Progress Virginia

@progressva.bsky.social

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We drive powerful, values-based narratives to uplift and amplify grassroots voices through innovative digital communications and earned media strategies.

A composite image of the Supreme Court of Virginia building wearing a red MAGA cap with the word "Great" blurred out. A transparent image of Donald Trump yelling looms in the background. The caption reads "SCOVA V. Virginia Voters"
A scene from the 1944 film Gaslight, in which Charles Boyer stares intently at a distressed Ingrid Bergman, while grabbing her arm. Text: "Affordability is a hoax! The Dow hit 50,000."
A scenic forest hiking trail with large text that says "NATIONAL TAKE A HIKE DAY" with Jason Miyares and Republican incumbent Delegates who lost their seats in the 2025 election. Their heads are superimposed over the bodies of hiking teddy bears.
A black and white image of President Trump on a red background, with the headline, "Donald Trump on Virginia Republicans." A black and white image of VA Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, with the quotes, "[Winsome Earle-Sears] is excellent." And, "I think she should win." A black and white image of VA Attorney General Jason Miyares with the quote, "Jason Miyares, who has, by the way, my complete endorsement." A banner reading, "Say No to MAGA in Virginia!"
Constitutional Amendment Protecting Marriage Equality with - LaTwyla Mathias, Progress Virginia, Executive Director - Delegate Rozia Henson, 19th House District - Narissa Rahaman, Equality Virginia, Executive Director Video dropping soon on Instagram @progress_va
Children wearing backpacks run together against a backdrop that looks like a green chalkboard with the words "Back to School" written across the top.
Campaign Legal Conversations The Fight to Abolish Felony Disenfranchisement Yeshua Downie - Campaign Legal Center Anthony Blankenship - Civil Survival Washington Selinda Guerrero - Millions for Prisoners New Mexico Sheba Williams - Nolef Turns
Black and white images of ICE agents arresting a Virginian with the Virginia State Capitol superimposed.
Images of ICE officers arresting Virginians with Glenn Youngkin superimposed over them. Text reads: "ICE invades Virginia. The New York Times. Virginia has become a hotbed for immigration arrests. Arrests in the state by Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents are up more than 350 percent since 2024, one of the steepest increases in the country. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican nearing the end of his term, has been full-throated in his support for President Trump's immigration crackdown."
Images of Virginia's 5 Republican Representatives in Congress with orange skin and blonde hair like Donald Trump. Text reads: "Virginia Republicans sell out working families. Millions tossed off Medicaid. Massive cuts to SNAP benefits. Tax cuts for billionaires. Trillions of dollars added to the deficit."
Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson stand beneath an umbrella, behind a barricade stenciled "Police Line".
The Spanberger for Governor campaign bus is flanked by Jay Jones, Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, Jennifer McClellan, and Mark Warner. Text reads: Supporting A Progressive Commonwealth. All Aboard. AbigailSpanberger.com/bus
L. Douglas Wilder (1931 - ) - First African-American to hold Virginia statewide office - First African-American ever elected Governor of a state - First directly elected Mayor of Richmond - Professor at namesake Wilder School at VCU
John Mercer Langston (1829-1897) - Abolitionist with the Underground Railroad - First president of Virginia State University - Only served six months before Jim Crow - Great-uncle of Langston Hughes
Four diverse viewers show off their "I Voted" stickers. Text: Virginia Voting Rights Act - Passed in 2021 - Sponsored by Del. Cia Price & Sen. Jennifer McClellan - Voter Outreach and Education Fund - Prohibition of discriminatory voting laws - Public or AG review of changes to local voting laws - Multilingual accessibility for local elections - Assistance for disabled and senior voters
Two voters with "I voted" stickers. Stylized people, yellow, and white outlines of Virginia with the text: "2025 Primary Voting For: House of Delegates Local Offices Lt. Governor Attorney General Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 17. Early in-person voting is open through 5pm, Saturday, June 14. For in-person early voting locations, contact your local registrar's office or visit www.elections.virginia.gov"
A portrait of Donald Trump with two Washington Post headlines. The first headline reads: "House approves Trump's massive tax and immigration package." The second headline reads: "GOP's scaled-back Medicaid plan still threatens coverage for millions." Text: Trump's budget by the numbers. Just how bad is the Republican budget bill for Virginians?
