death at privately run Lawrenceville prison spur state investigation

Virginia Mercury, Aug. 10, 2022

By Sarah Vogelsong

Excerpts:

The apparent overdoses were first publicly flagged Tuesday night by the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit that advocates for racial, social and economic justice. 

King Salim Khalfani, a criminal justice reform organizer with the center, said he was told nearly a dozen inmates suffered overdoses over the last few days.

“This is an ongoing problem throughout the years,” said Khalfani. 

Details of the recent incident have been scarce. Asked about the reports by Virginia Interfaith, Virginia Department of Corrections Director of Communications Benjamin Jarvela referred the Mercury to the GEO Group. 

and

Virginia Interfaith on Tuesday urged the Virginia Department of Corrections to cancel its contract with GEO and take over management of Lawrenceville, citing “a documented pattern of drug overdoses and deaths” at the facility, as well as other problems. The group said it intends to release a report on violations at the facility at the end of the month. 

Khalfani said he has “been getting complaints for years” about Lawrenceville and contended that many problems are linked to allowing a private operator to run a prison for profit. 

“It just doesn’t seem right,” he said. “Corrections isn’t a for-profit industry.” 

Virginia investigating suspected overdoses at only privately run prison

WRIC ABC 8News, Aug. 10, 2022

By Dean Mirshahi

Virginia investigating suspected overdoses at only privately run prison

WRIC ABC 8News, Aug. 11, 2022

By Sabrina Shutters

Click the graphic above to watch the news story on our YouTube channel. 
Click the button below to watch the news story on the 8News website.