Friends,

The other day, someone asked me if the period in between my first two General Assembly Sessions felt odd because of the pandemic and all of its concurrent issues. I had to think for a minute because I do not know what a “normal,” post-session period actually feels like. Just as the 2020 General Assembly ended, the state went into a lockdown, and we all had to transition to a remote work environment.

I take a moment here to thank my young staff who have been immensely helpful despite the fact that we never really had a full and proper “introduction” to a typical work setting. Kayla joined me in January 2020, just as my first General Assembly began. Jake came on board in February, midway through a session which was intense and fast-paced. I was looking forward to the session's end so that we could then focus on establishing our work patterns, hosting town halls, meeting with constituents, and visiting various sites in the district. With the lockdown, of course, we had to develop remote office protocols immediately and address critical concerns such as assisting our constituents with the myriad issues that emerged from the pandemic. Both Kayla and Jake have done a fantastic job in navigating the isolation of working remotely, adapting to new positions that brought fresh challenges every day, and focusing on the priorities of supporting constituents.

Now, as we look forward to another post-session period, we are also approaching the one-year anniversary of the time at which we realized the full and serious nature of the pandemic, and its impacts on our individual lives and communities. Repair, restoration, and recovery will be our focus as we move forward.

As we move into post-session again in the Spring months, I look forward to staying connected with you. A year ago, few of us had heard about Zoom, let alone ever used it. Technologies such as Zoom and other web-conferencing tools have enabled us to speak with constituents on a daily basis. We will continue to use these platforms to make it easy to meet and discuss concerns. You are always welcome to schedule an appointment through this link. >> [link removed]

Legislative updates
Next week, as we conclude the work of the 2021 General Assembly and the first 2021 Special Session, I will highlight some of the significant legislation that emerged this year. One item of special note is the abolition of the death penalty. Virginia is now the first state in the South to ban the death penalty.

My own thoughts on the death penalty have evolved considerably over the years. Some crimes are so heinous and unimaginable in violence that execution seems a just and fitting punishment. However, this form of justice has never been delivered with consistency across the country. We know from evidence that innocent people have been executed. We also know that individuals who committed crimes as juveniles or who have mental disabilities have received the death penalty. Further, the death penalty has been disproportionately applied to minority communities, within a criminal justice system that is itself fraught with issues of bias. The abolition of the death penalty is a powerful step forward for Virginia in meaningful criminal justice reform.

“The death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit. The real question of capital punishment in this country is, Do we deserve to kill?” ― Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption


Tonight's Town Hall with Senator Tim Kaine
Tonight, I hope that you will join me for a town hall with special guest Senator Tim Kaine. We’ll discuss a variety of concerns impacting Virginians while we continue working not only recovering from the pandemic, but also to building back better by improving our healthcare, economic, and education systems.

Don’t miss out! Your invitation is below, and I hope you will join us tonight from 7PM to 8:00PM. >> [link removed]

Contacting our office
As always, if you need assistance, or if you want to schedule a Zoom or phone call with our team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. Email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected].

— Ghazala Hashmi

 

 









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| Paid for and authorized by Friends of Ghazala Hashmi |
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Friends of Ghazala Hashmi
PO Box 72923
Richmond VA 23235 United States

Senator Ghazala Hashmi was elected to represent Virginia Senate District 10 in 2019. She has led efforts in the General Assembly to support education, protect healthcare and the environment, and prevent gun violence. Senator Hashmi is committed to ensuring Virginia's government works for everyone.


 












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