Images of Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Governor Glenn Youngkin with red "VETO" stamps over their faces, and a broken piggy bank next to them. Text: VA Republicans: The Guardians Of Poverty. Vetoed minimum wage increase twice. Vetoed tenant protections and affordable housing. Vetoed affordable energy initiatives. Vetoed Paid Family and Medical Leave twice. Vetoed expansion of health insurance coverage.
A graphic showing child poverty rates in Virginia by county. Childhood poverty rates are as high as 34% in counties in the South and West of the state, the Eastern Shore, and in independent cities. Text: Child poverty by the numbers. Childhood poverty affects families in every corner of the Commonwealth. Children in independent cities, the Eastern Shore, and rural communities in the South and West face poverty rates that are shockingly high.
Portraits of Sen. Lashresce Aird and Del. Kathy Tran. Text: What can we do? At the General Assembly this year, Sen. Lashresce Aird and Del. Kathy Tran each proposed a Virginia Child Tax Credit, which would have sent $300 per child to families earning under $100,000. Unfortunately, both bills failed to advance.
Did you know? The expiration of the federal Child Tax Credit in 2022 caused the national child poverty rate to more than double. In Virginia, 13% of children currently live in poverty. That's nearly a quarter of a million children whose families are struggling with basic necessities - negatively impacting academic success, housing stability, nutrition, and mental health.
Against a backdrop of trans pride colors, the portrait of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. surrounded by gummy worms is placed alongside the logos for the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Physicians. Text: Who do you trust? Secretary brain worm? Or all these doctors?
Portrait of Winsome Earle-Sears. Text: Under Glenn Youngkin & Winsome Earle-Sears Virginia teachers are falling behind A clip of a Virginia Mercury article with the headline: National ranking shows despite home, Virginia teachers' pay is stagnant compared to other states, by Nathaniel Cline on May 1, 2025. The sub-headline reads: VEA says inflation adjustments show less of an increase for teachers
Portrait of Donald Trump. Text: Trump's tariffs are taxes. Washington Post masthead with headline reading: U.S. economy shrank in first quarter of 2025, as tariffs sapped growth Sub-headline reads: GDP contracted at an annual rate of 0.3%, a new report shows, as imports surged with panic purchases ahead of tariffs.
Portraits of Donald Trump and Kristi Noem. A photograph of water flowing over the Lake Meade Dam & Reservoir. Text: FEMA Funding Canceled. Porstmouth Lake Meade Dam & Reservoir, $24 million in federal funds canceled.
Portraits of Donald Trump and Kristi Noem. An aerial view of the Richmond City Water Treatment Plant. Text: FEMA Funding Canceled. Richmond City Water Treatment Plant, $12 million in federal funds canceled.
Portraits of Donald Trump and Kristi Noem. Text: FEMA Funding Canceled DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced FEMA is ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities Program. Virginia had been set to receive tens of millions of dollars. That funding is now canceled.
Portraits of Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Text: The Hill, HHS fires entire staff of program that helps low=incomce people afford heat and air conditioning "...You're causing havoc to a program that helps over 6 million very poor families heat and cool their homes. There's no precedent for this."
A thermometer with a reading so high that it's on fire, a broken, empty piggy bank, and a cartoon Planet Earth looking sad and covered in bandages. Text: Did you know? Households that spend more than 6% of their income on utility bills are considered energy burdened. Over 75% of Virginia households are energy burdened.
Black Maternal Health Week Over 80& of pregnancy-related deaths in the US are preventable. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. For more information and resources, visit the HEAR HER Campaign at the Center for Disease Control at: CDC.gov/HearHer
The Washington Post Headline: Trump tariff price hints could start with clothing, cars and coffee "For consumers, this will be the biggest tax increase they've faced in 50 years, in the form of price increases."
Governor Youngkin vetoes HB 1607 - Ban on assault weapons. Of the 58 mass shootings in the US this year, the vast majority have involved firearms defined by this bill as an assault weapon.
Trans Day of Visibility Today, we honor the courage, joy, and contributions of our transgender and non-binary friends, family, and neighbors around the world. We stand in solidarity for a brighter future where everyone is free to be their authentic selves.
A fractured picture of the US Capitol and the Statue of Liberty. Text: Trump's immigration crackdown is just the tip of a spear aimed at the heart of American democracy and the rights and liberties of all Americans.
