Dear ,

The Buffalo murders have shown us, once again, how dangerous unfettered racism and hate is in our society. Whether the hate targets African Americans, immigrants, Jews, Muslims, or Asian Americans, that hate and racism breeds ideologies that encourage and enable violent crimes and murder.  

Most of the violence against people of color and minority religions is not as visible as a mass shooting, but is equally deadly and dangerous, nonetheless. Instead of trying to bury Virginia’s racist history and our violent past of lynching Black men, closing public schools so Black and White children wouldn’t go to school together, tearing apart Black neighborhoods with expressways, and discriminating against African Americans’ mortgage applications, we must learn from the history. We must recognize that this sordid history continues to live in most aspects of Virginia’s economy and fabric. 

Healthcare outcomes for African Americans in general, and especially pregnant women and their newborns, are significantly below outcomes for Whites, regardless of income and education levels. Studies repeatedly show that medical personnel do not listen to African Americans, order fewer tests and give less attention than they do to White people.  

Racism exists in healthcare, which is why VICPP is fighting to get a training requirement for healthcare professionals on unconscious bias.

Racism is embedded in our labor laws, which is why VICPP will continue to fight to remove the racist farmworker exemption from the minimum wage. And although paid sick days, on which VICPP continues to work, will help all workers, it will disproportionately help people of color who are concentrated in sectors without paid sick days.  

Racism is rampant in our criminal justice system, which is why VICPP helped lead the fight to abolish the death penalty and is now seeking to limit the excessive use of solitary confinement. 

Racism is abundantly clear in housing statistics. The gap between White and African American home ownership rates is wider than it was fifty years ago. And when home ownership is the primary path to wealth, African Americans are deprived of this wealth-building vehicle. VICPP has been supporting efforts to increase money for affordable housing and home ownership.   

Racism and hate led to the Buffalo mass shooting. Racism and hate drove or exacerbated most of the social and equity problems Virginia faces today. Pretending that racism doesn’t exist won’t help. Facing our sins and history provides opportunities for change and healing.  

I am grateful for the VICPP staff, board, and leadership who are sincerely, with faith and love, seeking to challenge racism and hate. We are all created in God’s image. Racism and hate kills.  

 


In sorrow, 

Kim Bobo 
Executive Director 

Please join us virtually for the Zoom event, "Sowing Seeds of Justice as We Build the Beloved Community," hosted by our James River Chapter. 

We will be joined by special guest speakers including Delegate Amanda Batten (96th district), VICPP Executive Director Kim Bobo, and Mike Martin, who is the author of “Beating Guns” and founder of RAWtools, Inc. (RAWtools, Inc. turns guns into garden tools, and teaches conflict resolution methods that use relationship, dialogue, and alternative means of justice as opposed to violence). We look forward to e-seeing you! Click the button below to register! 

Last Sunday, VICPP held a thank you event for Senator Scott Surovell to thank him for being a new champion in the Senate on Paid Sick Days. The backstory ICYMI (in case you missed it): Senator Surovell patroned a bill to provide paid sick days to health care workers and grocery store workers. The bill passed the Senate but was killed in the House.

We are grateful to Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church for hosting us, and to those of you, our members, who were able to join us! Check out some photos of our Executive Director Kim Bobo presenting an award to Senator Surovell on behalf of us all.

Our next monthly liaison check-in meeting will take place on Monday, May 23 from 1 to 2 pm. Come learn what it means to be a congregational liaison, get to know others in the role, and hear about our next opportunity to get your fellow members involved! If you have any questions, email Sheila (sheila@virginiainterfaithcenter.org). Click the button below to register! 

Join us next Tuesday, May 25 for a review of our 2022 Summer Engagement calendar. VICPP program staff will provide an overview of how you can get involved and support our various advocacy campaigns and programs from June through September this year. We will discuss the role of individuals, chapters, congregations, and campuses in these campaigns and then breakout in regional discussions as a first step in organizing around what you will learn. This meeting, our Monthly Memo, will take place at 6 pm, and will reoccur every fourth Tuesday at the same time throughout the summer so you can stay updated on the latest priorities each month. Register using the link below!

Register to be a part of our Living Wage Canvass Days! A living wage is the wage needed for an individual or family to thrive and is inclusive of necessary costs like transportation, food, and health care. You can read more about living wages on our website: livingwagevirginia.org

On June 25 and July 30, Virginia Living Wage chapters will be hosting Canvass Days encouraging local businesses to join the Living Wage program. Join one of our four teams in Richmond, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg-Rockingham, or Northern Virginia, or convene a new team to participate in the work Statewide. (Click the underlined city names in blue font in the previous sentence to read more about the Living Wage certification programs in those particular areas.)  

All materials will be provided. We especially encourage folks to join with a group or bring a friend. Click the button below to register for the June 25 Canvass Day (which takes place from 10 am to 1 pm) and more information will be provided to you closer to the event day!

VICPP Executive Director, Kim Bobo, quoted in:

Advocates warn an eviction crisis is looming

Radio IQ / WVTF / NPR, May 13, 2022

By Michael Lee Pope

Article Excerpt:

"We're going to see a lot of people in crisis," warns Kim Bobo at the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

"We will see that in our congregations, and we'll have to try to figure out what to do. We're going to see more people in shelters. This is a crisis that we know is coming and could be averted. We could stop this."

Lawmakers are still negotiating the state budget, and she says now would be a great time to add a child tax credit or to invest in subsidies for low-income households to help pay the rent.