Thank you for your continued support for New Virginia Majority. Here is our monthly newsletter to stay up to date on all the events, actions, and advocacy from our organization. Read ahead for some updates on the work NVM has been part of this March.
Housing Justice Campaigns
Organizers in Loudoun are urging the county Board of Supervisors to dedicate a revenue stream for the Loudoun Housing Fund to invest more money in affordable housing for working-class immigrant communities. New Virginia Majority partnered with several local organizations to publish an open letter in Loudoun Now urging the Board to, “stand on the side of workers and racial justice by creating a dedicated revenue stream for housing.”
One of NVM’s HUB organizations, ACE Collaborative, works with working-class Asian American community members in Arlington to address housing affordability in Arlington County. Many Asian American Arlington residents face devastating pressure to leave their homes because of the lack of community-centered initiatives, investment in public services, and housing affordability. ACE Collaborative launched a petition to advocate for Arlington County to change the eligibility criteria and increase funding for the Housing Grants program. Click here to add your name to the Stop the Push Out petition.
In Norfolk, the St. Paul’s community is currently being pushed out and having their public housing demolished in the name of gentrification and new, unaffordable housing for the current residents in the City of Norfolk. In an Op-Ed in the Virginia Pilot, New Virginia Majority organizer Monet Johnson, "called for more guarantees that residents will be able to return to the rebuilt community, a plan to replace every demolished unit and more affordable housing across the city to combat a brutally tight housing market."
Jennifer McClellan for Governor
On March 22nd, Gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McClellan, endorsed by New Virginia Majority, announced her Economic Recovery Plan to rebuild Virginia for the future with an equitable and inclusive economy that leaves no one behind. Listed are her top priorities outlined in her plan:
- Passing paid sick leave
- Moving to a $15 minimum wage “as fast as possible”
- Removing barriers for collective bargaining, including for public employees
- Allowing gig workers to access unemployment benefits
- Expanding the Community Development Financial Institutions fund (CDFI)
- Instituting a loan program to help small businesses recover from COVID-19
- Setting up a state fund to cover sick leave costs for small businesses
- Expanding high-speed rail
Click here to sign up for the Team McClellan volunteer squad for opportunities to phone bank and support McClellan for Governor.
Take Action on Criminal Justice Reform
Organizers at New Virginia Majority launched a petition to protect individuals currently in prisons and jails in Virginia. More than 9,000 people have gotten sick and at least 56 have died of COVID-19 while incarcerated. Sign HERE to support the Bring Them Home Campaign demands:
- Call on Gov. Northam and Brian Moran, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, to fast track the process of releasing eligible incarcerated individuals from Virginia’s Department of Corrections facilities and local jails under state jurisdiction.
- Demand immediate action to increase health and safety standards in Virginia's jails and prisons to prevent any more deaths.
- Demand state and local officials increase funding for newly released people and re-entry organizations to support housing, medical care, cash assistance and other needs to survive the pandemic.
2021 Legislative Victories
Our policy team advocated and lobbied for historic legislation to make a more progressive Virginia. We supported over 60 bills this year relating to workers' rights, expanding democracy, healthcare, environmental justice, immigrant rights, criminal justice, housing, and education. Some of the most notable bills we helped pass are detailed in our 2021 Session Highlights document.
----
Your donation - big or small - helps support many initiatives, projects, and actions organized by New Virginia Majority staff, volunteers, and community members. You can continue to support New Virginia Majority by becoming a sustainer with a recurring monthly donation. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates. Together, we can lead the way toward a progressive Virginia for all of us.