NAACP Virginia Launches Freedom Summer VA 2.0 During Juneteenth Freedom Week

RICHMOND, VA
The NAACP Virginia State Conference, alongside committed partners, has launched Freedom Summer VA 2.0 during Juneteenth Freedom Week. Patterned after the courageous civil rights advocates of 1964 who journeyed to Mississippi to empower voters, the program will focus on educating, registering, and mobilizing voters, especially in low-turnout areas of Virginia.

Through various activities and outreach efforts, including dedicated voter registration drives, Freedom Summer VA seeks to continue the legacy of 1964 and ensure that all citizens are heard and represented, according to its press release. The program emphasizes the importance of every voice in our democracy, particularly through voter registration, and aims to inspire civic engagement within communities.

Joining Rev. Cozy Bailey, Sr. NAACP Virginia State Conference President, in making the announcement on June 16, were Gaylene Kanoyton, Region Vice President, and Political Action Chair; Jayveon Tucker, Youth & College Division Vice President; Melanie Campbell, President and CEO for the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation; Joan Porte, President, League of Women Voters of Virginia; Jade Harris, Project Director with Rural Ground Game; and Dr. Wes Belamy, National Board Member of 100 Black Men, Incorporated.

In light of recent developments, including the Supreme Court’s decision to weaken the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the Supreme Court of Virginia’s reversal of the redistricting referendum supported by 1.6 million voters, NAACP Virginia State Conference officials say the group is committed to promoting education, voter registration, and mobilization. The NAACP Virginia State Conference will also promote the three amendments on the ballot, ensuring voters are informed and prepared to make their voices heard in the November midterm elections.

  “The forces of oppression and suppression are actively removing our rights, from the courts to the redistricting process. But with one exception, we still have the right to vote, and we intend to protect it. Freedom Summer VA is our answer to this moment,” stated Rev. Cozy Bailey, Conference President. “We must participate in this democracy in a way we haven’t before, and we will not stop until every voice in Virginia is heard.”

Gaylene Kanoyton, Political Action Chair, added,  “It’s more important than ever for us to reach marginalized communities and ensure they know their power. The attacks on our voting rights are real, but so is our resolve. We have to make our voices heard — in the voting booth, in our communities, and at every level of government. Freedom Summer VA is how we fight back.”

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Freedom Summer VA will focus on educating, registering, and mobilizing voters in low-turnout areas of Virginia in Congressional Districts 1, 2, 5, and 6. There will also be a heavy emphasis on voting yes on the three constitutional amendments: Restoration of Rights, Marriage Equality, and Reproductive Freedom. Branches, Youth Councils, and College Chapters, in collaboration with our partners, will host registration drives and town halls.

  Key dates for Freedom Summer VA are July 25-26 Registration Drives across the Commonwealth; August 6, 2026, the 61st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and the Weekend of Action, August 8 – 9, 2026.

  The NAACP Virginia State Conference is committed to increasing Black political power and voter turnout for the midterms

To view the Press Conference, click here.