May 8, 2025 Meeting Recap
From the May 8, 2025 DoGood Virginia Email newsletter:
Showing up at rallies matters – our voices, our signs, our footsteps – they all send a message to our legislature that we are watching, we are listening, and we are not going away until our democracy is safe.
The current administration is working overtime to distract us. Every day there’s a new outrage, a new manufactured crisis, or some ridiculous Facebook post designed to divide us, to exhaust us, to make us lose focus.
To combat that, we gather to act. This week at our meeting we heard form community advocacy groups who are doing the work every single day—organizing, feeding, housing, protecting, and fighting for our most vulnerable neighbors. They need our help. And we’ve been helping—but we must keep going as the fight is far from over.
Red Wine & Blue – Mobilizing Against Extremism
Sarah Goodman, Regional Organizer, introduced us to Red Wine & Blue, a national community standing up to extremism. Founded in 2018, the organization employs distributive organizing to empower local groups and individuals.
A collaborative effort example is Roanoke County Schools United for the unification of Roanoke County Schools with other districts across the state. This alliance supports candidates running for school board positions who align with the values of inclusivity and quality education.
Efforts are underway to mobilize groups to increase voter turnout in support of Lily Franklin’s campaign. Engaging communities and encouraging participation in the electoral process remain top priorities.
Click here to meet the candidates for Lieutenant Governor.
Their initiative, TroubleNation, focuses on relational organizing—encouraging members to engage in conversations with friends and family about pressing issues. They provide user-friendly tools to facilitate these discussions. This link takes you to the Roanoke Social Circle on Facebook.
Huddle Up Moms – Supporting Mothers in Southwest Virginia
Dr. Jaclyn Nunziato, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Huddle Up Moms, highlighted the organization’s mission to empower mothers through education, connection, and support. They have established Southwest Virginia’s first certified diaper bank, addressing the critical issue of diaper poverty affecting 1 in 3 families in the region. In rural SW Virginia an astonishing 2 in 3 families cannot afford diapers for their babies.
Their programs also focus on maternal health and mental health support bridging gaps in services due to the clinic closures making SW Virginia a maternal healthcare wasteland. The organization serves approximately 250 mothers weekly is seeking supplies, volunteers and paid staff to expand their reach. Monday’s, May 12th rally drive is for these supplies:
- Diapers (Newborn, Size 1, 2, 3)
- Baby wipes
- Baby wash, shampoo & conditioner
- Pacifiers
- Baby washcloths
- Baby blanket
- Travel-size toiletries for moms (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body wash)
- Small toy/baby items
- Baby board books— with a handwritten note inside from you or your family, sharing a warm message or parenting encouragement for a new mom
Casa Latina – Empowering the Latino Community
Dr. José F. Bañuelos-Montes shared insights into Casa Latina, which offers educational programs such as computer classes for mothers, business advice, nutrition classes, and after-school programs. Their goal is to build Latina pride and empower students to pursue higher education. They also collaborate with organizations like Huddle Up Moms and LEAP to provide food assistance without requiring documentation, ensuring support for all in need. Volunteers are essential to their operations. Our rally food donations this week served the Casa Latina Community.
Appalachian Power – Changes to Solar Energy Credits
Joe Bryson, retired EPA executive, informed us about Appalachian Power’s proposal to reduce net metering credits for rooftop solar energy by over 70%, a move that could significantly impact the viability of residential solar installations and local green jobs. This proposal poses a major threat to the growth of renewable energy in our region. Keep an eye on updates regarding Appalachian Power’s proposal and consider voicing your concerns to local representatives.
Submit Comments to the SCC
WishTree Project
Mary Ann Gandy introduced a community project inspired by Katherine Applegate’s novel Wishtree. At the Monday May 12th rally, attendees will have the opportunity to tie ribbons to a tree, symbolizing their hopes and wishes for the community. Read about the book banning here. Buy your copy at a local bookseller.
May 12th Meeting – Will be lead by Beth Macy!! Learn how you can help locally, including taking easy online training that teaches you how to register voters and provide unbiased information on democracy in action! Virginia ranked No. 4 in voter turnout in November. But we need to aim for No. 1 and ensure we preserve free and fair elections. Read, follow and subscribe to Beth’s Substack.
Links to our candidates:
- Governor: Abigail Spanberger — a strong leader with a record of public service.
- Lieutenant Governor (Democratic Primary): Babur Lateef, Aaron Rouse, Ghazala Hashimi, Alex Bastani, Levar Stoney, and Victor Salgado.
- Attorney General (Democratic Primary): Jay Jones and Shannon Taylor.
- House Districts: District 40 primary between Donna Littleton and Kiesha Preston; District 41 candidate Lily Franklin;
- Delegate Sam Rasoul
We can’t control everything, but we can show up for each other. We can take care of our communities. We can hold our legislature accountable. And we can vote—and vote in people who reflect our values. Let’s stay focused. Let’s stay organized. Let’s stay loud. And let’s turn this momentum into real, lasting change.
In solidarity,
Dina