Over the past week, Former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy released almost 20 endorsements from Black local leaders from across the Commonwealth. These endorsements are a part of Carroll Foy’s efforts to build a broad coalition capable of winning the Democratic nomination for governor in the June 8th primary.

“I am honored to have the support of these leaders from across the Commonwealth,” said Carroll Foy after her campaign released the first half of the endorsements. “People are looking to move forward and reject the politics of the past because the status quo is not working to uplift communities. As one of the first women to graduate from VMI and the first public defender elected into the legislature, I have been committed to fighting injustice my whole life. While we’ve made progress we should be proud of, our work to ensure a just, fair Virginia is far from over. As Governor, I will fight for a Virginia where no one gets left behind because we aren’t free until everyone is free.” 

The list of endorsements includes:

• Julius D. “JD” Spain, Sr. Community Activist & Former Democratic Candidate, VA HD-49
• La’Veesha Rollins, Community Advocate from Charles City/New Kent County
• Gary Holland, Pastor, Activist, and Founder of #ENOUGH
• Carl Armstrong, Local Minister and Community Activist from Stafford
• Zakiya Worthey, Community Activist and Small Business Owner from Arlington
• Gail Robinson, Community Leader and Former Government Executive from Richmond
• Dr. Sukeena Stephens, Community Leader from Stafford
• Wilma Jones Killgo, Community Activist from Arlington
• Anthony Footé, President and Founder of BLM FXBG
• Charita Mariner, Evangelist, Activist, and Philanthropist from King George
• Donya Washington, Founder of Virginia Kids Eat Free from Dinwiddie County
• Nicholas Ohia, Community Leader and Activist from Stafford
• Bernadette “BJ” Lark, Artivist from Roanoke City
• Shabaka Moore, Community Leader from Petersburg
• Alisa Middleton, United Black Council President from Stafford
• Symone Walker, Education Activist from Arlington County
• Cicely Whitfield, Community Advocate from Arlington County
• Michelle Riddick, Business Owner and Community Leader from Stafford

“These leaders from across Virginia are an integral part of the broad, diverse, grassroots coalition that will power our campaign to victory,” said Carroll Foy. “I am the fresh leader with real solutions and a clear vision for working families. I know their struggles because I’ve lived them— working the minimum wage, going without healthcare, and making impossible decisions no Virginian family should make. I’ve fought for those who cannot fight for themselves my whole life – as a public defender, foster mom, and in the legislature, and I’m ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with people from across our Commonwealth as our next Governor and build a Virginia where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.” 

Carroll Foy is a progressive running in a crowded Democratic that includes Delegate Lee Carter (D-50), Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, Former Governor Terry McAuliffe, and State Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-9). Carroll Foy was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2017, and she resigned from her seat in December 2020 in order to focus on her gubernatorial campaign. As Delegate, Carroll Foy fought to expand Medicaid, ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and pass a budget that provided pay raises for teachers across the Commonwealth. Throughout her campaign, she has worked to highlight the inequalities and inequities that some communities across Virginia face. Her campaign was recently endorsed by Sunrise Movement, a youth-led coalition that advocates for political action to combat climate change.

If elected, Carroll Foy would be the first Black woman to serve as governor in the nation in addition to being the first woman to serve as Virginia’s governor.