RVA Mag

Richmond, VA Culture & Politics Since 2005

Menu

Leveling The Field

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Both houses of the Virginia General Assembly have now passed bills allowing undocumented immigrants in Virginia to pay in-state tuition, making college a more realistic option for the Commonwealth’s undocumented students.

The prospect of receiving in-state-tuition rates in college never seemed real for T.C. Williams High School senior Mikeala, an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. from Bolivia when she was 7. 

“I prepared for the worst,” said Mikeala. “The only two ways I could have gone to college were to apply for scholarships — which are usually limited to students who are permanent residents — or apply only to private universities, but those schools tend to be more selective.”

Thanks to new legislation, undocumented students in Virginia may finally be able to afford to attend college in the Commonwealth. 

The senate passed Senate Bill 935 on Tuesday by a narrow margin of 21-19, which would allow undocumented immigrants to become eligible for in-state tuition rates at public universities. The House of Delegates passed identical legislation on Tuesday by a vote of 56-44.

Under the legislation, students are eligible for in-state tuition rates regardless of their immigration status. They’ll receive the rates if they attended high school for at least two years in Virginia, and either graduated from high school or passed a high school equivalency exam.

“[Virginia] has high level immigration from across the world, and a lot of those students are motivated to succeed because the country they came from didn’t give them the same opportunities,” said Del. Mark Keam, D-Vienna. 

According to the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan immigration think tank, Virginia has an estimated undocumented population of 269,000 people. An estimated 25,000 undocumented Virginia residents ages 3 to 17 are enrolled in school, but just 48,000 undocumented residents have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

Virginia is commonly recognized as having a quality education system. The U.S. News and World Report ranked the Commonwealth #8 for K-12 schools and #14 for higher education. Some of Virginia’s top universities include Washington and Lee University, the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary, and Virginia Commonwealth University as the #1 public arts school in the country.

“If your parents are struggling because they’ve never had opportunities, there’s a much bigger incentive to go and work hard to go to college,” said Keam. “I think that adds tremendously to the quality of our schools.” 

Many Republican legislators voted against the bill, expressing concern that it unfairly favors undocumented students over other out-of-state students — and may present issues with the Commonwealth’s education budget. 

“We’ve made a determination to not give this to West Virginians or North Carolinans, but this bill provides it for someone here illegally,” said Sen. Stephen Newman, R-Forest. “I hope that they would go through the visa program to get their education, and become a contributing member to our economy.” 

Proponents of the legislation contend that not only will it benefit the state’s education budget, but also the local economy in the long run.  

“Maybe we’re losing revenue by not investing in them,” said Keam. “Immigrants already pay taxes, but if these students succeed with an education, they’ll end up staying in Virginia and pay more in state taxes long-term.” 

Other advocates view the legislation as a human rights matter: that every student should be given equal opportunity in life, despite their circumstances.

“It’s important we don’t view [undocumented immigrants] as one-sided for their economic contributions,” said Mikeala. “They are humans trying to achieve their dreams, and they deserve the same opportunities as others.” 

Gov. Northam has previosly voiced support for legislation in favor of the undocumented community. Northam vetoed Republican-backed bills in 2019 that would have banned sanctuary city policies. 

The General Assembly has advanced similar legislation this session, including giving undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses. Making college more affordable, along with an increase in education spending, is also part of Northam’s Virginia 2020 Plan.

“This highlights that the federal government has failed on immigration,” said Newman. “States are dealing with the broken federal government, and I hope these bills will push them to make better immigration laws.” 

Game Of Drones

|

Topics: , , , , , , , ,

Whether you care deeply about preserving our environment or just love honey, Culpeper shop and bee sanctuary La Bee Da Loca is an essential destination.

Tucked away in the quiet mountain town that is Culpeper, Virginia, you’ll find their very own version of Main Street. It looks every bit the postcard scene trapped in time, filled with local shops and locals enjoying the feeling of time slowing down for a moment. But look closer — something very special is hidden further down on this street, in a blink-and-you-might-miss-it kind of way.

