Dear friends,

Fall is officially here: leaves are falling, there’s a crisp feeling in the air, and we are all being flooded with political mailers. Jokes aside, Election Day is quickly approaching, and we have some information to help those wanting to vote early. We are also excited to announce our October Town Hall featuring a number of special guests coming up on October 27. Finally, we share some very exciting programs and opportunities happening across the district. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter and staying informed about the current happenings around Virginia Senate District 10.

Upcoming Town Hall with Professor Chambers, Senator McClellan, and Delegate Carr
Next Wednesday, I am hosting a virtual town hall and will be joined by Senator McClellan and Delegate Carr; also joining us is special guest, Professor Henry L. Chambers, Jr. from the University of Richmond School of Law. During our town hall, Professor Chambers will discuss the Constitutional provisions for redistricting in Virginia and specifically highlight how we will move forward with the drawing of Congressional, Virginia House, and Virginia Senate Districts. Later on in the evening, our elected officials will provide a few legislative updates for the 2022 General Assembly session. We will have a Q&A after both portions of the program. This event is open to the public, but registration is required. You can register here. We look forward to having you join us.

More Opportunities to Vote
Residents across the Commonwealth can still take advantage of early voting opportunities! This Friday, October 22, is the last day individuals can request an absentee ballot be mailed to them, but in-person early voting will continue until October 30. To learn more about early voting locations, including new locations recently added, in Chesterfield County, Powhatan County, and the City of Richmond, please visit these government websites. As always, you are able to vote in-person on Election Day, Tuesday, November 2. You can learn more about the upcoming election by visiting the Virginia Department of Elections.

Clean School Bus Program
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is now accepting applications to replace old diesel school buses through the Clean School Bus Program. With over $10 million to distribute, this program is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10,000 tons—that’s equivalent to removing 2,000 cars from Virginia’s roadways. Innovative programs like this help us combat climate change directly in our own community. 

Informational webinars for interested applicants will be held on October 26 (registration required) and November 4. For more information, visit this page on the DEQ website.

Richmond Tree Stewards Program
Speaking of combating climate change, the Richmond Tree Stewards are offering homeowners four free native tree saplings as part of ArborDayRVA on Saturday, November 6, at 1311 Palmyra Avenue. Reducing air pollution, reducing soil erosion, providing shade, and reducing the “urban heat island” effect are all among the tremendous benefits provided by trees. 

If you are interested in participating in the program, please visit Richmond Tree Stewards and be sure to email [email protected] with your tree requests. Chinkapin Oaks, Sweet Gum, and Hackberry varieties are still available, but all are going fast.

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan Lifetime Achievement Award
This week, I want to acknowledge the incredible hospitality provided by the members of the Aligarh Alumni Association of New York (AAANY) this past Saturday, as I was presented the Sir Syed Ahmad Khan Lifetime Achievement Award. 

This award is most especially meaningful to me because my father was himself a graduate of Aligarh, a university founded in British India and inspired by the educational traditions of Oxford and Cambridge. My father served two terms as President of the AMU Student Union and often shared his fond memories of his alma mater. I know that he would have been so delighted to see me receive this special award. My father passed away this past March, and though I have missed him terribly these past several days, this recognition is very much a part of his legacy to me.

Contacting My Office
I continue to have one-on-one meetings with constituents and organizations. If you want to schedule a meeting, on Zoom or in person, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. As a reminder, email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected]. You can also schedule a meeting through our easy scheduling app.

— Ghazala