A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT
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Dear NWPC-VA Members,
Early voting begins on May 7 for the June 20 Virginia Primary Election. In June, all 140 Senate and House seats in the General Assembly will be up for election. As the National Women’s Political Caucus of Virginia, now is our time to exercise our “super power” of endorsing candidates. We have begun scheduling interviews for the candidates who have already applied.
The Democratic Party has announced there will be primary elections for seats in the Senate (17) and the House (16); the Republican Party has announced they will hold caucus elections to select their candidates for the November General Election.
All eyes will be on Virginia in 2023 for our state legislative elections. Now is the time to mobilize to elect those candidates in June and then in November!
Furthermore, from August 10 to 13, the National Women’s Political Caucus (National) will hold their annual convention in Richmond, Virginia. We will use that time to meet, discuss, plan and train on how we will elect the legislature that supports our values. Stay tuned for details on how you can register and what activities will be available for both the upcoming election and the convention. As the hosts, we will want to extend a warm welcome to our national organization and out-of-state attendees. As one of the newest state chapters, we want to show that we know how to work together and win, not only this year but in 2024.
What role are you willing to play in 2023 to protect our rights and advance our values? Look out for our survey.
Onward,
Andrea Miller
NWPC-VA President, 2023-24 |
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2023 STATE ELECTIONS & REDISTRICTING |
Are you confused about your new House and Senate districts? You’re not alone. In 2021, based on the most recent census, district maps were redrawn and produced jointly for the Supreme Court of Virginia by two special masters, one nominated by Republican legislators, one nominated by Democratic legislators. The results created 23 new House districts and 11 new Senate districts without current incumbents; half of Virginia senators now are either paired or tripled in districts with other sitting senators; and 42 out of 100 delegates are paired or tripled in districts with other sitting delegates, with 40 double-ups and two triple-ups. Over a dozen Virginia legislators have ruled out seeking re-election this year, including Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw and Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment. Below are maps of the new districts. House of Delegates Map
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Red Alert for Reproductive Rights In Grayson County
Members, we have received important updates from VREA that Texas anti-abortion activists are organizing against reproductive rights in Grayson County, Virginia. A proposed ordinance is being spearheaded by Mark Lee Dickson (a director at Texas Right to Life) and drafted by the attorney, Jonathan F. Mitchell, who wrote the Texas Heartbeat Act or Senate Bill 8 (SB 8), which bans abortion at approximately 6 weeks of pregnancy and includes an unusual enforcement mechanism designed to insulate the law from judicial review. This ordinance is currently with the county attorney for review. If successful, it would: Declare Grayson County an “Unborn Sanctuary”
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Ban any abortions from taking place within the county limits
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Criminalize the importation of medicines which aid in abortion (citing the Comstock Act, 18 U.S.C. §1461 and §1462)
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Penalize anyone who assists in an abortion
NWPC-VA board members Jessica Kujala and Jennifer Gaylor attended the first of many VREA Zoom strategy sessions at the end of last week, with over 30 other advocates from various reproductive freedom organizations. We are committed to assisting reproductive rights advocates in Grayson County as they decide how best to proceed to combat this ordinance. Our Southwest Regional Representative, BJ Lark, has also reached out to Grayson County advocates to assist. We will keep members abreast of any calls to action. To learn more, read this recent article from The Guardian. |
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Nominate an Advocate for NWPC’s 2023 Women of Courage Awards
NWPC National is seeking nominations for the NWPC 2023 Women of Courage Awards. Please access the nomination form here and respond at your earliest convenience. The deadline for submissions is April 25, 2023.
Join NWPC-VA’s 2023 Endorsements Team
Our candidate application for endorsement is open for business, and we are happy to announce that applications are rolling in! To reach our goal of endorsing pro-choice, pro-equality women to increase our numbers in elected office, we need our members to pitch in to get the job done. "Many hands make light work" fits perfectly as we face an unprecedented number of candidates. Here are the 2 ways to help now: 1) We need members to assist with the interview process so we can deliver on endorsements. 2) Get the word out! Let your networks know we are actively taking applications and direct candidates to our website. If you are interested in interviewing, please email Katherine White at va.nwpc.endorsements@gmail.com or call at 703-597-2047.