Culpeper’s own bee sanctuary and bee-related shop, La Bee Da Loca, is owned and operated by local beekeeper Felecia Chavez. Chavez has long been a curious fan of nature, but it wasn’t until after she left the military as a member of the Red Cross that she decided to take a detour and do things her way.

“I saw what pesticides do to people, to our water, [and] I became an advocate at that time,” said Chavez. “If we don’t take care of Mother Earth, we’re going to be in sorry shape.”

Chavez’s personality and love of life is simply infectious – if you couldn’t already tell from the pun in the shop’s name. She struggled for a minute trying to figure out what to name the shop and sanctuary until her son, who is a tattoo artist in Fredericksburg and actually designed the logo himself, thought of it almost immediately.

“I said, ‘This is what I want to do’ and I need to find a name, a name that is going to get people to pay attention,” said Chavez. “My youngest son said, ‘Mom! I’ve got it!’ I [asked] what, [and he said] ‘La Bee Da Loca!’ I said, what, like the song?”

She admitted it took her a second, but once she got it, she fell in love. It’s a perfect name for a proprietor who rightfully prides herself on being the bee lady.

Having both a shop and bee sanctuary together has been the plan from the beginning. Chavez’s love of the little bouncy insect is apparent as we walk around the shop, up the stairs (which greet you with more inspirational puns, like “Bee Kind”), and into the “bee room.” She absolutely loves a good play on words with her little friends. While her favorite bee pun changes periodically, she was willing to share her favorite of the moment.

“‘You’ve got to bee crazy,’” said Chavez.

Chavez’s bee palace, if you will, is a popular spot in Culpeper. During our interview, she periodically excused herself to introduce guests who came to see the bees, taking the time to educate them on the importance of bees, how vital they are to the world, and to our ecosystem.

Doing this sort of educating is a huge reason why she wanted to open up La Bee Da Loca, and one of her favorite parts about the job is also one of the most important: educating children.

“The kids are so open, and they want to know,” said Chavez. “It gives me a chance to tell them how non-aggressive [bees] are. Then they’ll go home and tell mom and dad they went to this really cool shop and learned about bees. Then the antenna goes up, and maybe they’ll want to learn about it. So not only have I educated a child, now I’ve educated the adults.”

Chavez has also had the joy of experiencing Cuban bee culture with beekeepers from around the world. The Cuban approach to beekeeping is vastly different apparent from the way Americans approach it, with differences such as the fact that they do not use pesticides due to lack of access. This fact makes Cuba the only place you can obtain truly organic honey. Another interesting aspect of Cuban beekeeping that Chavez noted was the fact that women involved in the practice there were simply referred to as beekeepers — the fact that they were female made no difference.

“What I liked about being there is that they don’t see gender,” said Chavez. “I was a beekeeper. I wasn’t a woman beekeeper or a man beekeeper, I was just a beekeeper — and I knew what I was doing. That made such a big difference to me.”

She explained that her trip to Cuba was important not just because it gave her a chance to see the countryside, but also because it gave her the opportunity to meet other beekeepers, and share ideas. For Chavez, it was an irreplaceable and invaluable experience.

Her passion is undeniable — about bees, about educating to protect our world, and about her family. She began La Bee Da Loca not only as something to leave to her children and grandchildren, but also in honor of her sister.

“Before I opened the shop, I told my sister, who I was very close to, ‘This is what I wanted to do’,” said Chavez. “She was always the one who pushed me to open the shop. She was always calling, asking, ‘How are the bees?’ Unfortunately she died a couple months before we opened. So this was a way to honor her.”

Living in Richmond, two hours south of Culpeper, it’s hard to ignore the fact that many of us pride ourselves on working hard to do better for the planet and to live more sustainably in any way possible. Here in the city, it sometimes feels easy to relax and believe we have it all figured out. But I had to ask my newfound friend, the resident Bee Queen: what are we still missing?

