Dear ,

More than 5,000 essential airport workers at Dulles (IAD) and National (DCA) airports need your help in getting paid sick days, affordable health insurance, and living wages. The essential airport workers include baggage handlers, wheelchair employees, and others who primarily work in low-wage jobs. They are mostly people of color and/or a part of immigrant communities. To work in these jobs, they must live in Northern Virginia, the most expensive region in the Commonwealth.

On August 11, VICPP led a religious fact-finding delegation to learn more about the workers and their working conditions. The stories of workers struggling without paid sick days, inadequate or costly healthcare, and low wages were heartbreaking. See the report HERE.

Although the airline industry was hurt during the pandemic, the airlines received more than $50 billion in public subsidies to keep them and their workers afloat. As anyone who has travelled recently knows, the airlines are busy with travelers visiting families and taking trips postponed by the pandemic. Airlines have raised prices dramatically, significantly above the rate of inflation.

The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA) has the authority to set a standard for all workers at Dulles and National. VICPP urges the MWAA to set a standard for all its essential workers. You can help. 

Click HERE to sign a petition urging MWAA Board members to set a standard at the airports to ensure its workers have paid sick days, affordable healthcare. and living wages. VICPP will send copies of the petition to all board members.

We will also join workers and their union, SEIU 32BJ, in rallying for their critical demands on September 21 at 10 a.m. in Northern Virginia. This rally will take place in front of MWAA's office at 2733 Crystal Drive, Arlington Crystal City (easily accessible from the Yellow or Blue line on the DC Metro). If you would like to participate, please email Jase Hatcher to receive more details.

VICPP has been a strong advocate for paid sick days, affordable healthcare, and living wages for all workers. Although most of our focus has been on public policies that set core standards and our Living Wage Certification program, we also support workers who organize and seek such important improvements directly from their employers or public/private entities such as the MWAA.  

Please join us in supporting these workers.  
Thank you. 
 

Kim Bobo 
Executive Director

Every Thursday evening at 6 p.m., we are offering insight into how to reach out to your connections to increase civic engagement and voter turnout. Register at tinyurl.com/vicpp-impactive to learn about Impactive, and how texting people you already know can make a difference. Sign up for tomorrow’s training, or pick a date that works better for your calendar! 

Sign and share our petition urging the Youngkin Administration and Virginia legislators to support better birth outcomes by addressing issues related to access, bias, and coverage--the ABCs of maternal death. We have launched a poster campaign to promote the petition and amplify awareness of the racial disparities in the current maternal health crisis, where Black women are dying three to four times more than their counterparts—with the majority of these deaths identified as preventable. With the simple scan of the QR code on the poster by the camera on a phone, you can access the petition to sign it online. You can help make a difference in the lives of women and children in Virginia. Download a letter-sized poster HERE to print and display in your congregation or another public place. Spread the word and the petition!

The recording of September 1st press conference held by VICPP and The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis Press Conference to roll out the new joint report, “The State of Working Virginia,” is available to watch online. The report outlines comprehensive and up-to-date research about workers' lives as well as recommendations for advocacy and organizing. Read the report by clicking here.

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!

It’s time to get connected to form your regional chapter’s fall legislative team! VICPP encourages advocates to coalesce constituents into small groups to meet with their legislators during the fall to discuss their support of our 2023 platform. In preparation for the 2023 General Assembly, we will hold a statewide legislative preview via Zoom on Friday, September 16 from noon to 1:30 p.m. We will outline the key provisions of the bills anticipated to be on our policy platform, discuss the process and priorities for our fall schedule of district-level meetings with legislators, and review fundamental tips and strategies to ground these advocacy meetings.

To get connected or form a legislative team, CLICK HERE to visit our Chapters webpage for the link to email the coordinator team for your respective chapter.

Click the button below to register!

VICPP is proud to be a community partner of National Voter Registration Day again this year, for the tenth anniversary of the holiday. Observed this year on Tuesday, September 20, the day aims to share voter registration opportunities before state deadlines and help people get vote ready. Volunteers and organizations from all over the country will engage in voter registration on a single day of coordinated field, technology, and media efforts. Since 2012, nearly 4.7 million voters across all 50 states have registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day. Click the button below to check out the 2022 library of resources to help you organize events leading up to this annual celebration of democracy!

For a more comprehensive list of upcoming events, please click the button below to check out the VICPP Events webpage.