In the annual rhythm of state legislative advocacy at Voices, October is our on-ramp to the busiest stretch of the year. It’s when our youth advocacy council really begins to gel, when our team finalizes our policy agenda for the upcoming General Assembly session, and when our calendars overflow with conferences and speaking engagements during peak events season.  

This October has carried even more weight. We held a strategic planning retreat for the Healthy School Meals for All coalition, which we co-lead, and participated in a new data release around the Supplemental Poverty Measure. Our policy analysts have been preparing for the upcoming transition in the Governor’s office and other state executive agencies. We hosted a beautiful Amplify Awards ceremony to highlight the power of youth advocacy across the state. Earlier in the month, I had the opportunity to join advocates at a leadership retreat hosted by the Partnership for America’s Children in Baltimore, followed by a whirlwind trip to Southwest Virginia with fellow members of the Lead Virginia Class of 2025. The Voices team has been in constant motion, even as trees drop their leaves and daylight shortens. 

Yet looming over all this positive, energetic advocacy—the press conferences, scenario planning, legislative meetings, community trainings, youth gatherings, and data analysis—is the grim reality of the federal shutdown and the imminent expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. More than 800,000 Virginians rely on SNAP for groceries, and 67% of them are in families with children. 

Our team has been working around the clock to inform and educate both lawmakers and community members about this crisis. While we are grateful that Virginia has declared a state of emergency to spend state dollars and ensure some continuity of benefits through November, it is a short-term, unsustainable solution. This hunger crisis coincides with colder weather, skyrocketing utility bills, and new SNAP work requirements set to take effect November 1.  

At Voices, one of our cultural touchstones is a practice we call “Two Truths.” It’s our way of acknowledging that we are often called to hold two realities at once, even when they seem to contradict one another. When things feel complex or overwhelming, we often use the phrase yes, and… to remind one another of the Two Truths practice. It’s as much a community norm as it is a skill for self-leadership—something we each must practice daily.  

October has been a month of both momentum and strain, of celebration and despair. It is true that this is an incredibly challenging time for families across Virginia, and it is true that there is deep resilience and possibility in our communities. It is true that systems are strained, and it is true that change is still possible. 

It is true that advocacy can be heartbreaking, and it is true that it can also be deeply hopeful. 

Holding two truths can be uncomfortable. It stretches us. But if I’ve learned anything as a leader (or a parent, for that matter), it’s that the tension of two truths is where we’re called to grow. It’s where empathy expands, where our minds make room for complexity, and where new possibilities germinate. 

It is true that the work is hard. And it is true that our hearts can stretch enough to hold it. 

As we head into our busy season, our team will be working harder than ever on policies to strengthen families’ economic security, expand access to early learning, improve youth mental health, advance health equity, and transform child welfare. And we’ll keep holding two truths along the way: that the challenges are real, and so is our power to make a difference. 

If these truths resonate with you, please continue to stay in touch by subscribing to our newsletter, attending an event, or just dropping us an encouraging word. Together, we can hold complexity, create change, and make Virginia a place where young people can thrive. 

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