On Friday night, a Virginia Beach police officer shot and killed Donovan Lynch, an unarmed Black man. It’s difficult to know exactly what happened because the officer’s body-worn camera was turned off for unknown reasons, according to police Chief Paul Neduigate. Since the beginning of 2021, police have killed 132 people across the United States. […]
Month: March 2021
News
Qualified Immunity is Killing the Black Community
It’s been a year, and I still can’t sleep. If you think I’m talking about the pandemic, you’re mistaken. It’s been a year since a girl like me was resting in her bed and never got the chance to meet the dawn of the new day. She never got the chance to call her mom […]
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If You Don’t Hate Me, Act Like It
by Kimberly Nario Sometimes it feels like I grew up in a hospital. When I was a kid, my mom and several aunties worked at hospitals across Hampton Roads. It was common for my dad to drop me off in the middle of my mom’s shift so I could spend an afternoon bouncing between the […]
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Missed Opportunities to Prioritize People Over Profit
Several bills that would have held utility monopolies accountable for ripping off their customers were shot down by a state Senate committee this February. I was equally outraged and dismayed watching Senators from both sides of the aisle vote to allow Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to continue to pocket the money of ratepayers unethically. […]
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The People Have Spoken: Pass RHEA Now!
Since Democrats took over both the House of Delegates and the State Senate in 2019, we’ve passed a flurry of progressive legislation on everything: voting rights, gun violence prevention, abortion access, economic justice, and many more. We’ve made a lot of progress in the last two years, but our work isn’t done yet, especially when […]
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ICYMI: Nearly 70,000 People in Virginia Regain the Right to Vote
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Contact: Tiffany Potter, tiffany@progressva.org, 434-906-0870 ICYMI: Nearly 70,000 People in Virginia Regain the Right to Vote Virginia—Thanks to the tireless efforts of rights restoration activists and organizers around the Commonwealth, 69,000 formerly incarcerated people have had their civil rights restored and can now vote. The right to vote […]
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Advocates Celebrate Abortion Provider Appreciation Day
Members of the Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance (VREA) are celebrating Abortion Provider Appreciation Day by delivering care boxes to every abortion clinic in the Commonwealth. The boxes contain snacks, drinks, personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, and the book Shout Your Abortion by Amelia Bonow, Emily Nokes, and Lindy West. “These care packages are a signal that we […]
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March PV Spotlight: Birth In Color RVA
Welcome to our new series the “Progress Virginia Spotlight” where we profile organizations in the Commonwealth that work to bring justice to everyone so we have strong, healthy, and thriving communities in our state. This month, we’re shining the light on Birth In Color RVA, a collective of doulas that focuses on advocacy and policy […]
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Abortion Access Activists Host People’s Hearing on Reproductive Health Equity Act
Richmond, Virginia—Abortion access advocates gathered for a People’s Hearing this evening where they shared stories about the importance of passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act and got an update on what is happening with the bill. “I’m sponsoring the Reproductive Health Equity Act because I believe everyone, regardless of their income, the color of their […]