OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE 57 Virginia Organizing leaders from The Fredericksburg Chapter held across the state came together for the The South Hampton Roads a fundraiser in Washington, D.C. 20th Anniversary Grassroots Chapter participated in one of to support grassroots organizing Gathering. Attorney General Mark several local workshops on the and expand Virginia Organizing's Herring spoke to a diverse crowd of moral imperative of health care network of supporters. for all Virginians. Virginians. News From the Grassroots In addition, Attorney General Herring I've had members of Virginia Organizing 20th Anniversary provided Virginia Organizing leaders with knocking on my door as Governor and as Celebration Successful information about his Consumer Protection Senator, making sure I continue to keep the section that deals with complaints about fight against injustice going," said Senator Virginia Organizing held the statewide 20th predatory lenders, price gouging, and more. Warner, "We may not always agree on every Anniversary Grassroots Gathering in You can access this section of the Attorney issue, but I always know that Virginia Blackstone, Virginia on October 9-11. The General's office at http://bit.ly/vaconsumer. Organizing brings a sense of justice and annual Grassroots Gathering is Virginia progressiveness to issues that are terribly Organizing's meeting where Chapter leaders, “It was great to be with a group of Virginians important." board members, and staff come together to committed to making our commonwealth a reflect on what we have done in the last year, better place and to discuss issues that are Virginia Organizing's history book, Building learn new skills for organizing, and ask public important to all of us,” said Herring. Power, Changing Lives: The Story of Virginia officials to support changes to unjust policies. “Virginians win when we raise our voices and Organizing was also sold at the Grassroots work together for social justice. That’s what Gathering and is available for purchase at The celebration kicked off with Friday night's Virginia Organizing is all about.” http://bit.ly/vaorgbook. dinner and music by reggae band Mighty Joshua and the Zion #5. After the mass meeting, participants attended “The annual Grassroots Gathering gives us a workshops to learn new skills and build on chance to celebrate with our Chapters and On Saturday morning, Virginia Organizing existing ones. Everyone was also invited to a leaders all across Virginia,” said Virginia welcomed keynote speaker Attorney General Chapter fair to see the work of other local Organizing State Governing Board Mark Herring for the mass meeting portion of Chapters and make connections. Chairperson Sandra A. Cook. “It’s exciting to the Gathering. Attorney General Herring see so many grassroots activists in one place, discussed predatory lending, LGBTQ rights, U.S. Senator Mark Warner was unable to working together for the common good.” racial profiling, criminal justice issues, and the make it to the Gathering, but recorded a "school-to-prison pipeline" plaguing many special video for Virginia Organizing leaders About 165 people attended the 20th Virginia schools. that can be seen at http://www.virginia- anniversary Grassroots Gathering weekend to organizing.org/u-s-senator-warner-sends- celebrate the momentous occasion, including Virginia Organizing leaders from Danville, message-to-virginia-organizing/. Senator members of every local Chapter. Fredericksburg, and South Hampton Roads Warner said, "I'm sorry I couldn't be with you asked important questions of the Attorney in person today, but I want to congratulate Chapter leaders looking for a way to stay General. As a result, the Attorney General everyone on the 2015 Grassroots Gathering connected to other Chapters can visit Virginia committed to meeting with Virginia and also congratulate Virginia Organizing on Organizing's website at www.virginia- Organizing and about 10 police chiefs across 20 fantastic years of service." organizing.org and view the calendar to see the commonwealth to discuss data collection upcoming events. for racial profiling. He also agreed to meet Senator Warner also commended Virginia with our Chapters throughout the year to Organizing for "tremendous work" for social To make a special donation for Virginia discuss law enforcement issues. justice at the local, state, and federal level. "I Organizing's 20th anniversary, please visit know many times in my public service career, http://bit.ly/vaorganizingdonate. Real people. Real change. Leader of the Month LaKisha! Mahone CVC Campaign Contributors unconstitutional Immigration and Customs LaKisha (Kisha) Enforcement (ICE) holds. ICE holds were Mahone has been a and Monthly Sustainers being used across Virginia as a way for local volunteer leader with Needed! law enforcement to detain individuals that the Fredericksburg ! were flagged by ICE after the person would The annual Commonwealth of Virginia Chapter since normally be released. In January 2015, Campaign (CVC) has begun. Virginia February 2015. Kisha Attorney General Mark Herring issued an Governor Terry McAuliffe