New Virginia Majority: Empowering Northern Virginia Communities

Tram Nguyen doesn’t cry. At least, that’s what she thought. But when we sat down with her recently, she told us about two moments in her work as the co-executive director of New Virginia Majority (NVM) that changed that. 

One time was when NVM organizers led an advocacy campaign that resulted in restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated people in Virginia. The other? Securing rights for undocumented immigrants in the state to receive driver's privilege cards. 

For Tram, these were more than policy victories. They were moments of deep connection, where community voices came together to make a difference.

Both of these achievements are representative of New Virginia Majority’s mission: to help working-class communities of color through civic engagement, base building, organizing, and advocacy—so that they can shape the decisions that impact their lives.

We spoke with Tram and her fellow co-executive director Jon Liss to learn more about NVM, one of the Northern Virginia Health Foundation’s inaugural cohort of social connectedness grantee partners. They shared how sustaining community is an integral part of the work they carry out, and why community power building and health are more connected than most people realize.

What does community power look like on the ground? How do community voices figure in your work?

Jon: Our organizing leaders – many of whom are from local Black and immigrant communities – spend their time in neighborhoods, hearing from people what issues impact their daily lives the most and then working with them to develop advocacy campaigns and influence decision-makers. 

Tram: The solutions we’re focused on are informed by the community members we work with, often coming directly from their lived experiences. And those are often the best ideas. For example, some of our most successful campaigns – like expanded afterschool programming or protections for immigrant rights – started with those one-on-one conversations.

We’ve found that when working-class women of color, in particular, are living better, that means the whole community lives better, too. So we’re especially intentional about centering them in our outreach first and foremost, and building out our base from there.

You’ve talked about the importance of social connection. When people start organizing, what are some of the everyday challenges that threaten that sense of community?

Tram: Housing is a big issue. It’s how you maintain and build community. If people aren’t able to remain in their home or their neighborhood, they lose their connection to a whole network of people and services: Children could have to switch schools, caregivers could lose jobs, and over time the fabric of a neighborhood could change entirely. Social disconnection isn’t good by any means. But those issues, in particular, can lead to poor health and well-being. 

What our work has shown us is that community has an intrinsic value beyond dollars and cents.

It is what ties people to a place—and we believe everyone has a right to safe and affordable housing wherever that place may be. 

You’ve also talked about fear and isolation as barriers to community. How are those showing up in places like Loudoun and Fairfax counties right now? 

Tram: These communities are growing more diverse, but also more anxious. Because of our proximity to the nation’s capital, the Northern Virginia region has seen disproportionate rates of arrests carried out by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

People are being detained during routine traffic stops or on their way out of immigration court hearings, and families are being split apart. We can’t overstate the turbulence, anxiety, and fear caused by these actions.

• RELATED: HEALTH GAPS ACROSS LOUDOUN AND FAIRFAX COUNTIES: By most measures, these counties thrive. But zoom in, and a different picture emerges: census tracts where poverty and poor health outcomes cluster, often right next to areas of affluence. Read our report to learn about these areas and see where progress has – and hasn’t – been made.

Jon: This is a time when support for immigrant communities is of paramount importance, and we’ve been touched by the way that volunteers and other allies are stepping up to provide that support. 

As just one example, recently at a local school board meeting on afterschool programming, some school community members were reluctant to attend due to fears of law enforcement. In response, our organizers connected those members with allies who drove them to and from the meeting to ensure their safety. 

This work seems challenging. What brought you to it, and what gives you hope for its future? 

Tram: My story is like that of many of our community members. I came to this country as an immigrant and refugee from Vietnam, so I know how important it is to find and cultivate a place where you feel like you belong, a place where you feel like you have the power to shape your life outcomes.

Even if transformational change does not come in our lifetime, we’re going to continue to focus on creating conditions for people to thrive as whole human beings for as long as we are in this work—and empower future generations to carry on the fight.

Jon: As a grandchild of Jewish immigrants and coming from a working class background, my path into this work came naturally. I began organizing with my peers at UVA, and I never stopped. 

I’m incredibly proud of those same big advocacy wins that brought Tram to tears, but I also take inspiration from the everyday heroes all around us. 

We see examples of collective leadership everywhere we look, the daily contributions of teachers, school bus drivers, social workers, nurses and more that all adds to what we think of as a community. Our people give me real hope for what we can accomplish next.