Virginia Organizing 2018 Mid-Year Report 17AUG18

IT is said that all politics start local. There  is truth in this, the republican tea-baggers came to dominate the party by locals trained in organizing, lobbying, fundraising and publicity and took control of the party from the bottom up. The late Sen Paul Wellstone D MN was the inspiration for Wellstone's Revenge, a Democratic response to the tea-bagger take over of the republican party, their dominance of congress and setting the groundwork for the election of the fascist drumpf/trump-pence administration in 2016. The elections around the country in 2017 as well as the  primaries of 2018 are showing positive results for Bold Progressives in the Democratic Party because of the work that has been done the past few years at the local level across the country. This report from Virginia Organizing showcases the effectiveness of local organizing on health care, education, affordable housing, voting rights, policing and community relations, immigration and human rights. NOTE, Virginia Organizing is non-partisan, people of all political persuasions worked together on these issues, just like it used to be on the federal level. It just happens that the issues they are addressing are also Progressive Democratic Issues........

Virginia Organizing 2018 Mid-Year Report Members of the New River Valley Chapter celebrated the successful Medicaid expansion campaign by canvassing neighborhoods to raise awareness of the new coverage that will become available to 400,000 Virginians in January. In April the Portsmouth Chapter hosted a regional skill-building workshop with members from the Eastern Shore, Fredericksburg, and Norfolk Chapters. The New River Valley Chapter hosted another with Lynchburg, Washington County, and Lee County in June. Chapters continue to work on immigrant rights. Leaders Gerie Fatundimu and Makunda Abdul-Mbacke of the Martinsville/Henry County Chapter spoke at this “Keep Families Together” rally sponsored by the Southern Virginia Latino Association and other groups. Leader Eunice Haigler spoke to the Stafford County Board of Supervisors about the affordable housing crisis in her area. The Fredericksburg Chapter will continue to pressure all of the area’s boards, councils, and planning commissions.  Dear Craig,  We have a special victory to celebrate in 2018: the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia! It was a long time coming, and I want to thank every one of you who wrote, called, donated, and showed up to rallies and other events throughout this campaign. We did it at last! We have other campaigns and victories to lift up. • The New River Valley Chapter got the Montgomery County School Board to adopt a statement on diversity and inclusion in the school system. • The Washington County Chapter is working with the school board to implement several proposals around school inclusion. • The Lee County Chapter has continued working to make sure the hospital reopens. They have also worked on education issues this year. • Leaders in the Eastern Shore and Lynchburg Chapters have spoken at school board meetings and met with members of their school boards. • The Fredericksburg Chapter has made numerous presentations to area boards for their affordable housing campaign. • The Portsmouth Chapter canvassed the city and is starting a campaign about police/community relations. They also organized a rally on predatory lending. • Charlottesville and many other chapters have continued to register voters and help returning citizens get their voting rights restored. They are also working to dismantle racism and protect access to health care. • The Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Fredericksburg, and Martinsville/Henry County Chapters have helped organize coalitions that protested family separations, cooperation between ICE and local police, and the failure of Congress to pass a clean Dream Act. • The Danville Chapter continued monitoring its 2015 policing campaign victory by meeting with the newly appointed Chief of Police. The chapter is happy to report more steps in the right direction. I participate in the work of Virginia Organizing because I feel inspired by the courage and persistence of our membership and their strategic thinking about how to win justice for all. We’re connected to each other. When people start to have access to health care, or a school system begins to recognize the value of diversity and inclusion, that benefits everyone. Thank you for all you do for grassroots change in Virginia. These victories belong to all of us. Click here for a downloadable PDF version of our mid-year report to see more photos and accomplishments! Del McWhorter Chairperson Virginia Organizing 703 Concord Avenue Charlottesville, 22903 434-984-4655 info@virginia-organizing.org