Racial Justice

Here’s the Problem

As a public defender and magistrate judge, I witnessed our two different criminal justice systems. One degrades marginalized communities and the other works for everyone else. This is a fact African-Americans know too well, and the summer of 2020 made the realities of systemic racism even more clear as we mourned the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Abery, and countless others. The time is now for clear and thoughtful change.

My Plans as Governor

In June 2020, I launched my Racial Justice Framework to work toward building a more just and equal Commonwealth. Rooted in conversations with community leaders, constituents, and working families, this framework serves as a starting point for policy and lawmakers to address the concerns of Virginians calling for change on racial disparities and inequalities. My protest is passing legislation, and as Governor, I will work every day to enact meaningful, substantive change.

My Record & Experience 

I have fought to make our Commonwealth a place for all Virginians and will continue, without ceasing, to end racial injustice.

As a Delegate, I:

• Sponsored legislation to address cash bail reform, the ban on parole, and the issue of “driving poor” — all of which contribute to mass incarceration and cyclical patterns of joblessness and poverty within minority communities.
• Sponsored legislation to legalize marijuana and address the racial disparities related to incarceration and convictions.
• Introduced and passed a bill prohibiting the use of neck restraints, such as chokeholds, by law enforcement.
• Co-patroned legislation requiring law-enforcement officers to undergo training on de-escalation techniques, the lawful use of force, and implicit bias.
• Launched an initiative to clarify the judicial appointment process for minority applicants, to create a network of mentors and champions for the applicants, and to inform our legislators about the importance of diversity and inclusiveness.
• Passed the Dress Code Equity Act, the first bill in the nation to codify protections in school dress codes against religious and ethnic discrimination to combat school pushout for Black girls.
• Introduced legislation permitting school principals to handle discipline issues rather than report children to law enforcement and co-sponsored a bill limiting the maximum number of days of school suspension from 365 to 45. 
• Passed a bill to assess the feasibility of Medicaid reimbursement for doula care to expand access by women of color to culturally competent care.
• Passed a bill to expand opportunities for small- and minority-owned businesses to secure utility contracts.