Hey there, 

Welcome back to another edition of Virginia Capital, Dogwood’s economic policy newsletter that puts workers first. 

You can read Thursday’s edition here. 

I’m 36 years old and have been going to protests since my teenage years. They never get old. The creativity of the signs, the energy of the chants, even the quiet lulls when the assembled pause to consider what to do or say next. I find it all invigorating.  

Below, I report on a Labor Day protest held in Richmond, and share an update from the campaign trail. 

I also have the details on a new nonprofit formed to celebrate Virginia hip-hop along with two musical recommendations to tap into the scene. 

(Michael O’Connor/Dogwood)

Yesterday, I made the trek down from Alexandria to Richmond to cover a Labor Day rally and protest in Monroe Park near the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Hundreds of Virginians young and old attended the event, and the energy to fight for a just society was strong. 

The many signs and the roster of speakers hit on all the major themes of the ongoing fight against the Trump administration: outrage over his federal cuts and attacks on the social safety net; anger over US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s aggressive deportation efforts; and indignation over the ongoing mistreatment of so many workers across our economy. 

As Richmond resident Angela Arrington told me, the powers that be want to sweep workers like her under the rug rather than share in the fruits of their labor. Arrington works for $17.30 an hour as a lead contract janitor in Richmond. 

Every month, Arrington struggles to afford groceries and cover her rent. But at least as a member of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 32BJ, she can speak up about her dissatisfaction knowing her fellow workers have her back. 

That sense of solidarity is something that doesn’t get talked about enough, according to Starbucks worker Haley Porter. Porter was at the rally representing Starbucks Workers United in its fight for a union contract. 

The Richmond-area native told me that community plays a big role in Southern culture and that being part of a union helps foster that sense that she’s not alone. 

“It’s a network and a community between not just me, not just my store, but between every store in the nation,” Porter said. 

• The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EAS Carpenters) endorsed Democrat Abigail Spanberger in Virginia’s governor’s race.                                                                                                                                                                                 

• Romelo Styles of WTKR has coverage of Norfolk’s Labor Day protest.

   

• Government Executive’s Erich Wagner has the details on Trump’s attempt to ban unions at more federal agencies. 

(Michael O’Connor/Dogwood)

Last week, I attended a town hall hosted by Leslie Mehta, the Democratic challenger looking to flip a House of Delegates seat in Chesterfield County.

I was struck by how many union members showed up from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and from a local union affiliated with The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. 

Mehta was joined by Democratic Party Chairman, state Sen. Lamont Bagby (D–Richmond), and state Del. Dan Helmer (D–Clifton). 

One of the questions that came from the audience was whether Mehta supports expanding collective bargaining rights, to which she said she does. 

“I’ve been supportive of collective bargaining and the ability for folks to be able to negotiate for my whole career,” Mehta said. “And the other aspect of that that I talk about often is the fact that people need to be able to have safe working conditions, as well.”

The passage of Labor Day means many campaigns will be ramping up their efforts as we get closer to Election Day in November. Some call it the final sprint as mailers and TV ads increase. 

As the collective bargaining question and Mehta’s response shows, labor issues are on voters’ minds as they consider which candidates to support.

(aiden marples/Unsplash)

A new nonprofit wants more people to understand the history and future of Virginia hip-hop. 

Vaughan Moss, Linwood Johnson, Ricky Parker, and Chauncey Jenkins launched the Virginia Hip-Hop Foundation in August to make sure the stories of the commonwealth’s lyricists and producers get told and to celebrate the role Virginia has played in hip-hop as a genre. 

“We’re going to be really intentional about making sure that we tell the story of the history, but also we’re connecting it to the future with the current guys,” Moss, the executive director, told me in an interview. 

The Virginia Hip-Hop Foundation is planning events in the weeks ahead, and will look to publish digital content, as well. A big goal for the nonprofit is to eventually organize an exhibit that tells the story of Virginia hip-hop. 

Virginia hip-hop is most famous for producing stars like Clipse and Missy Elliot, but the Virginia Hip-hop foundation won’t be resting on those laurels, Johnson told me. 

“There’s people who are currently making music, who are currently contributing to hip-hop in a major way, that are from Virginia,” Johnson said. 

If you’re looking for Virginia hip-hop recommendations, Moss and Linwood suggest Luh Kiddo and Who? as good places to start.

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