By Scott Christian, Chair of the Northern Piedmont Chapter of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy —
At 10 am on Saturday, July 11, sixty-five people participated in the fourth Vigil for Action: Black Lives Matter in the Courthouse Square in Old Town Warrenton. The Rev. Weston Matthews, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains, opened with prayer and remarks, and Miggy Strano of the League of Women Voters welcomed everyone and provided information about the vigil.
The participants, all masked and physically distanced, split up into four groups and stood along different sidewalks holding large pre-printed posters as well as homemade signs as cars drove past. The large signs read, “Black Lives Matter,” “Listen to Stories,” Call Your Legislator,” and “Vote.” Then the group gathered under the large tree in the square as Miggy Strano spoke about the importance of having a personal plan to vote this fall and encouraging others to register to vote and make their own voting plan.
More than 100 people attended the first vigil on June 16th. The vigils are scheduled to continue until Labor Day. They are organized by the Northern Piedmont Chapter of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy as a way to encourage individuals to better understand systemic racism, to advocate for legislative change, to vote for change in elections, and to join with people of diverse races and ages to declare, “Black Lives Matter.” The local chapters of the NAACP and the League of Women Voters are now co-sponsors. A local foundation purchased hundreds of “Black Lives Matter” yard signs which are being distributed free of charge.
As we approach the end of summer, the chapter plans to distribute information to help people advocate with legislators in the special session of the General Assembly and to inform them about various candidate’s policy positions in the upcoming November election.
Mission: “Black Lives Matter Vigil”
- To encourage an understanding of systemic racism as being both institutional and personal.
- To promote changes in policies and laws by advocacy and elections.
- To demonstrate peacefully with a diverse group of participants as possible that ending racism is political, not partisan.
- To keep this issue in the public eye through the special General Assembly session in August and until Labor Day, when national campaigns go into high gear.
Read the “Fauquier Times” story about the vigil here.
Scott Christian is Chair of the Northern Piedmont Chapter of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, a member of Saint James’ Episcopal Church in Warrenton, and a volunteer at the Fauquier Free Clinic, specializing in assisting patients applying for Medicaid.