Dear ,

Yesterday, September 13, 2022, was the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. I wasn’t around then, but I’ve heard the stories of the founding and vision from Rev. Fletcher Lowe, who passed last year, Rev. Jim Payne, and Steve Colecchi. Our mission was to engage people of faith in advocating economic and social justice in Virginia. From the founding, everyone knew that racial justice was embedded in economic and social justice, but the board decided in 2017 to make that commitment to addressing racism an integral part of our mission statement. 

Our current mission statement reads:

VICPP engages people of faith and goodwill in advocating economic, racial, and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices.

When I moved to Richmond, more than 6 ½ years ago, I technically “knew” that Richmond was the heart of the confederacy, but I didn’t understand how that history influences economics, politics, and relationships in Richmond and the Commonwealth. That legacy of slavery and racism touches practically all aspects of life, including the practice of religion in Virginia (e.g. mostly segregated congregations).

Richmond itself has a unique history. It was the economic center of slavery. It was the capitol of the confederacy. This history is why the Djimon Hounsou Foundation is hosting Run Richmond 16.19 this coming Saturday, September 17. This run is part of a three-part event series rolling out in Richmond, Liverpool (UK), and Ouidah (Benin, West Africa), based on the cities’ major roles in the transatlantic slave trade. 

Click the above graphic to watch a video of humanitarian and actor of "Amistad" and "Gladiator" fame -- Djimon Hounsou -- and Virginian advocates explaining the significance of Richmond in American history.

VICPP is participating in the event as a means of acknowledging Richmond’s and Virginia’s worldwide role in slavery and celebrating Black history together. We’ll have a table sharing our advocacy on racial and economic justice policies and registering new voters. If you want to run, you can register at www.runrichmond1619.org. If you want to help us staff the table, email VICPP Director of Communications, Ayesha Taylor, at: AyeshaGT@virginiainterfaithcenter.org 

Still running for justice,
 

Kim Bobo 
Executive Director

On August 11, 2022, subcontracted airport workers from Reagan National (DCA) and Dulles (IAD) Airports met with faith-rooted leaders and community members from the Northern Virginia area to listen to workers, learn of their need for paid sick days and health care, and develop ways the faith community can support their congregants and neighbors. The stories that were shared were powerful, and devastating. Click here to read our full report, "Subcontracted, Not Second-Class."  

There is so much more to be done to ensure that DCA and IAD workers can do their jobs with dignity. Here’s how you can help:

VICPP is training people to send their friends and family members texts about registering and voting. If you are tech savvy, you can download the phone app, Impactive, and enter the VICPP campaign code, which is 206173. If you’d like help with setting up and using the app, VICPP is conducting Impactive training sessions every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. from now till the elections. Click the button below to sign up for tomorrow’s training, or pick a date that works better for your calendar!  

Share this easy-to-remember registration link with your congregation, campus, and community: tinyurl.com/vicpp-impactive

Learn how congregations around the country are encouraging people to vote by organizing “Souls to the Polls” events. Register for the Souls to the Polls training on September 22nd at 7 p.m. Simply click the button below to register!

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!

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.  

Opinion/Column: Basic support makes Va. great for business and workers

Daily Progress, September 9, 2022

By Kim Crater

Excerpt:

"The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis have just released a report called The State of Working Virginia, looking at wages, benefits such as insurance and childcare, the right to organize, and wage theft (yes, sometimes workers are not paid).

The report describes ..." 

Click the button to continue reading.

Inaugural Run Richmond 16.19, a ‘cultural running experience’ started by 'Amistad' & ‘Gladiator’ actor, to be held Saturday

Richmond Times Dispatch, September 13, 2022

By Bill Lohman