We Need Your Support for the Virginia Elections

RJ Hamster

1 year ago

Dear RJ,

Many of you know me as the founding board member of CFCG. But I also a former congressional candidate in VA, Founder of NWPC-VA, and I had the honor of making the closing argument in the VA House of Delegates when we ratified the Equal Rights Amendment here in Virginia in 2020!

I am also a mother and a grandmother who is deeply concerned about the direction that our nation is taking. That is what drives me to do the work that I do, all day and every day.

For all these reasons the Virginia General Election is the most important election of 2023. What happens on November 7 will set the stage for 2024 on abortion access, expanded voting rights, gun safety and education. Virginia is personal to me; I have lived here for 17 years. Each one of these issues is important to me personally and for my grandchildren who live in the state.

Because of this, we are rolling out all our resources to mobilize BIPOC voters this fall. Instead of covering ten districts as we have in the past, we are working in 28 districts across the state. Virginia has 45 days of early voting so we started mobilizing back in June. Now we need your help to make it all the way to November.

Our Virginia Beach Democracy Center is home to our paid phonebank team, who work every week as canvassers and volunteer poll monitors. For many, making calls for Center for Common Ground has been a life-changing opportunity. You can help us support these amazing callers:

Phone banking has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not only has it helped me have a better understanding of politics and current issues in my community but also knowledge about the people running to fix them. Outside of that I’ve been able to move into a new place for my family, get my car fixed after sitting for a year and have my kids well prepared for school unlike previous years. I’m so grateful to be a part of this team! Also my co-workers rock! Everyone is full of positive energy and willing to help each other. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity

My experience phone banking has been tremendously rewarding. I have been able to help the community, have more resources being a single mother and it has helped me with my financial struggles. Phone banking has allowed me to get out of debt while informing citizens about the future to come with elections. This is such a great opportunity and I look forward to continue to thrive. Thank you!

Since I began this journey, my life has been going in a more successful route. Phone banking has allowed me to get my first apartment in May after being kicked out of my sister’s house in January. I moved back lost with no hope, no faith, no pride and no grandmother to lean on. I was homeless, sleeping on my best friend’s couch. I couldn’t believe my life had come to this! Then I started phone banking. Now not only do I get to learn about the candidates and inform voters; phone banking has allowed me to get my own apartment, put food on the table and pay my bills. I take pride in being able to step in and support my God kids. Phone banking has truly been a blessing!

Our paid phone bank team have made 100,000 calls since August 21st.These calls will significantly impact turnout, especially for older and rural voters, because early voting locations are only available for people who have Internet access. Making this many calls and supporting our fantastic phone bank team is also expensive!

Here is how you can pitch in:

$100 supports 300 phone calls by low-income, young African Americans in Virginia Beach
$150 buys 3,000 minutes on our PDI browser-dialer
$250 supports four part-time canvassers knocking 200 doors in their community
$500 supports texting 6,250 voters of color for GOTV
$1,000 helps support our National team who builds phonebanks, text banks and manage canvassing operations

The voters we contact are telling us that we are the only call they have received about the Virginia elections (which breaks my heart).

Your support will help us reach voters otherwise overlooked by politicians and larger get-out-the-vote organizations. Together, we will build a Virginiarepresentative of all its citizens.

DONATE HERE

In solidarity,

Andrea Miller

and the Center for Common Ground Team

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