“First of all, do you really need to kill all of your dandelions and your weeds in your yard using pesticides?” said Chavez. “Pesticides — they’re poisoning everything. Not only our food. Our water, our people — that is the worst thing. We don’t need to have that green, green lawn, [and] have everything eradicated to have the perfect world to live in. Why are we doing that? I don’t understand it.”

It goes without saying that La Bee Da Loca is one Virginia’s hidden gems. Not only is it simply adorable, it has pretty darn delicious honey. Best of all, it’s run by a passionate bee aficionado who doesn’t just want to see a better world — she is actively working to make it happen. Naturally, I had to ask her the most important question on all of our minds: What is the best way to eat honey?

“A finger,” said Chavez.

La Bee Da Loca is located at 236 E Davis St in Culpeper, VA. It’s open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 to 5, and Sundays from 11 to 5.

Photos by Ash Griffith

Roanoke’s Sam Rasoul Puts Community Ahead of Big Money

|

Topics: , , , , , , , ,

As the first Muslim-American in the Virginia General Assembly — and the first to sign a pledge against taking public interest donations — Roanoke Delegate Sam Rasoul wants to eliminate money’s role in politics. 

According to the Center for Public Integrity, Virginia is one of nine states that do not have an ethics commission to oversee the number of donations given to politicians by special interest PACs (political action committees) and lobbyists. Because of this lack, Virginia has become one of the worst states for the influence of money in politics.

Rasoul set himself apart from his fellow legislators by being the first elected official in Virginia to pledge not to take donations from special interests. “The possible influence of accepting money from those entities is not a thought or consideration,” said Delegate Lashrecse Aird, Rasoul’s seatmate during General Assembly sessions. “He has taken the extra step so that his constituents know he is there because of them.” 

Six other members of the General Assembly have followed his lead since his initial pledge. Along with Rasoul, some of them have formed a group known as the People’s Caucus: a group of legislators determined to preserve the people’s interest.

Following the 2016 election, the public trust in the government reached an all-time low at 18 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.

Rasoul is working to earn back that public trust: through local grassroots movements, he’s pushing to change the political landscape and leads community impact training in Roanoke (which open seminars to potential public officials on how to run free-to-the-public campaigns).

The goal: Show members of the community how they can be leaders. Whether it be in politics or through outreach efforts, the idea is to show citizens how to positively impact their own neighborhoods. The campaign is run by The Impact Center, an organization in Roanoke designed to enrich the local community.

A child of immigrants, Rasoul moved to Virginia at a young age. Growing up in Roanoke allowed him to set up a strong community following for his political career later in life.

PHOTO: Delegate Sam Rasoul, Facebook

The delegate never dreamed of being a politician, until 11 years ago when he found himself running for Congress. With the decision that would permanently change his career path, Rasoul saw great adversity.

“I have always been in an extreme minority,” Rasoul said in an interview this year. “I don’t get frustrated; I just keep my head down, and try and get as much work done as I can.”

Being a Democrat in a Republican-dominated House, Rasoul has seen many setbacks, with only a small percentage of his bills being passed. His positive attitude in the face of adversity has helped him implement his idea of “good government” — a practice, he insists, that serves the public interest.

Tapping his feet against the carpet, Rasoul reflected on the passion of his work. “We need to aggressively find ways of making sure the people are empowered,” Rasoul explained, “and that special interests aren’t undermining the will and the voice of the people.”

Rasoul has taken on a multitude of roles in his lifetime including being a father — a role that has given him a different perspective on his years of work towards bettering the education system.

“Education as a whole is lacking in the innovation we need to become more successful,” Rasoul said, elaborating that childhood success weighs heavily on the early development stages.

“We have our priorities flipped on their head,” Rasoul said. “I think putting a lot more energy and emphasis into early years is critical for increasing IQ, increasing their income over the course of their life, and decreasing their criminal interactions.”