Plan NWPC-VA’s Hosting of the 2023 NWPC National Convention
NWPC-VA will be hosting the National Conference in Richmond from August 11 to 13. Caucuses from around the country will be joining us in the commonwealth. We are honored and excited! Would you like to be part of the planning committee? Contact President Andrea Miller: va.nwpc.president@gmail.com.
Mentor Future Candidates with NWPC-VA
NWPC-VA is looking for a team of mentors who are interested in building the bench with qualified women and femme-presenting candidates in Virginia. We want to ensure that candidates who are endorsed by NWPC-VA are the best in all areas because they have been given the tools and guidance from the best. Mentorship opens doors, empowers personal development, assists with gaps in skills and knowledge, increases confidence, and solidifies career goals. If you are interested in NWPC-VA's mentorship program reach out to va.nwpc.development@gmail.com.
Choose a Topic for NWPC-VA's Salon Series Our salon series is a place where members and invited guests can exchange their ideas and opinions free of judgment. Every three months, Finale Norton leads participants on a literary exploration. The virtual salon provides a safe space to gather, discuss, reflect, and encourage one another. We are in the process of choosing the next book. Contact Jess at va.nwpc.development@gmail.com and let us know what book you think would take us on the next great journey with our best friends, aka the authors, poets, and essayists.
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WATCH #WOMENLEAD: IN MEMORIAM |
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Judy Heumann (1947-2023) Earlier this month, the "Mother of the Disability Rights Movement," Judy Heumann, died at the age of 75. Wheelchair-bound due to childhood polio, Heumann spent her life fighting for access for the disabled. She was a major contributor to the development and implementation of significant legislation including Section 504, one of the first US federal civil rights laws offering protection for people with disabilities; the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; the Americans with Disability Act; and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Heumann served in the Clinton administration as an assistant secretary of education and in the Obama administration as a special assistant to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in charge of spreading ideas about civil rights across the world. She co-founded Disabled in Action and the World Institute on Disability as well as authoring the books Rolling Warrior and Being Heumann. Amid all of this work, she also mentored many young activists around the world. We salute this trailblazing advocate who reimagined what it is to be disabled! Hear Judy Heumann speak about her work in this clip from PBS News Hour.
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April 8-17: Birth in
Color’s Maternal Health Week (In-Person)
Birth in Color is hosting its 5th Annual Black Maternal
Health Week with celebrations happening throughout the commonwealth. Black
Maternal Health Week aims to provide a national platform for reproductive health
issues affecting black women, while focusing on ways to shrink the disparity in
maternal health that exists both in America and right here in Virginia. Birth
in Color plans to hold events that connect black women and families with
resources that will equip them to be informed advocates for their own health.
They will have community baby showers, screenings, and a Black Maternal Health
Summit. For more information and tickets, please visit the Birth In Color website.
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2023 Women's Summit (In-Person) NWPC-VA will have a table at this year's Women's Summit "All in to Win Virginia." This year the summit will take place July 22-23 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones Branch Dr, McLean, VA 22102. If you are interested in helping us share the benefits of NWPC-VA membership, please reach out to va.nwpc.development@gmail.com. For background on the summit: https://networknova.org.
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New Congressional ERA Caucus Launches
Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) have launched a new Congressional caucus focused on enshrining the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution 100 years (yes, 100) after the ERA was first introduced in Congress. Details here.
The Economic Costs of Gender Inequality
A new study from Moody’s Analytics finds that gender inequality costs the global economy $7 trillion per year and that, at the current rate, it will take approximately 132 years to close the economic gender gap. Responding to the study, representatives from the World Bank noted: “Gender biases and inequalities that have placed women in low-wage occupations, such as differences in jobs and hours worked, as well as women’s disproportionate caregiving responsibilities, contribute to the gender wage gap.”
Additional factors include the frequent occurrence of women being held to higher standards at work while at the same time being less likely to ask for promotions and investing in advanced degrees while being placed in positions for which they are overqualified. Listen to Moody’s “Big Picture” podcast about the findings here.
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