Dear friends,

This week we honor the veterans who have served our country, I reflect on the election results, visit with students from Mt. Holyoke College, and provide updates on events impacting Senate District 10. Thank you for staying engaged and reading our newsletter.

Veterans Day
Today marks Veterans Day, a time to commemorate the service and sacrifice of those in our armed services who have fought to keep our country safe and preserve the freedoms we cherish. 

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919, celebrating the first anniversary of the end of the First World War. Through an Act of Congress in 1926, Veterans Day became an annual observance, and a national holiday in 1938. Veterans Day is distinguished from Memorial Day in that it pays tribute to all American veterans, both living and deceased, but gives special thanks to those living veterans who served their country with honor during war or peacetime.

Today, I’ll join the Chesterfield County Veterans's Day Ceremony, sponsored by the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia (CHSV), at the Chesterfield County Historic 1917 Courthouse Green at 2pm. The ceremony is free, and the public is invited to join the event. Wreaths will be placed along the Veterans Memorial Wall in front of the historic courthouse.

This Veterans Day, I hope that we will reflect on the dedication and sacrifice of our veterans and their families. I hope that we also reaffirm our commitment to supporting veterans for all that they have done for our country.

The Election Results
I congratulate Glenn Youngkin, Winsome Sears, and Jason Miyares on their successful campaigns. I look forward to collaborative efforts that will continue to move Virginia forward in education, healthcare access, environmental protections, support for small businesses, our workers, and economic growth. 

I also thank former Governor Terry McAuliffe, Delegate Hala Ayala, and Attorney General Mark Herring for their years of public service, their many contributions to the Commonwealth, and their commitment to the issues that have made Virginia a leader in access to voting rights, educational opportunities for all, and protections of fundamental civil liberties.

Together, we have accomplished so much in these last two years. We have increased economic and employment opportunities for millions of Virginians, expanded access to early childhood education, made tremendous progress in protecting our environment, and strengthened civil rights throughout the Commonwealth. We have protected marriage equality, ensured women’s access to reproductive healthcare, and improved education access. Our efforts also helped Virginians navigate a global pandemic, led other states in vaccination distribution, and protected vulnerable families from loss of shelter.

The Virginia Senate, along with our colleagues in the House of Delegates, will continue the work that our constituents elected us to do.

Visit with Students from Mt. Holyoke College
This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to meet with students from Mt. Holyoke College (South Hadley, Massachusetts), introduce them to a few of my colleagues, and tour our State Capitol. These young women are participating in a special program sponsored by Mt. Holyoke which gives them the opportunity to spend a semester in Washington, DC, intern in government agencies, and learn the landscape of the federal government. Their visit to Richmond and to our Capitol introduced them to state government, the work of legislative offices, and current Virginia politics. I thank Senator Jennifer McClellan, who serves as an inspiring role model for young women everywhere, for joining me in welcoming these visitors.

Virginia Council on Women's 11th Annual High School Essay Contest
On Wednesday, Governor Ralph Northam, First Lady Pamela Northam, and the Virginia Council on Women announced that entries are being accepted for the 11th Annual Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Healthcare essay contest.

The Virginia Council on Women will award scholarships to qualifying high school seniors who plan to pursue a Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Mathematics & Health (STEAM-H) career at a community college, four-year college or university, trade or technical school, online, and/or through certificated STEAM-H oriented courses. The contest will award one merit-based and one need-based scholarship in each of five geographic regions across the Commonwealth. Additional information about the contest, including eligibility requirements and guidelines, are located here. 

Vaccine Eligibility
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children ages 5 to 11. There are many opportunities—for adults and children alike—to get vaccinated across the localities within Senate District 10. 

The Chesterfield Health District, which also serves Powhatan County, is now offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 at the Community Vaccination Center (CVC), located at the Rockwood Vaccination Clinic at  10161 Hull Street Road in Midlothian. The CVC is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00am to 7:30pm. Parents/guardians wishing to get their children vaccinated should make an appointment online or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682). 

Richmond Public Schools (RPS) is holding vaccination events for anyone age 5 and older throughout the month of November. More information about the RPS-based clinics where children can be vaccinated is available here. Richmond City residents aged 11 and above can also find other Richmond-Henrico Health District COVID-19 vaccine clinics here.

More vaccine information can be found on the Center for Disease Control website and on the Virginia Department of Health website. 

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