Week of 02/04/2024

Friday, February 9th, 12:00pm
Power Lunch
RSVP here 

Sunday, February 11th, 4:00pm
Virginia Grassroots Coalition Meeting
Zoom Link: https://georgetown.zoom.us/j/98422844279 

Monday, February 12th
Deadline to Register to Vote or Update an Existing Registration – Presidential Primary
Register to vote, or update an existing registration

Saturday, February 24  12:00pm – 5:00pm
Feel the Heritage Festival – Charles Drew Community Center.
Details HERE

Saturday, February 24th 
Virginia Black History Month Gala – Falls Church
More Information HERE

Monday, February 26th  7:00pm
WofA Membership Meeting – In-Person!!! Arlington, VA
Please join us for our 2nd in-person meeting of 2024! It will be at the Ponderosa – 1618 N. Adams St. Arlington, VA 

Monday, February 26
Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion: “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin.”
Register HERE

Saturday, March 2nd
Last Day for Early Voting – Presidential Primary
Find your Early Voting Location: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/early-voting-office-locations/

Tuesday, March 5th
Presidential Primary

Join the Voter Readiness Working Group
We are a group of individuals that want every person to have the opportunity to cast their vote. Through Voter Registration Drives; Poll Observing; Poll Greeting and more we aim to educate and enable those that are eligible to vote. For more information, please contact Kathleen Murray: [email protected]

CALLS TO ACTION

Let Our Representatives Know We Care
The Virginia General Assembly is now in session. What that means is our legislators are presenting bills that will affect all Virginians: Climate; Gun Violence Prevention; Voting Rights; Education and more. Please take a moment and go to the Virginia Grassroots Coalition’s website and send a message to Richmond. This action takes approximately 30 seconds and will make a huge difference! Take Action Here

CTA Highlights

End Misuse of the Removal Process – Ask Legislators to Support HB265!
We’re making great progress with this bill, which has cleared the House committee process! Let’s get it over the finish line in the full House of Delegates! Here’s the background. Under current Virginia law, local officials such as school board members and Commonwealth Attorneys have been harassed through open ended removal proceedings. It’s costly and time consuming for the officials to oppose these efforts. And they can be politically damaging, even if they do not succeed. HB265 would improve the removal process so that it will be carried out more fairly. CTA – Click Here to tell all of the House Delegates to VOTE YES to HB265 when it comes before them, likely during the week of February 5. Please complete this call to action now! 

JUSTICE REFORM CTAs
1. This bill is at risk of failing in the full Senate! Tell the Senate to support SB357 and protect our most vulnerable populations: Click here to take action
2. Tell House Courts of Justice to support HB267 and protect our most vulnerable populations: Click here to take action
3. Tell Senate Courts of Justice to support SB334 and ban Fourth Amendment Plea Bargain Waivers: Click here to take action

GOTV for Pennsylvania Special Election
Democratic control of the PA House of Representatives depends on winning this race.  Jim Prokopiak is the Democratic candidate to replace former Dem. Representative John Galloway.  The Republican candidate is Candace Cabanas. The Jan. 3rd Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest states:  “Joe Biden carried this seat in the Philadelphia suburbs by a 55-44 margin. Even if this is a Blue district we all know that special elections depend on turnout and this race is too important to be taken for granted.  The last thing we want is a solid Republican legislature in PA any presidential election year and particularly this one. PROMOTE THE VOTE, an affiliate of TURN PA BLUE has phone banks for this race: https://www.mobilize.us/promotethevotepa/event/597485/

From NetWork NoVA
LOBBY DAYS & ACTIVITIES IN RICHMOND (MORE INFO: LOBBY DAYS LINK)
• Tues, Feb. 6 at 8:00am – 12:30pm, Day of Action for Affordable Energy(VGC’s Climate & Clean Energy Working Group co-sponsor w/ Affordable Energy Coalition, Clean Virginia, Va. Organizing, CCAN, Va. IPL) Point of Contact: [email protected] RSVP
Tues, Feb 13 – Crossover
• Wed, Feb 14 at 8am – Planned Parenthood – Point of Contact: Alexis Gayle, RSVP
• Tues, Jan 9 at 7pm – Planned Parenthood Pre-Legislative Session Briefing
• Mon, Feb 19 – 4 Public Education Lobby Day: Rally at Belltower Point of Contact: Marianne Burke, PhD – CoFounder & Board Member with 4 Public Education, [email protected]
Sat, March 9 – Legislative Session Ends
Resource Reminders
• Priority Legislation for the 2024 General Assembly Session – https://www.virginiagrassroots.org/legislation-VA-2024.php?sort=live
• List of Lobby Days in Richmond – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DPqJn3HAt6rshBD2IWTPZk9h72_Jrid9g8Rs_FUV0aA/edit

Congressional Districts & Primary Candidates – https://virginiagrassroots.org/election2024.php