FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2018
CONTACT
Kendyl Crawford, Director, Virginia Interfaith Power & Light
(804) 505-4624, kcrawford@vaipl.org
Interfaith Organizations Merge, Strengthening Focus on Justice
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy Commits to Environmental Justice
Richmond, VA – Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) and Virginia Interfaith Power & Light (VAIPL) have merged, joining forces to advocate social, economic and environmental justice across Virginia. This partnership helps to magnify the impact of two well-known and effective faith-based advocacy organizations.
Founded in 1982, VICPP is a non-partisan, statewide nonprofit with more than 15,000 supporters that advocates economic, social and racial justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action. VAIPL is an environmentaljustice nonprofit advancing climate justice through education, advocacy, and worship, with connections to more than 200 faith communities statewide.
“Social and economic justice are inextricably linked to environmental justice issues. We look forward to advocating critical environmental issues with VAIPL, a strong and well-respected partner. The VAIPL team brings expertise and a robust network of activists to help expand our faith-based justice work,” said Kim Bobo, Executive Director of VICPP.
“We all deserve clean air to breathe and clean water to drink,” according to Kendyl Crawford, Director of VAIPL. “The climate crisis endangers the inherent human right to a clean, safe and stable environment. All work on health and immigration, including VICPP’s, will continue to be impacted by the issue of climate disruption. Economic justice is embedded in VAIPL’s work to sculpt a just transition to a 100 percent renewable energy economy.”
Those on the frontlines of social, racial, and economic injustice are especially vulnerable to the destructive and deadly impacts of global warming, worsening unequal burdens. Climate justice is the equitable treatment of all people and freedom from discrimination in the creation of policies and practices that address climate change.
The VICPP and VAIPL merger highlights the close connection of environmental justice to other critical social justice issues. The partnership will build a stronger faith voice at the General Assembly and deepen educational and advocacy engagement with communities across Virginia.
###
About VAIPL
Virginia Interfaith Power & Light collaborates, as people of faith, to grow healthy communities and advance climate justicethrough education, advocacy, and worship. For more information, visit www.vaipl.org.
About VICPP
The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates economic and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action. For more information visit: www.
