Endorsements in the Virginia governor’s race continue to roll in, with Democrat Jennifer Carroll Foy receiving the latest nod. Former NAACP president Ben Jealous announced his support for Foy, citing her commitment to justice and equity.
“As a public defender, she saw the two-tiered criminal justice system up close: one that’s left Black Americans behind and one that works for everyone else,” Jealous, president of the People For the American Way, said in an interview with ABC News. “As a leader in the legislature, Jennifer took on tough fights for justice — and she won.”
The endorsement is the second for Foy this week, with Rep. Lauren Underwood throwing her weight behind the potential future governor. In a statement released to the Hill, Underwood praised Foy as a fighter for working families.
“Jennifer knows what it’s like to face a healthcare system that diminishes the concerns of Black women and shoulder the cost of childcare, which is why she has been and will continue to be a steadfast fighter for working families across the Commonwealth as the next Governor of Virginia,” Underwood said.
The youngest Black woman to serve in Congress, Underwood walks softly but packs a real punch in legislative action. A registered nurse by training, Underwood has prioritized Black maternal health.
Underwood, along with Rep. Alma Adams and Sen. Cory Booker, introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. A comprehensive legislative approach, the Momnibus tackles social determinants of health, improves maternal care for incarcerated pregnant women, and gives funding to community-based organizations.
Gaining increasing attention in recent years, Black maternal health is the subject of a week-long convening of discussions and events led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance and National Birth Equity Alliance April 11-17.
Before the official endorsement, Foy joined Underwood for a conversation about Black Maternal Health.
Reflecting on her own birthing experience, Foy said her pain was diminished and dismissed. Foy said the same statement. “Rep. Underwood understands the urgency that we must bring to this fight for all working families — families like mine,” Foy said in a statement attained by the Hill. “I will never stop fighting to ensure that all Virginians have access to the quality, affordable health care, child care, paid family and medical leave, and more that they deserve.”
Foy’s other notable endorsements include the youth progressive climate change group, the Sunrise Movement, and Democracy for America. She is one of two Black women running in Virginia’s Democratic primary for governor, with Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan also in the race.