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By Dani Parent, WV CAG Organizing Director
As John Green wrote in The Anthropocene Reviewed, “The only way out is through. And the only good way through is together.” Never has that been more poignant or true than in this moment.
In the aftermath of this year’s election, we’re bracing for cuts, rollbacks, and deregulation. The issues we face—rising energy costs, the fight for affordable healthcare, the need for clean air, good jobs, and protecting the vulnerable—won’t fix themselves. And the forces pushing against progress are counting on us to feel overwhelmed, divided, and powerless.
But here’s the thing: We are powerful together.
This moment demands not only resilience but solidarity. It is imperative that we care for one another, organize alongside our neighbors, and refuse to back down from the fights that matter most. In our 50th year, West Virginia Citizen Action is proud to stand for real change through everyday citizens: organizing, training, getting involved, showing up, and taking action. That’s how we’ve won before, and that’s how we’ll win again.
We’re building something important here. Our team is organizing chapters of folks across the state who want to see change, getting them the tools, training, and funding they need, and fighting beside them to get things done. Please take this survey to let us know where you are, what you consider the biggest challenges in your neck of the woods, and how we can help organize your town.
Organizing is a practice, a skill, and, most importantly, a commitment to people. It’s what turns shared frustration into collective power.
Whether we’re showing up at the Public Service Commission to fight unfair rate hikes, hosting community air quality workshops, or holding legislators accountable for protecting Medicare and Medicaid, our strength comes from showing up together. We’re continuing to build on this work, texting, calling, surveying everyone who will talk to us, and showing up for our neighbors to help empower communities across the state for the change they want to see.
Organizing is about action, but it’s also about care. In tough times, caring for one another through small acts of kindness, checking in on a neighbor, or showing up in solidarity, is an act of resistance. Community care isn’t separate from the work of advocacy, it’s the very foundation. We’re building a West Virginia where everyone’s dignity is valued and no one is left behind. It won’t be easy; the road ahead is steep, and the work is far from over. But you are not alone.
Together, we’ve turned grief into action, frustration into solutions, and despair into hope. Together, we’ve made real, tangible progress despite impossible odds. And together, we will keep fighting for the future West Virginians deserve.
As we step into the next chapter, we’ll need all hands on deck.
Here’s how you can help:
- Show up: Join us at events, workshops, and public hearings. Stay tuned for registration links
- Hold a role: We have committees for all our major programs and working groups for other ad hoc projects. Sign up, own a piece of the work, and help us move the needle!
- Build your base, become an organizer: Join us for Building People Power, our Fundamentals of Organizing training, at the Kanawha County Public Library from 10 am to 4 pm on January 18th
- Stay connected: Follow our updates and share them with your friends, family, and networks, and take our survey here.
- Support the work: Join us in the fight! Membership is only $15 per year, and every bit helps us field a canvass, print a flyer, feed volunteers, and empowers you to help steer WV CAG in our work
This is a time to lean on each other, organize fiercely, and remember there is always a way forward together.
Thank you for believing in a better West Virginia.
P.S. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves, stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to take action and get involved. Because when we fight together, we win.