Anthony and I just got back from West Virginia after attending the state’s second-annual Black Policy Day! Groundwork Project was proud to sponsor this event hosted by the Black Voter Impact Initiative (Groundwork grantee) and Black by God (Groundwork mini-grantee). The day was full of education and advocacy for policies that impact the Black community in West Virginia. Black West Virginians used collective action to demand progress on policy priorities such as: → Ending racial disparities in school discipline → Improving Black maternal and infant mortality rates → Banning discrimination against Black individuals for wearing their natural hair in workplaces Check out more from our trip over on Groundwork’s Instagram: Trey and Anthony with Crystal Good (Black By God, mini-grantee) + Dr. Smith (BVII, organizer grantee) – the organizers of Black Policy Day! Left: Trey and Anthony with Nicole McCormick, WV United Caucus (organizer grantee) Right: Anthony and Trey with Stephen Smith (National Advisory Board Member + from WV Can't Wait) Outside of Black Policy Day, we met with other grantees and local organizers in West Virginia. We even held a grantee dinner on Tuesday in Charleston! It was inspiring to hear about their ongoing work with the help of their Groundwork grants. Left to right: Royce Lyden (WV Faith Coalition, organizer grantee), Rev. Brad Davis (WV Faith Coalition, organizer grantee), Rev. Jenny Williams (WV Faith Coalition, organizer grantee), Anthony, Darrin Lester (Olive Tree Initiative, organizer grantee), Dr. Shanequa Smith (WV Black Voter Impact Initiative, organizer grantee), Trey Black Policy Day and our partners in West Virginia are emblematic of Groundwork Project’s mission. They’re organizing year-round, changing the narrative in WV and doing the long, hard work it will take to reclaim power in their state. We are proud to support them. Onward, Trey –
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Trey Walk (he/him)
Program Manager
Groundwork Project