FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2022
Contact: Valeria Ojeda-Avitia, [email protected]
RICHMOND – Today, Care in Action and domestic worker leaders in Virginia endorsed the campaign of State Senator Jennifer McClellan to fill the CD-04 seat ahead of the Democratic primary election on December 20, 2022. McClellan has a strong history serving as an advocate for working women of color as the lead sponsor in the Senate for the Virginia Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. With over 55,000 domestic and care workers in Virginia, we trust that she McClellan will continue to fight for workers, women of color, and Virginians as the elected representative of the fourth Congressional District of Virginia.
“Virginia’s domestic workers and care workers critically need leaders to champion the issues they desperately need, such as sick leave, paid leave, affordable childcare, good paying union jobs, and higher wages. Because of this, we are proud to endorse State Senator Jennifer McClellan, a true care champion, in her candidacy in this primary ahead of the special election,” said Hillary Holley, Executive Director of Care in Action. “Senator McClellan has a proven track record of fighting for domestic workers across Virginia. As a leading co-sponsor of Virginia’s Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, Jenn played a critical role in making Virginia the first Southern state to extend workplace harassment protections and health and safety protections to domestic workers. Domestic workers are the backbone of our program, and we need care champions in Congress to meet the needs of our workers. We know that as a Member of Congress, McClellan will continue to stand by domestic workers and women of color in Washington, DC.”
Care in Action launched its Virginia program in 2019 and since then has continued to build power in the state. In the program’s first year, Care in Action Virginia helped flip the state legislature from red to blue by electing progressive women of color to office. The next year was filled with grassroots organizing work and fighting for care policies that are important to Virginia families. In 2021, Care in Action won the first Domestic Worker Bill of Rights in the South, sponsored in the State Senate by care champion Jennifer McClellan.
“Virginia’s 55,000 domestic workers do the essential, yet often invisible, work that makes all other work possible by caring for our loved ones and our homes,” added Jenn Stowe, Senior Advisor to Care in Action. “As a Richmond, Virginia resident, I have witnessed firsthand Jenn’s dedication to domestic workers and women of color in the state that my family calls home. I know she will continue to deliver wins for working families across Virginia. Care in Action looks forward to supporting Senator McClellan to win the primary on Tuesday and then to go on to win the special election in February.”
Women of color are key to progressive victories and to electing candidates who will support all families and workers in policy decisions, including domestic workers and immigrants. Just this month, the domestic worker movement mobilized in Georgia, contacting millions of voters ahead of the Senate runoff and helping deliver Senate control to the Democratic Party. Care in Action plans to mobilize in Virginia for the primary and general elections in 2023.
Care in Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, was founded in 2016 at the request of domestic workers who knew they needed to build political power to advocate for dignity and fairness for this workforce.
Care in Action is the policy and advocacy home for women who care, working on behalf of more than two million domestic workers and care workers across America. Among the fastest-growing sectors in our economy, domestic workers are also among the most vulnerable and undervalued. As a mostly women and majority women of color workforce, this growing constituency consistently and overwhelmingly supports progressive values in American political life. Learn more at www.careinaction.us.