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Dear Friend,
In this week’s newsletter, I reflect on this week’s constituent town hall, share events occurring around the district in the coming days, and highlight recent community events and meetings from this past week. Thank you for taking the time to read the newsletter and for staying informed.
Town Hall Recap
On Tuesday, we hosted our post-session town hall at Brightpoint Community College’s Chester Campus. Our evening opened with remarks from Brightpoint’s Interim President, Dr. Van Wilson [[link removed].] and Dr. Bill Fiege, Brightpoint’s Vice President of Learning and Student Success. Both underscored the important role that community colleges play in helping address our workforce gaps, providing affordable access to two- and four-year college degrees, and opening pathways for career development and success.
Our attendees raised excellent points and asked informed questions about policy issues and legislation taken up during the 2023 General Assembly: student mental health, support for our English Learner (EL) students, teacher pay, interactions between law enforcement and our communities, green energy projects, and threats to democracy. Many also highlighted concerns about ongoing budget discussions, questioning when the final budget amendments would be agreed to by the legislature. As I shared with town hall participants, the finalized state budget will likely not be presented by the conferees until sometime in late June.
In recent weeks, my office has received a number of emails and phone calls from Virginia residents regarding redistricting: what district numbers mean, who will be on ballots for the June primary and the November General Elections, and more. During our town hall, I walked through how to use the Virginia Public Access Project [[link removed]] ’s easy address tool to find district information. I encourage voters to use this valuable resource and learn about how their Congressional, state Senate, and House of Delegates districts are changing for the 2023 elections. This November, all 140 seats in the General Assembly are up for election; it is critical that all Virginians be informed about the names on their ballots.
I always appreciate the opportunity to connect with constituents within the district and look forward to our next discussion. My office will continue to host town halls and other engagement opportunities throughout the District. To stay informed on future events, follow me on Facebook [[link removed]] , Twitter [[link removed]] , and Instagram [[link removed]] , and please continue to share this newsletter.
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Community Engagement Opportunities
No matter where you are in the district, there are numerous opportunities to get involved in the community:
Richmond Book Festival
Tomorrow, the Richmond Book Festival [[link removed]] will be held at John B. Cary Elementary School ( 3021 Maplewood Ave ) from 11:00am until 3:00pm. This family-friendly event will feature children’s book authors, vendors, live music, and plenty of books.
Child Safety Fair
Tomorrow at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds ( 10300 Courthouse Rd ), the Chesterfield Commonwealth Attorney's Office will be hosting a Child Safety Fair [[link removed]] from 10:00am until 4:00pm. This free event will host over twenty vendors related to child safety from birth to college, with free food, resources for parents and kids activities.
Powhatan County Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission
The Powhatan County Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC) [[link removed]] is accepting board applications for seats in multiple districts. PRAC members advise the County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors on development, funding, programming, land acquisition, and maintenance related to Parks and Recreation activities and facilities. Applications [[link removed]] must be submitted via email to [email protected] , or by mail to Powhatan County Administration, 3834 Old Buckingham Rd, Powhatan, VA 23139 .
"I Voted" Sticker Contest
The City of Richmond Office of Elections is seeking submissions from Richmond Public Schools high school students for their “I Voted” Sticker Contest. The winning design, as voted for by RPS high school students, will be used for the next three years by the Office of Elections. Entries must be submitted by 5:00pm on May 12. More information is available here [[link removed]] .
Highlights from Community Events & Meetings
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As the month of Ramadan concluded, I had the opportunity to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with community members across RVA, both at the Richmond Convention Center and at the Richmond Ismaili Jamatkhana. I hope that everyone who was celebrating had a joyous Eid.
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On Tuesday morning, I joined the Richmond Public Library for a breakfast discussion featuring acclaimed author, Maya Smart, as a part of National Library Week. Smart highlighted her book, “Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six,” and discussed how families, educators, and community members can collaborate to strengthen early childhood literacy.
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On Wednesday, I joined Delegates Jeff Bourne and Carrie Coyner on a panel session for the Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association’s Legislative Breakfast. We discussed the 2023 Session in general and focused on some key areas of concern, including the SCC, judicial appointments, public access to legal representation, and much more.
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Last evening, I met with the Deerbourne Civic Association. Community members shared their concerns regarding the future of the Hickory Hill Community Center and how to improve community safety.
Connecting With My Office
Please email us at [email protected] [[email protected]] or call our office at 804-698-7510. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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