Inaugural episode connects the legacy of Juneteenth to today’s fight for voting rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                           
June 17, 2026                         

RICHMOND, Va., June 17, 2026 — Ahead of Juneteenth, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) today launched “Faith, Policy and Purpose,” a new monthly podcast series exploring the intersection of faith, justice, and public policy in Virginia.

Episode 1, “Juneteenth and the Ongoing Fight for Liberation,” traces the history of the Juneteenth federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It marks the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the last enslaved people in the state were free.

“We have a lot of work to do,” said the Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook, VICPP’s executive director and podcast host. “There is a direct connection between voting and liberation and voting and freedom—and making sure people understand how those are linked. As we celebrate freedom, a way to ensure our freedom is to vote.”

In the episode, she speaks with Robert Lester, VICPP’s civic engagement coordinator, about the meaning of Juneteenth in their personal lives, their faith, and in the policies the Center champions every day.

Each month, “Faith, Policy and Purpose” will bring together faith leaders, community advocates, legislators, VICPP staff, and other experts to share their perspectives and explore solutions to the Commonwealth’s most pressing economic, racial, and social justice challenges.

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Link to WATCH podcast on YouTube

MEDIA CONTACTS: Roberta Oster, VICPP communications director, roberta@virginiainterfaithcenter.org
Amanda Kline Roberson, VICPP communications coordinator, amanda@virginiaintefaithcenter.org