Women+girls (W+g) L.I.F.E. Encouraging Virginia's Women+girls to Love+Inquire+Flourish+Enduree | | Shining a Light on Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts | | Pictured: The First Lady and Governor with leaders of nonprofits in the human trafficking space. | Pictured: The First Lady alongside women at the Governor's salary donation. | | Pictured: The First Lady with (left to right) Major Caren Sterling, Colonel Gary Settle, and Lauren and Bryan Weight from Operation Light Shine. | WATCH a local news recap of the morning, or watch a recording of the full event here. | | The First Lady joined the Governor at the Virginia State Police headquarters to donate his second-quarter gubernatorial salary to Operation Light Shine – a nonprofit working to eradicate human trafficking in the United States. Operation Light Shine implements their multi-disciplinary, INTERCEPT (“Inter-agency Child Exploitation and Persons Trafficking”) Task Force, and Virginia is now the third state in the country involved – a partnership demonstrating the first time there has been a dedicated anti-trafficking unit within the Virginia State Police (VSP) in over 90 years and a monumental step forward in the fight against human trafficking in the Commonwealth. In honor of World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, please continue to spread awareness and visit the links of these nonprofit organizations that joined us for this important day: Straight Street, The Lampstand, Operation Lightshine, The Network and Reset180. | | Pictured: The Governor signs HB 1426 at the second-quarter gubernatorial salary donation. | Pictured: The Governor and First Lady alongside Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata, human trafficking survivor Tanya Gould, Attorney General Jason Miyares and Virginia doctors and nurses. | Taking Strides Against Trafficking | Building upon the gubernatorial salary donation, the First Lady joined the Governor as he signed eight bills furthering the fight against human trafficking, including HB 1426, which allows the Board of Medicine to require health care professionals they license to complete continuing education courses on specific subject areas and directs the board to make the first subject area to be on the topic of human trafficking. | Pictured: The First Lady with active-duty women at the Virginia War Memorial. | The First Lady joined Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Craig Crenshaw at the Virginia War Memorial this month to help volunteers as they placed 12,000 American flags into the hillside to represent the 12,000 Virginians killed in service to our country from World War II through the present day. Check out this link to the Gold Standard Digital Hub for mental health, education, employment and more resources for veterans and their families! | | Pictured: The First Lady celebrating the Spirit of Sisterhood with Women+girls at Straight Street in Roanoke. | The First Lady gathered in Roanoke with over 170 Women+girls at Straight Street this past month. She connected with women of all ages as they continued the conversation around her initiative, Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia’s Women+girls. Email the First Lady with your name, email and mailing address to be included in other “Sisterhood” events across Virginia this year! | Anti-Human Trafficking Director | Tanya Gould, a survivor of human trafficking, has advocated for anti-human trafficking solutions for 20 years. She currently serves as the Anti-Human Trafficking Director in the Attorney General of Virginia’s office. In this Sisterhood Spotlight, Tanya shares about her work in the space, her personal testimony that led her into fighting human trafficking as well as advice and resources for Virginians. | | Joining Young Leaders at the 2023 Virginia FFA Convention
The First Lady attended the 97th Virginia FFA Convention with Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr, where she spoke to 2,500 students, FFA members, agriculture teachers, supporters and stakeholders – and was the first, First Lady of Virginia to speak at this event in almost 100 years! The theme of this year’s Convention was “Radiate,” and these leaders truly displayed the strength and radiance of the Commonwealth. The First Lady is inspired by the empowerment of FFA's young leaders to learn leadership skills and find a purpose and belonging. Thank you, Virginia FFA, for your work supporting our future leaders in Virginia agriculture. | | Pictured: The First Lady with FFA members at the 97th Virginia FFA Convention. | | Pictured: The 2023 Governor’s Fellows at the Virginia Executive Mansion after lunch with the First Lady. | Governor's Fellows Program | The Governor and First Lady welcomed 37 Governor’s Fellows from around the Commonwealth and country to the Governor’s Office this summer. The First Lady hosted the Fellows for lunch this past month to thank them for their work as public servants to the people of Virginia. Applications for the 2024 Fellow’s Program open starting in January. Join us to help make a difference in the lives of Virginians! | | Pictured: The First Lady with a female veteran attending technology training at Tech For Troops. | Veteran Technology Training | The First Lady visited Tech For Troops (T4T), a nonprofit organization focused on supporting veterans across the Commonwealth by providing them with computers, technical skills and IT training. After touring the facility to see the great work they are doing to "Bridge the Digital Divide in the Veteran Community," the First Lady sat in on a technology training session with a group of 15 veterans. T4T impacts Virginia veterans in their mental health and work lives. | | Pictured: The First Lady with Chris Woodrum at Chris's Coffee and Custard. | On the heels of Virginia Agriculture Week and Dairy Month, the First Lady joined Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr at Chris’s Coffee and Custard in Roanoke. Chris’s Coffee and Custard was founded in 2020 by Chris’s mother, Beth Woodrum, to bridge the gap between the community and people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities. Joining Chris, Garrett and their peers in action in the workplace was the sweetest treat! | | Pictured: Garrison Command Sergeant Major Tamisha Love (front row, far right). | Garrison Command Sergeant | Command Sergeant Major Tamisha Love has devoted nearly two decades to serving in the United States Army, where she has led and inspired many Americans. Check out her recent Sisterhood Spotlight feature as she shares on her time in the Army and offers advice and resources for Virginia Women+girls (W+g). | | Pictured: The First Lady visiting with a group of the Petersburg fellows on the first day of their internship. | | First Lady Focus on the Partnership for Petersburg
The First Lady recently visited Petersburg to offer encouragement to high school and college students participating in the city’s Summer Internship and Development Program. Seventy-eight students are interning with local entities and receiving job skills training as part of the program, which begins right as Virginia has been ranked the top state for Customized Workforce Training by Business Facilities.
| | | Pictured: The First Lady with service dogs Rosie at the Virginia War Memorial and Hawk at Tech For Troops. | This month, the First Lady spent time with service dogs at her Hill of Heroes and Tech For Troops (T4T) visits. Thank you to Rosie's foster family for taking care of her while she is in service dog training and looks to be paired with a veteran soon. And kudos to Jason and his service dog Hawk at T4T for their incredible story of recovery and rehabilitation. | | Pictured: Wild Pony Roundup, imagined by artist Ruth Starr Rose. | As July wraps up, the annual Chincoteague Island pony swim and auction is fast approaching! Artist Ruth Starr Rose captured the liveliness and festivity of this beloved Virginia tradition in her 1950 painting, which is on loan to the Executive Mansion from Norfolk’s Chrysler Museum of Art as part of The Art Experience at the Executive Mansion. | | If you haven't signed up to receive this newsletter: CLICK HERE | | Enjoying Women+girls (W+g) L.I.F.E.? Share this email with 10 friends! Click below. | | | | |
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