Civic Dialogues & Education

The League of Women Voters (LWV) Fairfax Area website provides up-to-date information on upcoming elections, a district lookup tool, absentee ballot information, and more. A big part of what LWV does is voter registration. They also offer training videos on registering voters: LWV Voter Registration Training. Why not add an extra skill to your repertoire so you are ready to go should the need arise? For more information, see the League of Women Voters Fairfax Area.

Network NOVA connects people across Virginia to promote democratic values of equality, justice, and human rights through civic engagement, leadership development, coalition building, and grassroots organizing. Join Network NOVA's weekly live program featuring conversations on politics, elections, culture, public policy, and the grassroots leaders making change across Virginia. Learn more here.

Halloween's origins predate Christianity, tracing back to an ancient Celtic celebration called Samhain, once observed in what is now Ireland, parts of France, and the United Kingdom. Like most ancient holidays, Samhain marked the seasonal transition from summer to winter, which is why Halloween still has dark, stormy vibes today. Participants believed that on the night of October 31, the portal between the realm of the living and of the dead opened, allowing lost souls to ret

Third Actors in the DC, MD, and VA area have been battling the so-called Triumphal Arch through rallies, pickets, vigils, letters to the editor, and testimony. Now we are asking Third Actors nationally to join the fight. And we are sounding the alarm against a threat far wider than one grotesque attempt to Trumpify the nation’s capital. Register here to get the latest. There is so much, and we have put information into a Stop the Arch Cheat Sheet Here are the latest happening

Dear Members and Friends, DWCNV members and guests attended a very informative presentation today at our meeting on the three proposed Constitutional Amendments that will appear on Virginia ballots in the November 3rd General Election. These are: Reproductive Freedom, Marriage Equality, and Restoration of Voting Rights. Here is a PDF of the presentation. Please feel free to share this with those you know, as many aren't aware these important issues are up for a vote in Virgin

Dear Friends, I just saw the final cut of a new film from Inequality Media, and I can’t wait for you to see it. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s from the team behind The Last Class, a film about my final semester of teaching. They interviewed me for a short time about America’s 250th anniversary and then went into America to hear from average people. What has emerged is a look at our country that is urgent and beautiful. Directed by Ian Cheney, The Work in Progress poses th

Every election is a chance to shape the future, and sometimes a powerful reminder arrives unexpectedly. This week, the cast of Hamilton released a special video, "2026: Time for the Midterms," in partnership with When We All Vote and in recognition of National Voter Registration Day. The message is simple but important: our voices matter, and voting is one of the most meaningful ways we can make them heard. At DWCNV, we believe civic engagement begins long before Election Day

Perhaps now is the time for history to, if not repeat itself, begin to rhyme. Rise Up! The History of Labor Day: New unions proliferated and established unions expanded in a wave of activism during the early 1880s as the U.S. arose from the economic depression of 1873. While workers turned to unions to improve working conditions and challenge the growing power of capitalists, independent labor parties also grew across the political landscape. Two workers’ holidays, Labor Day

Every once in a while, you read something that stops you in your tracks. This CBS News feature did that for me. In a world where many of us take education, opportunity, and the freedom to dream for granted, 21 Afghan girls shared handwritten letters that reveal what life looks like when even the most basic aspirations are denied. These young women are continuing to study in secret, defying Taliban restrictions that have effectively erased educational opportunities for countle

I beg your indulgence, please, on this Labor Day. I want to share some thoughts on Hubris and Invincibility. In the last few weeks, I have learned a lot about what Rudyard Kipling (in the spirit of his famous “If” poem) would likely have called these two “imposters”. In early August, I was deeply honored by the Litigation Counsel of America, of which I am a member, with the “Order of Centurions” for LCA lawyers with 100 jury trials. The LCA itself represents the top 0.5 perce

The League of Women Voters Fairfax Area website has current information about the upcoming elections, a district look-up tool, absentee ballot information, and more. A big part of what LWV does is voter registration. They also offer training videos on registering voters. Why not add an extra skill to your repertoire so you're ready to go should the need arise? League of Women Voters Fairfax Area LWV Voter Registration Training

Network NOVA connects people across Virginia to promote democratic values of equality, justice, and human rights through civic engagement, leadership development, coalition building, and grassroots organizing. Join Network NOVA's weekly live program featuring conversations on politics, elections, culture, public policy, and the grassroots leaders making change across Virginia. Learn more here.

Virginia Democrats are launching Freedom Summer VA 2.0, a statewide effort to educate, register, and mobilize voters, particularly in congressional districts 1, 2, 5, and 6, including a substantial effort to register voters for this year's midterms and the presidential election in 2028. Interested in helping with this effort? The Virginia Department of Elections is offering one-hour classes to become a certified voter registration volunteer. Learn more here.

Sign up here https://www.signupgenius.Protect the Vote CD8 Primary to act as an inside poll observer (Authorized Representative under Virginia Law) on the August 4th CD-8 Primary Election Day. For experienced poll observers, there is also an option to sign up as a "Rover," which would require you to go to different precincts based on some need or just to ensure that things are proceeding smoothly. There are five Rover slots. Legal experience is preferred but not required to

The U.S. Department of Justice has submitted a request to monitor Fairfax and Prince William polls during the August 4 Primary. Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) views this as part of a multi-state Trump/DOJ effort to intimidate Democrats and Democratic voters. "Virginia is fortunate to have elected strong Democratic leadership, and the same is true for Fairfax County and for the team we work with in FCDC. Along with Precinct Ops and our statewide campaign leaders, t

Vote YES on all three constitutional amendments Marriage equality Reproductive freedom Restoration of voting rights Learn about the three constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot this November:

The musical, which tells the story of the women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote in the United States, is at once hilarious, heartbreaking, inspiring, and remarkably timely. It captures the personalities, rivalries, friendships, disappointments, and triumphs of women who refused to accept that equality would come on someone else's timetable. And somehow, despite telling a story more than a century old, it feels written for today. What struck me most was how univers

If you are concerned about the proliferation of data centers in Northern Virginia, share your opinion with your Board of Supervisors member now. Contact Fairfax County Board of Supervisors: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/contact/AgencyDetail.aspx?agId=500&abv=BOS Contact Loudoun County Board of Supervisors: https://www.loudoun.gov/Directory.aspx?did=4 Contact Prince William County Board of Supervisors: https://www.pwcva.gov/department/board-county-supervisors/contact-us

In 2023, the Fairfax County Police Department began using Flock Safety License Plate Readers. Unlike normal traffic cameras, automated license plate readers (ALPRs) continually monitor all traffic to uniquely profile every passing vehicle and create an easily searchable history of its movements without a warrant. Flock gained national attention for its collection of over 80,000 cameras being used to: Assist ICE’s immigration crackdown. Stalk police officers’ ex-romantic part

Review your Representative’s or Senator’s voting records on civil rights issues using this link: civilrights.org/voting-record/. Open the link, click on the 2023-2024 Congressional record, and scroll to page 25 of the document to review each individual’s voting record ranking. Use this link to review the National Environmental Scorecard at congressional-scorecard/members-of-congress/ for House and Senate members Check here if you would like data on which GOP members have kowt