Governor Youngkin vetoes HB 1625 - Remove minimum wage exceptions for farm workers HB 1928 - Raise minimum wage to $15 HB 2531 - Paid Family & Medical Leave Hb 1935 & SB 777 - Energy-Efficiency Task Force
HB2764 & SB917: "Collective bargaining by public employees" Summary As Passed: "Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees." This year in the General Assembly, while Republicans failed to pass an anti-union Constitutional Amendment, Democrats passed legislation that would allow all Virginia public employees the right to seek collective bargaining agreements.
Richmond Times-Dispatch headline reads "General Assembly votes to let public employees collectively bargain if localities sign off" by Justin Mattingly, March 8, 2020 In 2021, new legislation took effect allowing local government employees - like teachers and firefighters - to bargain collectively for higher wages and better conditions.
Portrait of Dave LaRock. Portrait of Amanda Chase. Portrait of Winsome Earle-Sears. Three Republican candidates for governor. Anti-abortion extremists. In their own words.
Progress Now Abortion Provider Appreciation Day Abortion Providers Save Lives
With the 2025 General Assembly Session finally adjourned, the Progress Virginia team is taking a week off to rest and recharge. We will be back in the office on March 10, 2025. In the meantime, we wish Ramadan Mubarak to all those who observe. ☪️
Successfully passed during the special session! HB 1766 (Martinez) and SB 1056 (Ebbin) Increases weekly benefits for unemployment insurance HB 2479 (Sickles) Prohibits political campaign ads from using synthetic media without a disclaimer HB 2764 (Tran) and SB 917 (Surovell) Allows collective bargaining for public employees
HB 1935 Establishes energy efficiency task force Successfully passed the Senate (21-Y 18-N)
HB 1928 Raises minimum wage to $15/hour by 2027 Successfully passed the Senate (21-Y 19-N)
HB 1625 Removes minimum wage exceptions for farm workers Successfully passed the Senate (21-Y 19-N)
Families don't need or want the government dictating their personal healthcare decisions
Successfully passed the Senate! HB 1607 (Helmer) Assault weapon ban (21-Y 15-N) HB 2631 (Hayes) Requires a five day waiting period for gun purchases (21-Y 15-N) Passed by for the day. HB 1597 (Feggans) Requires guns to be securely stored if there are children present in the home
Successfully reported from Senate General Laws & Technology! HB 1935 (LeVere Bolling) Creates an energy efficiency and weatherization task force (9-Y 6-N) Successfully reported from Senate Education & Health! HB 1904 (Willett) Expands Department of Health coverage for midwives and nursery services (15-Y 0-N) HB 2446 (Mundon King) Postpartum Depression Education Act (15-Y 0-N) HB 2753 (Hayes) Standardizes protocols for identifying and responding to maternal health emergencies (15-Y 0-N)
Successfully reported from Senate Finance & Appropriations! HB 1869 (McClure) Prohibits purchase or posession of firearm by somebody convicted of domestic assault (15-Y 5-N) Successfully passed the House! SB 744 (Favola) Allows a gun owner with a protective order against them to transfer firearms to someone they don’t live with who is 21 or older (50-Y 47-N) SB 1181 (Deeds) Assault weapon ban (50-Y 47-N) Successfully passed the Senate! HB 2531 (Sewell) Paid Family and Medical Leave (21-Y 18-N) Failed to pass... then reconsidered... then referred to House Labor & Commerce? SB 1122 (Boysko) Paid Family and Medical Leave
Successfully passed the House! SB 777 (Locke) Creates an energy efficiency and weatherization task force (73-Y 21-N) Successfully reported from House Health & Human Services! SB 758 (Locke) Expands medical assistance to cover remote monitoring services for all pregnant patients (22-Y 0-N) Successfully reported from Senate Privileges & Elections! HB 2276 (Price) Standardizes voter list maintenance and cancellation procedures (8-Y 7-N) Passed by indefinitely. HB 2217 (Callsen) Provides counsel at first court appearance
A demonstrator holds a sign that says: Do No Harm = Trans-Inclusive Studies show: - 33% of transgender people delayed healthcare due to discrimination by healthcare providers. - 50% of transgender people report having to teach their doctors about transgender care. Competent Care thacva.org