SR 20 — Commending the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 22105888D I SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

20 NE Offered February 14, 2022 Commending the Virginia Center for Inclus––––––––––ities.Inclusive Communities.

TN Patrons––Hashmi,Agreed Boysko,to Ebbin,by Howell,the McClellanSenate, andFebruary Spruill17, 2022 R ––––––––––O WHEREAS, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, a nonprofit organization that promotes understanding and inclusion in collaboration with schools, businesses, and communities, has greDtlygreatly servedL residentsserWHEREAS, of the CommonwealthVirginia Center for manyInclusive years;Communities (VCIC) began in 1935 as the Lynchburg L Round Table, where religious leaders met to develop ways to foster harmony and understanding between E people of different faiths, backgrounds, and cultures;

and WHEREAS, theby Virginia1946, Centerchapters forinspired Inclusiveby Communitiesthe (VCIC)Lynchburg beganRound Table in 1935Norfolk asand theRichmond LynchburgUD peoplefollowed ofby differentadditional faiths,chapters backgrounds,in andother cultures;cities of the Commonwealth;

andoand), foster harmony and understandingthey beCweenwere soon WHEREAS, byunder 1946,the chaptersbanner inspiredof by the LynchburgVirginia RoundRegion Tableof in Norfolk and Richmond E had affiliated with the NationalNCCJ, Conferencethese ofchapters Christiansadvanced andinterfaith Jewsunderstanding (NCCJ), and theycooperation werethrough soonyouth followedseminars, byteacher additionalworkshops, chaptersclergy indialogues, and other citiesspecial ofprograms; the Commonwealth;

and D WHEREAS, under the banner of the Virginia Region of the NCCJ, these chapters advanced interfaith understanding and cooperation through youth seminars, teacher workshops, clergy dialogues, and other special programs;

S and R WHEREAS, the VCIC continues to grow as a powerful force for interfaith cooperation and E community inclusion and is always prepared to convene diverse religious groups in opposition toSbigotryto bigotryR and prejudice, as it has in recent years on behalf of the Muslim and Jewish communities of Rich2ond;Richmond;

and 0 WHEREAS, since 2020, the VCIC has administered more than 1,700 programs in schools, busWHEREAS,businesses, VCIC'sand school-basedcommunities programsthat includedhave studentmade workshopsan andimpact forumsin designedthe toinians;lives of more than 50,000 Virginians;

and reduceWHEREAS, bullyingVCIC's andschool-based professionalprograms developmentincluded student workshops for educators and administratorsforums todesigned increaseto student engagement and promote inclusive pedagogy;

and for educators and administrators to increase WHEREAS, the VCIC encouraged positive, inclusive relations in the workplace through myriad programs, including the Virginia Inclusion Summit, the Workplace Inclusion Network, and customized workplace trainings and consultations;

and WHEREAS,after theincidents VCIC'sof otherbias, notablebullying, venturesor indiscrimination; the community included rapid-response support :

35development of virtual programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic;

and presentations of the organization's prestigious Humanitarian Awards atnseat to 36 events throughout the Commonwealth;

and / 37 WHEREAS, members of the VCIC have generously given their time in service to the / 38 Commonwealth through appointments to the Virginia Complete Count Commission, the Commission on 39 African American History Education in the Commonwealth, and the Task Force on Culturally Inclusive School Meals and Calendars;

andion in the Commonwealth, and the Task Force on Culturally Inclusive WHEREAS, through their tireless efforts to foster understanding and bring communities together, the therefore,VCIC beand itbersits members have helped make the Commonwealth a more welcoming place for all;

now, RESOLVEDtherefore, bybe theit Senate of Virginia, That the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities hereby be commended for its legacy of service and for its unwavering commitment to engendering goodwill and understanding between individuals of all causes and creeds;