This event has been moved to February 21, 2022.

Join us as we rally on behalf of a just future for children and young people through this day of action. Advocates will hear our 2022 rally priorities to call attention urgent issues to improve overall child health and well-being this General Assembly Session and beyond. Engage with community members, legislators, partners, peers, and hear directly from youth as we advocate for a just future for Virginia’s children through truth telling, healing-centered engagement, legislative action, and community building.

Share Your Story: If you would like to share your story prior to the event to influence policy and advocacy, please email Kristin@vakids.org.

Register here. 

Welcoming: policy professionals, public officials, young people, families, and community members

Activities: Hear about the state of Virginia’s children, learn legislative priorities, engage with guest speakers, healing-centered activities, and community building.

Huge thanks to our planning partners, YWCA Richmond and ChildSavers.

9:30AM-9:40AM: Opening & Welcome (10M) 

• Speakers: Yasmin Gregg, ChildSavers; Nadia Gooray, YWCA Richmond; Kristin Lennox, Voices for Virginia’s Children. 

9:40AM-9:45AM: Just Futures for Children & Young People Address (5M) 

• Speaker: Chlo’e Edwards, Voices for Virginia’s Children  

9:45AM-9:50AM: Just Futures for Children & Young People Speech (5M) 

•  Speaker: Aaliyana Carr ,Voices for Virginia’s Children 2022 Youth Cohort  
• Speaker: Sheyla Daniels, YWCA Empower RVA Teens 

9:50AM-10:45AM: Policy Priorities & Advocate Stories (55M) 

• 9:50AM-10:00AM: Foster family economic support and stability through a refundable tax credit for families who are low-Income (Del. Price HB 1312; Sen. Barker SB 343).  
  • (5) Speaker: Senator Barker  & Delegate Price
  • (5) Ali Faruk, Director of Public Policy, Families Forward Virginia 

• 10:00AM-10:25AM: Ensure all families and children have access to state agencies and services, regardless of their native language or disability (Sen. Hashmi SB 270; Del. Tran HB 1049). 
  • (5) Senator Hashmi  
  • (5) Delegate Tran  
  • (5) Katherine Zhang, Advocate, The HAMKAE Center  
  • (5) Language Equality & Acquisition K-12 
    • Hunta Williams, Advocate, Language Equality & Acquisition K-12
    • Michelle Long, Vice President, Virginia Association for the Deaf

• 10:25-10:40AM: Cover all kids through comprehensive healthcare coverage, regardless of their immigration status (Del. Tran, HB 1012; Sen. McClellan SB 484). 
  • (5) Delegate Kathy Tran  
  • (5) Senator McClellan or Office of Senator McClellan
  • (5) Freddy Mejia, Health Care Policy Analyst, The Commonwealth Institute & Healthcare for All Virginians Coalition 

• 10:40AM-10:50AM: Ensure children have access to community based & school-based mental health services. (Sen. McClellan SB 30 Item 331#5s (Del. Price HB 30 Item 311#3h). 
  • (5) Speaker: Senator McClellan or Office of Senator McClellan & Delegate Price
  • (5) Speaker: Bob Nickles, LCSW, RPT, ChildSavers Mental Health Services Program Manager 

10:50AM-11:05AM: Mindfulness & Decompression (15M)  

• Youth Ambassador: May Suri, Project Yoga Richmond 

11:05 AM-11:25 AM: Community Building Breakouts (20) 

• Option 1 – Mindfulness Scavenger Hunt, ChildSavers 
• Option 2 – Vision boards/Virtual Community Building, ChildSavers 

11:25 AM-11:30AM: Speaker: Sophia Booker, Poet & Chlo’e Edwards, Spoken Word Poet (5)