has challenged and her classmates opinion stating that ICE holds amounted to state employees with an ambitious CVC goal were doing a research detaining someone without cause. of $4.1 million. If you are a state employee, project and chose to you can donate to Virginia Organizing study the school-to- This is the first time that Virginia Organizing through your payroll deduction and be a part prison-pipeline in of this great fundraising effort! Virginia leaders met with these local sheriffs. Community members and those directly Spotsylvania County when they came Organizing's code is 3168. These donations across Virginia Organizing's work. Kisha help us expand our grassroots organizing affected by law enforcement issues were able to speak up about what is important to them became more interested in this topic when capacity. If you have friends or family it affected two of her children, and this members who work for the state (or any in this meeting. inspired her to stay involved with Virginia entity of the state, such as a public Organizing. After she got involved with the university), please pass along our information Children for Change: A to them! Please contact Sally Bastian at Chapter, Kisha said, “I felt like I was at 434-984-4655 ext. 229 or bastian@virginia- Collaboration of the South home.” organizing.org with any questions about how Hampton Roads and Most of her work is focused on the pipeline, to donate to Virginia Organizing through the Petersburg Chapters CVC. but she also helps people register to vote and helps restore the rights of returning ! The South Hampton Roads and Petersburg Virginia Organizing is also recruiting Chapters have been working to help children citizens. This summer, Kisha attended a monthly sustainers! Monthly sustainers are and youth understand the historical Civil five-day conference in Albany, New York, to donors who make a monthly contribution Rights Movement, their role in organizing for learn about organizing, an experience she through an electronic funds transfer (EFT). social justice, and getting involved in called exhausting, but very worthwhile. Once a month, Virginia Organizing will community organizing on issues that affect ! draft your account, which means 100 percent them. At the 2014 Grassroots Gathering, Kisha loves the Fredericksburg Chapter and of your donation will support grassroots leaders had an interest in breaking down its “environment of excitement.” She loves organizing! If you are interested in being a barriers in order to engage children and youth that the Chapter is able to maintain its monthly sustainer, please complete the form in organizing. Since that time, leaders have volunteer base and that leaders are so found at http://bit.ly/vaorgsustainer and continued to show interest in getting more involved in their community. Kisha says return to Sally Bastian at bastian@virginia- youth active in Virginia Organizing and started that the question on everyone’s mind is organizing.org or 703 Concord Avenue, having discussions about how to make this a typically “What’s next?” Charlottesville, VA 22903. reality. Out of these discussions came "children for change," a program designed for youth to To Kisha, empowerment is built into the Martinsville/Henry County create social change in their community. The culture of Virginia Organizing, and she Chapter Met with Local program is modeled after the freedom schools loves the effect she has on her community. that existed in the South during the Civil Rights “Community members run the Sheriffs Movement. So far, children have met and organization,” Kisha says. “It is so learned more about how they can raise their purposeful and genuine.” The Martinsville/Henry County Chapter voices and use their power to create change. met with the Sheriffs of Martinsville and The youth will continue to meet and put this Thank you, Kisha, for all your great Henry County to discuss immigration issues new learning into action over the next year and organizing! on the local level, particularly beyond.! VIRGINIA ORGANIZING News in Brief 703 Concord Avenue Charlottesville, VA 22903 ! (434) 984-4655 Fax: (434) 984-2803 • The Richmond Chapter is spending time gathering petition signatures from local ! bus riders about extending the bus operating hours in the city. Local Chapters and Areas Served Augusta/Staunton/Waynesboro • Virginia Organizing leaders attended the 6th district women's conference hosted Charlottesville/Albemarle County by U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte at James Madison University. Shenandoah Danville Valley Chapter leaders Ramona Sanders and Trish Philon urged him to support Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Fredericksburg immigration reform! Lee County Lynchburg • Chapters in Southwest Virginia teamed up for eight community meetings with Martinsville/Henry County other organizations to discuss sustainable economies in the area with local leaders. New River Valley Richmond • The Petersburg Chapter is moving forward with their food desert campaign. Roanoke Leaders are meeting with area decision-makers and educating the community about South Hampton Roads food scarcity.