Our Commonwealth has executed more people than any other state under the guise of justice, but it is a racist, barbaric practice. And thankfully, it ends today.

We grieve for the lives lost and for the fear and terror that members of AAPI communities feel at this moment. Such violence and the discrimination and othering visited on the AAPI community offend our values that center people, justice and equality in our work.

The ACLU of Virginia has significant concerns that the fencing erected around the Lee Monument grounds is unnecessarily infringing on the public’s First Amendment rights while these legal battles play out in the courtroom.

Today, we and Marijuana Justice, along with 23 other organizations, sent a letter to Governor of Virginia Ralph Northam and Virginia lawmakers, laying out five criteria for marijuana legalization that will center racial equity and the people and communities most impacted by the War on Drugs.