Virginia needs to get a hold and ACTUALLY do the work that needs to be done to keep communities of color power and voice strong. The geography here pushes us all away to be disconnected and it’s not helpful at all. So what we need to start doing is implementing ethnic studies and political social justice classes in schools here. Curriculums MUST reflect class, race, sexuality, religion, language justice issues, a vast breadth of knowledge that help be critical thinkers and make social change. We need a curriculum that has social change arts, music, and more inclusive social practices in this state. It’s pathetic how other cities have the most resources put towards their immigrant communities in fact they are empowered. We are made to hate our selves here, we are taught that slavery has ended, we are taught nothing about our cultures and histories of colonization that has created mental trauma and inter generational conflict, there is no pride in our selves. We will not be able to grow as a metro area if we do not put our working class, poor and ACTUAL middle class communities of color first. Where are the creative social curriculum that can help make Virginia have a stronger and more nuanced political culture? We have nothing to show for— NYC there’s cultural revolutions and historical nuances and Chicago has many Muslim nonprofit programs here. Where is the resources to help us? I am a community organizer and I believe there is NO community centered spaces that are focused on art, dialogue, visual culture in the streets, we need to have a more complex curriculum that addresses everything that made this state the way it is. This is one of the worst states to live in- yes it’s DC area, and so much diversity but those in power make us believe we have nothing else to be but working robots. We have culture, history and power and we need schools REFLECTIVE of that. We need more brown and black teachers, we do not need white teachers here. We need more languages offered. We need language justice, we need white supremacy to be studied in classes. We need real history. We need to have connections with social justice and community organizing organizations such as ACE collab, New Virginia Majority, NAKASEC, TENANTS WORKERS UNITED. this state needs better public transportation, better ways of connecting community of color because we are DISCONNECTED because of this plantation state. You all need to do better.