Racial Justice
Kimberly R. Nario Y’all, it’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! I’d love to hear how you’re celebrating or acknowledging, but in case that brings about a dreaded silence from you and a swift side-eye from me, let me just go ahead and give you some ideas. Diversify your personal library. Take a look […]
Racial Justice
News
Antisemitic Candidates Don’t Belong in Virginia Congress
By: Kierra Johnson As many people continue to use antisemitism to villainize youth and social justice activists, it is important to remember that antisemitism has been on the rise in the United States for years. Especially since the election of Donald Trump, MAGA candidates and the general voting base of the GOP have repeated vile […]
News
Rest is Radical
by shay bell This holiday season, I will rest. It’s been a long, ROUGH year, and I don’t know about you all, but I BARELY made it out by the skin of my teeth. With everything happening in our Commonwealth, and in the WORLD, it’s hard to close my eyes at night and feel safe. […]
News
Pay Teachers and Don’t Be Racist
By Kimberly R. Nario Hey y’all. Here’s your reminder that it is Filipino American History Month. Before we jet off to festivals and celebrations, I have to say–I had a lot of feelings when I saw this. My grandma was a teacher in the Philippines, only giving up her career to come to the States […]
News
And in April, We Sparked
by shay bell It’s my favorite time of year. Spring is upon us, the sun is shining, birds are chirping, the smell of jasmine lingers in the air. And what’s that other smell wafting through my nostrils? Earthy, musky, and sent from above, it’s the smell I’ve come to associate with peace, marijuana. Virginians far […]
News
Voting Rights, Youngkin Wrong
by Kimberly R. Nario Everyday we hear about elected officials who are actively working to dismantle our democracy. But did you know some of those very people are right here in our state legislature? Just this past session, several Republicans in both the state Senate and House of Delegates introduced bills to rollback progress on […]
News
Devastated But Never Surprised
by shay bell I’m so f*cking sick and tired of grieving over the loss of my people at the hands of police violence. On February 22, at Tysons Corner Center mall in Fairfax County, Virginia, police officers James Sadler and Sgt. Wesley Shifflett shot and killed Timothy Johnson after he was suspected of shoplifting sunglasses. […]
Press Release
Progress Virginia Statement on the Murder of Tyre Nichols by Police
Memphis, Tennessee—We are appalled and devastated by the murder of Tyre Nichols by police. Tyre was a beautiful soul who enjoyed skateboarding and photography. His life was unfairly cut short when police brutally and violently murdered him for no reason. His life mattered, and he deserved so much more than becoming the next hashtag in […]
News
The War on Drugs isn’t Real
by Kierra Johnson If there was ever any proof that the war on drugs is not about drugs, it’s the latest numbers of marijuana arrests in Virginia. A Washington Post analysis revealed that even though marijuana has been legalized in the state, the majority of the people who are arrested for drug related charges are […]
News
Celebrating Juneteenth
As a kid, going to family cookouts was my favorite thing to do over the summer. Since we lived further away, I only got to see my extended family a couple times a year, so I really cherished the experience. All of the kids in the family got to hang out with each other and […]