Rasoul has drafted several bills regarding education. Earlier this year, he introduced a bill that would amend the Virginia Constitution to allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections.

Rasoul and his supporters argue that letting 16-year-olds to vote will allow them to have equal representation, as local government and the school board affect high school aged students. The measure hoped to increase overall voter turnout and help inform young voters about government practices.

Although this bill died in committee, Rasoul explained that this was only an introduction.  He will reintroduce it and, if passed, the public will vote on it in a constitutional referendum in 2020: the same year as the next presidential election.

Rasoul also argued against privatization of public schooling, noting his belief that most models for privatization do not work, and they specifically would not work for Virginia. A recent report issued by the Schott Foundation for Public Education and the Network For Public Education found that 47 states have either a voucher or charter school program, 33 of which allow those programs to be run by for-profit companies. Only one of those states requires schools taking vouchers to provide services for English-learning students — students that, as of Fall 2015, made up 8.5 percent of Virginia’s public school enrollments.

“We need to strengthen our public school system, and put mechanisms in place to encourage aggressive innovation,” Rasoul said. “We have to find ways to take care of our teachers, because when we do, they will take care of the students.”

A firm believer in taking care of any work staff, Rasoul states that it is essential to have well-versed employees to support an institution.

Amalea Deegan, Rasoul’s community outreach liaison, attested to this from her work with the delegate.

“He starts off every day asking, ‘What is the office’s mission?” Deegan said, “and it is to help as many people as possible. If we are doing anything that isn’t achieving that goal, then we’re not going to do it.”

In Deegan’s time working with the politician, she believes he has made her a better leader.

“He takes on a mentor role,” Deegan said. “He actively tries to improve the people who are working for him.” Rasoul’s office is nestled in the heart of Richmond, and he worked on the Northam transition team leading up to the governor’s inauguration. His desk is neat and orderly, his walls decorated with pictures of friends, family, and people he has met along the way.

Among the relics, a homemade painting of the Roanoke star hangs, a memento of home. The star overlooks Rasoul’s home city of Roanoke from its perch, high on Mill Mountain, and is visible from anywhere in the city. The painting in his office acts as a reminder of the people Sam Rasoul strives to represent, and the reason he is working to dismantle corruption in government.

Opinion: Will West Virginia Teacher Strike Inspire Virginia Educators to Join the Fight?

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , ,

On March 5, 11 days after the first day of the historic statewide strike, the West Virginia Capitol was packed wall-to-wall with educators, students, workers, and their families. Despite threatening Right-to-Work laws, government bullying, and intimidation, and around betrayal by union leadership, all of which could have prevented or debilitated a weaker movement, WV teachers are more agitated, organized, and determined to win than ever before.  

They are striking for a natural gas severance tax that creates a self-sustaining source of revenue for public employee insurance and pay, a stop to regressive taxes, a pay raise of 5 percent per year over the next five years for all public employees, a permanent tabling to all legislation pertaining to co-tenancy and joint development, and a permanent tabling to all legislation to charter schools, voucher systems, and any attempts to privatize public schools.

The connections between their demands and the needs of public sector employees and educators in Virginia are crystal clear. And they have revolutionized the playing field for teachers, workers, and right-to-work states across the country, including the imminent statewide strike Oklahoma teachers are poised to unleash as soon next week.

The question is, will Virginia educators and workers join the fight that our “wild and wonderful” neighbors have started? Will we let them stand alone?

Some educators may respond with cautious deflections, protesting that organizing or unionizing is illegal in Virginia because of Right-to-Work provisions, but this is simply not true. Right-to-Work does not mean you can be fired for organizing in your workplace; it simply prohibits any contract that requires a worker to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of employment (VA Code Sec. 40.1-58et seq).

