AFSC West Virginia Spring 2024 Update

Legislative lookback and summer happenings

Anyone following legislative session this year knows that those 60 days were like a constant game of whack-a-mole, with bad bills popping up everywhere. Bills targeting people on SNAP, weakening child labor laws, increasing discipline for elementary aged kids, and enhancing penalties for drug felonies all gained momentum. And that's just a small sampling of the bad. But ultimately, we prevailed on most fronts.    

When we are facing a very challenging political reality, defending the policy gains of the past feels momentous. So, the short version: it could have been a lot worse.  And we could not be more grateful to our allies in the struggle for an economy that works for people and the planet. For a longer summary of legislative session, click here. And read on for action alert on child tax credit and some upcoming events where I hope our paths might cross.

Bringing the Child Tax Credit back to life

Usually it's the bad policies that won't die which we call zombies, but an exception is the Child Tax Credit which has become a very favorite zombie. Since the expanded Child Tax Credit expired January 2023, I have lost count of how many times it has been on life support, appears dead, then only to rise again.  

Now it might be alive again via the bipartisan Tax Relief for Working Families Act which passed the House this past January. The legislation ties corporate and business tax breaks with an expanded Child Tax Credit which would benefit 16 million children in low-income families. 

The word from allies on the hill is that Senator Schumer is pushing for a vote in the Senate when they return from recess in June. Let's put our collective thumb on the scales in favor of lifting kids out of poverty. Send a message to Senator Shelley Moore Capito so she knows folks back home want the expanded Child Tax Credit to live (for good!).

Feeding kids in Raleigh County

After months of quiet diplomacy by Joanna, Raleigh County Schools made the following announcement last week: "Raleigh County Schools has chosen to implement the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for all schools beginning with the 2024-25 school year. As a result, ALL students will receive FREE breakfast and FREE lunch beginning next school year." Hooray! Read more here.

Now the only counties left that have not expanded the Community Eligibility Provision in all schools are Putnam and Berkeley counties. So you can probably guess which counties we have our sights set on next.

Restorative Justice Summit 2024

One of my first introductions to restorative justice was a circle keepers training led by Kay Pranis that we convened virtually during the peak of the COVID pandemic. We would joke that on zoom a talking circle looks more like a grid. 

These days, plenty of events and meetings continue to happen virtually, so the novelty of being "off the grid" and sharing space with each other in real time hasn't worn off.  

Which is why I'm really glad we are doing a restorative justice summit in person June 14-15th at WV Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV. There's a lot of really cool stuff cooking for the summit, including:

• Keynote Address from Valerie Slater, Executive Director of RISE for Youth which focuses on dismantling the youth prison model
• "Still Doing Life" discussion via zoom with Howard Zehr, Founder of the Zehr Institute and Barb Toews PhD, University of Washington Tacoma
• LIVE MUSIC from Lua Flora from Asheville, NC
• Breakout sessions on topics like restorative justice in the education setting; criminal justice vs. restorative justice; addressing victim/survivor needs;  restorative justice and police reform; and many more! 
• Plus there will be lots of time for networking and envisioning a future where restorative justice is being practiced throughout West Virginia.  

Register, or sign up to be an exhibitor or volunteer, by clicking here.

Summer Policy Institute

We've teamed up for over six years now with our friends at the WV Center on Budget and Policy to host the Summer Policy Institute (SPI). SPI boasts some impressive alumni who credit their experience at SPI for launching them into paid positions with social and environmental justice organizations, internships on Capitol Hill, and as staffers at the state legislature.

This summer we are happy to be back at Marshall University for SPI July 26-28th.

SPI is three days of learning and sharing together about why we feel drawn to the work of making positive changes for our people and our communities. Participants form teams around specific issue areas, exploring together how to build effective and diverse coalitions, informed and driven by directly impacted people, to advance policy change.

If you know someone who is curious about advocacy and wants to connect with others who are passionate about systemic change, please share this opportunity with them.  SPI is free to attend. Read more here—and register by May 31st.

Thanks for reading and hope to see you soon!