JOIN US TOMORROW! This year, almost all of VICPP’s policy priorities passed the General Assembly and the Governor signed them into law. But what happens next? Where do we go from here? Join VICPP staffers tomorrow to learn why advocating for strong implementation and regulation of new laws matters in Virginia. 

Turning swords into plowshares in the modern era looks different. Join our James River Chapter's event to turn Guns into Garden tools in Williamsburg on October 10! We are accepting unwanted firearms and forging them into something new. Please spread the word to others who may want to prevent weapons from being used to cause pain. Please email Tim Kloth, James River Chapter Coordinator, for more information and to volunteer. klothonline@gmail.com   

Virginia Election Protection is a dedicated coalition of congregations, organizations, and volunteers. Together, we make up the largest nonpartisan voter protection effort in the Commonwealth, working to ensure the rights of all Virginia voters are upheld. If you want to volunteer to work at the polls, sign up at the link below for a training and a shift on Oct. 24, Oct. 31, or Nov. 3 (Election Day) 

Do you live in Southwest Virginia? Please join us for our monthly virtual meeting to connect with your neighbors and learn how the General Assembly works. Whether you're new to civic engagement or are already involved, you'll leave with a better understanding of how decisions are made in Richmond and how they impact your community. 

Rev. Cook, VICPP's executive director, participated as a panelist at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History Conference in Norfolk, Virginia, on September 23. (Photo: Rev. Cook fourth from right)  

Robert Lester, VICPP's civic engagement coordinator, spoke at Community Christian Center's Ironman Breakfast about the importance of early voting and getting people to the polls. (Photo: Robert is sixth from the left)

Our SWVA Faith Organizer/Communications Coordinator, Amanda Kline Roberson tabled at the City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority during a voter event. Residents were able to come by and register to vote and get information about the election. (Photo L-R: Natalie Kline, Family Self Sufficiency Coordinator at RRHA and Amanda Kline Roberson)

The first midwife work group for the budget amendment VICPP championed in the year’s session kicked off Monday October 5! Pictured are some of the midwives and advocates, including people from the March of Dimes, Virginia Rural Health Association, Virginia Midwives Alliance, the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Nurse Midwives, and the Virginia Birth Center Alliance that helped get the amendment passed. This work is for all the moms and birthing families who aren’t able to access a model of care that countless studies show improves outcomes. (Photo: VICPP's Kathryn Haines is fourth from left)

VICPP’s economic justice organizer, Ramón Zepeda Ramos, participated in a panel discussion at the Virginia Early Childhood Advocacy Summit hosted by Save the Children Action Network (SCAN). Panelists discussed opportunities and challenges in early childhood education, and the policies needed to expand access to high-quality early learning and support families across the Commonwealth. (Photo L-R: Ramón Zepeda Ramos; Meagan S. Haire Abbey, Mayor of McKenny, VA; Sabrina Branch, Director of Bethel Child Development Center; facilitator Heather Thomas, President, Family Council for Equity in Education) 

2026 is an important year for elections in Virginia! We are asking congregations, mosques, temples, and all faith communities to commit to having 100% voting participation in the electoral process. Join us in this important work! Email Robert Lester for more info. (Photo: Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke)

Ramón Zepeda Ramos, VICPP’s economic justice organizer, has been selected to serve on the Regulatory Advisory Panel (RAP) for Virginia’s Heat Illness Prevention Standard. This RAP will convene a diverse group of stakeholders to provide practical and technical input as the Department of Labor and Industry develops the proposed standard. 
(Photo: Ramón in top row on left. Photo source: Virginia Mercury 6/19/25, "Virginia advocates, officials push for worker protections from heat") 

Save the date! Join hundreds of people of all faiths and people of goodwill from across Virginia for VICPP's annual lobby day. Meet with your legislators and their aides at the General Assembly in Richmond to advocate economic, racial and social justice, and participate in dynamic workshops. We'll share a registration link soon. Click below to watch a video about the event.