Others may demur, ‘well, we don’t have it as bad as West Virginia, our average incomes are not so low.’ To the, I would respond, as the Washington Post recently reported, that though the average Virginia teacher salary may exceed West Virginia’s, our income-to-rent ratio is roughly the same or worse, depending on the level of education. So while we may make more on average, the vast majority of us still struggle to afford rent and basic living expenses, let alone dig ourselves out of the hole of debt required to become an educator in Virginia (which, as the Virginian-Pilot has reported, has led to a statewide teacher shortage crisis).

Furthermore, these comparative numbers only encompass public school teachers, and do not speak to the increasingly desperate circumstances that the booming numbers of adjunct professors face, let alone substitute teachers, teacher assistants, graduate assistants, on-staff tutors, and supplementary instructors, most of whom make below the poverty line for doing utterly essential work, sometimes identical to that of the work done by full-time faculty.

I am among these workers, making near minimum wage to do the same work of lesson planning, curriculum development, lectures, and educational support that professors do. This exciting phenomenon of equal work for half the pay has not gone unnoticed by Virginia school administrators, who are increasingly laying off full-time faculty in favor of the much cheaper option of adjunct professors.

The most obvious example of this, of course, is the now very public battle at Tidewater Community College, where, as the Virginian-Pilot recently reported, full-time faculty have already organized to fight back against a wave of full-time faculty layoffs, to be replaced by lower-paid adjunct professors. This is only the most recent chapter in a long history of rampant administration abuse at TCC, perhaps most elegantly illustrated in the fact that, as student enrollment has dropped by 31 percent, TCC administration hiring has gone up by an even greater 47 percent. I guess you need a lot of salaried administrators to figure out which teachers to fire next!

But TCC is not anomalous in taking this approach to budget shortages, nor is a simple replacement of the president and vice president, as demanded by the TCC faculty, enough to ensure job security for full-time faculty, let alone improve the working conditions for adjuncts or educational support staff. If TCC full-time faculty truly wish to make lasting change and build the broader base of support and solidarity that would necessitate, they ought to organize with adjuncts and wage workers to demand lasting systemic change in the form of better working conditions for all TCC workers and educators in Virginia, not simply a transition of power.

Though Right-to-Work does not prohibit workers from organizing or unionizing, laws do exist in Virginia that render unionizing illegal for public sector employees, including teachers employed by the city/county (public primary/secondary schools) or the Commonwealth (community and public colleges). However, this law makes the specific provision that “Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent employees of the Commonwealth […] from forming associations for the purpose of promoting their interests before the employing agency” (§ 40.1-57.3). This essentially means that public sector employees legally can (and should) organize and unionize, we just can’t legally call it a union. But what’s in a name?

Though by contrast, it is legal in West Virginia for public sector workers to unionize and strike, the WV Attorney General and the Governor declared the strike “illegal” soon after the teacher’s union leadership sold them out during negotiations, urging them to accept a shoddy proposal and go back to work. Regardless, they continued the strike in all 55 counties. If our Appalachian neighbors have shown us anything, it’s that legal technicalities and injunctions can’t stop a body of organized workers if we don’t let them. Teachers across the country have already started taking up the fight that they started, as well as workers in other industries like the Communications Workers of America, who just announced a strike in locations across Virginia and West Virginia on Sunday.

So, fellow Virginia educators, it’s clear the iron is hot. Will we strike?

Editor’s Note: This story was submitted by a Virginia educator who wished to remain anonymous out of professional concerns. 

Tuesday night’s mayoral forum turns from debate on education and transportation, to targeting Mayor Jones

|

Topics: , , , , , , ,

Eleven mayoral candidates met at Richmond Community High School Tuesday night to discuss their visions for the Northside and the city as a whole. The forum, organized by the Brookland Park Area Association, featured all the presumptive front-runners as well as lesser-known candidates trying to introduce themselves to voters.
[Read more…] about Tuesday night’s mayoral forum turns from debate on education and transportation, to targeting Mayor Jones