Leesburg, VA - On May 1, 2022, at 7 p.m., Leesburg families and New Virginia Majority (NVM) organizers will hold a vigil honoring the working class community at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St SE. In April, the county approved over $18 million in funding for affordable housing and though this is a tremendous milestone, many more measures need to take place to prevent the displacement of the county’s working class and essential workers.

Ivin Castro, a longtime resident of Virginia and current Loudoun County resident said, “Like many of the workers who work every day and whose income falls at no more than $40,000 a year, I am fighting together with NVM so that one day the opportunity will come for us to obtain decent and fair housing according to our income. We ask and hope that the approved funds reach their final destination: people with low incomes.”

NVM organizer Sofia Saiyed said, “Rents are rising and Loudoun’s essential workers are getting pushed out. We’re holding a vigil this International Workers Day to share the stories of working-class families, and call on the county to invest its funds in housing solutions for our community of essential workers who earn less than 40% of the Area Median Income.”

To speak with an NVM organizer or to speak with a resident, contact Debra Freeman at [email protected] or 757-452-1143.

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New Virginia Majority builds power in working-class communities of color, in immigrant communities, among LGBTQ people, women, youth, and progressives across the Commonwealth. We organize for racial and economic justice through large-scale political education, mobilization and advocacy around dozens of issues. We fight for a Virginia that is just, democratic and environmentally sustainable. For more information, visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @NewVAMajority.