Video will be coming after it finishes uploading, but for now, see below for some photos from the 2023 Virginia Women’s Summit (put on by Network NOVA) today at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner hotel. Great stuff from – among others: Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall, VA State Senator Jennifer Boysko, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08), Penny Blue from “Red Wine & Blue,” Tram Nguyen from New Virginia Majority, Virginia Diamond from the AFL-CIO Northern Virginia, Starbucks organizer Tyler Hofmann, Delegate Dan Helmer, strategic organizer Heather Booth, Han Jones from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, Senator Tim Kaine, Lynlee Thorne from Rural GroundGame, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07), Simon Rosenberg of Hopium Chronicles, former VA Secretaries of Education Anne Holton and Atif Qarni, Del. Jackie Glass, Del. Marcia “Cia” Price, Del. Briana Sewell, Del. Kathy Tran, the DC Labor Chorus, Galilea Sejas-Machado from Catalyst for Empowerment, the “We’re on Fire” singers (Cecily Bumbray, Jacie Lee and JChris), Tonia Attie from Virginia21, and many more (including summit organizers Katherine White, Finale Norton, Stair Calhoun, etc.). There were also a slew of Democratic candidates in attendance, running for offices from school board to State Senate and everything in between.
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall gave a fiery speech that had the crowd on its feet!
Excellent panel, “Loud & Proud for Women,” with Delegates Cia Price, Jackie Glass, Briana Sewell and Kathy Tran.
Very informative, interesting forum with former VA Secretaries of Education Atif Qarni and Anne Holton, about being “Loud & Proud for Public Education” and fighting back against Youngkin et al’s assault on public education, on the teaching of African-American history, on LGBTQ kids, on teachers, etc, etc.
In addition to giving advice for candidates and talking about the importance of running for local offices (not just Congress or governor or whatever), Sen. Kaine talked about how upset he was that he didn’t manage to help elect the first woman president of the United States, how the misogyny and double standards against Hillary Clinton were off the charts, how our country is under serious threat from authoritarianism (and how we all need to fight back), etc.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) talked about his grandmother and daughter, both named Clara, and how we need to keep fighting for our fundamental rights.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07) gave advice to candidates and talked about the issues that she thinks matter to voters, also how Democrats should communicate.
Del. Dan Helmer talked about how “time is running out” before Virginia election day 2023, and how “we HAVE TO win” (and how we’re GOING to win because we’re “right on our values” and on the issues).
State Senator Jennifer Boysko talked about how she got into politics (the Howard Dean campaign, Rep. Don Beyer) and how Virginians stood up, organized, and fought back as Republicans kept moving “further and further and further to the right,” including “marginalizing women and people in poverty.” According to Sen. Boysko, if Youngkin et al really believed “parents matter,” they’d “listen to the moms who demand action on gun violence…to the moms and dads and individuals who have gay kids…the families who demand to have the ability to make decisions for themselves when deciding to have a child.”
Some candidates, including Del. Marcus Simon, Del. Karrie Delaney, etc. get ready to hear from Sen. Tim Kaine and Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07).
Super speech by Heather Booth, “an American civil rights activist, feminist, and political strategist who has been involved in activism for progressive causes. During her student years, she was active in both the civil rights movement and feminist causes. Since then she has had a career involving feminism, community organization, and progressive politics.” This woman is truly a hero and an inspiration!
Han Jones from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia talked about the importance of women’s reproductive freedom.
Excellent job by Lynlee Thorne of Rural GroundGame, talking about the importance of valuing ALL voters, no matter where they live, and fighting to elect Democrats in ALL parts of Virginia.
The DC Labor Chorus had the crowd on its feet, singing…and fired up!
Very positive, informative speech by Simon Rosenberg of “Hopium Chronicles.” Definitely be worth watching…will post it once it’s finished uploading.
Excellent speech by Galilea Sejas-Machada on the importance of “Young Voters Getting Loud & Proud.”
Tyler Hoffman is doing superb work organizing Starbucks employees – thank you!
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