Footer

News Post

<h1>Together, let's build a brighter future.</h1>

Header

<p><strong>For press inquiries, email </strong><a href="mailto:press@katrinacallsen.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>press@katrinacallsen.com</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>

<h2>Campaign and Legislative Updates</h2>

News

IconCheckSquare1

Issues

<h2>Upcoming Events</h2>

Events

Issues Post

<h2>Priorities</h2>

Events Post

<h1>Events</h1>

<h2>Protect Virginia's Progress: Defend Our Democratic Majority in the House of Delegates</h2>

Landing Popup

Learn about Delegate Katrina Callsen's issues and priorities.

Katrina Callsen | Issues

Delegate Katrina Callsen represents Virginia's 54th House District in the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Katrina Callsen | Virginia Delegate, 54th District

Home

Privacy Policy

Learn more about Delegate Katrina Callsen.

Katrina Callsen | Meet Katrina

Meet Katrina

Stay in-the-know with Delegate Katrina Callsen.

Katrina Callsen | News

Activist Resources

Obtain constituent services and learn more about Delegate Katrina Callsen's legislative initiatives.

Katrina Callsen | Constituent Services

Constituent Services

Delegate Katrina Callsen | Resources for Impacted Federal Employees

Impacted Federal Employees

Media Kit

Fundraiser (7/9)

<h4>“We intend to stand up and fight”: Virginian politicians on Ryan’s departure</h4>

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has b

<h4>Newsletter: November 18, 2024</h4>

<h4>Katrina Callsen announces 2025 reelection campaign</h4>

<p>Charlottesville has reached a crisis point with its lack of housing options. I grew up in a low-income household that received public assistance; I know the struggles that families in our community are facing. In the General Assembly, I'm working with my colleagues to expand tenant protections, incentivize affordable housing, fund our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and end homelessness.</p>

Write a short blurb about an issue your campaign is highlighting. Try to keep the text a similar size between the various issue blurbs.

<h2>Affordable Housing</h2>

<h4>After UVA president’s exit, Dems say they want to prevent further politicization of higher education</h4>

<h4>Virginia state legislators discuss policies and social issues at Center for Politics event</h4>

<p>Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Albemarle, speaks at a Fifeville community gathering after a July Fourth shooting rocked the neighborhood</p>

<h4>'How could this happen?': Fifeville comes together after Fourth of July shooting</h4>

<p>Del. Katrina Callsen (D-Charlottesville/Albemarle), who says:</p><p>“A sad day for higher education in our country. Trump’s actions are wildly inappropriate overreach. Colleges are places of learning, free thought, and opportunity – they should stay that way.”</p>

<h4>UVA President Jim Ryan’s Forced Resignation “A sad day for higher education in our country"</h4>

<h4>Senator Warner warns of rising hunger as federal food aid faces deep cuts</h4>

<h4>C-Ville Weekly: In Brief</h4>

<h4>Pride Month, a celebration, a protest, and a fight for visibility in Charlottesville</h4>

<h4>Earle-Sears' silence on Medicaid cuts 'speaks volumes,' Charlottesville Dems say</h4>

<h4>Virginia Delegates, Former Delegate David Toscano, &amp; Impacted Virginians Call Trump’s “Concepts of a</h4>

<h4>VPM - Virginia Democrats pass proposal to incentivize small solar projects</h4>

<p>Del. Katrina Callsen talked about legislation to raise the minimum age for prosecution to 11.</p><p>"A very small child, a 5-year-old, a 6-year-old, they are not going to benefit from being incarcerated. They just aren't. They may benefit from services, from help and assistance, but incarceration is not going to accomplish our goals," Callsen said.</p>

<h4>CBS19 - Local officials break down youth crime and incarceration process</h4>

<p>As a former educator and school board member, education is near and dear to my heart. I've personally learned the power that a quality education can have, especially growing up in a low-income family. We have to continue to strive for better for our kids, and that starts with supporting our educators and faculty, funding our schools, and keeping the culture wars out of the classroom.</p>

<h2>Education</h2>

<h4>VAPLAN 2024 Scorecard: Top Ten Progressive Legislators</h4>

<h4>State delegates, Bryce go head to head over Board of Education appointment</h4>

<p>I believe in a Virginia where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Democrats have been at the forefront of protecting LGBTQ+ rights, from marriage equality to banning conversion therapy, but these rights are still under attack. I’ll fight to remove the Marshall-Newman Amendment, safeguard gender-affirming healthcare, protect LGBTQ+ youth from discrimination, and ensure everyone feels welcome in our schools and workplaces. Our Commonwealth is strongest when everyone can live openly and authentically.</p>

<h2>LGBTQ+ Inclusion</h2>

<p>“We should be investing in education, making it easier for students to succeed, not harder,” Del. Katrina Callsen said at the Aug. 13 press conference. “And Virginia deserves the leader that understands that; Winsome Earle-Sears is not that leader.”</p><p>“Her platform is based on rhetoric, not substance,” she added. “What I see is chaos: hacking away at funding without a plan means removing funding for programs like Head Start, reducing services and supports for students with disabilities.”</p>

<h4>Charlottesville Dems blast Earle-Sears' education platform — or lack thereof</h4>

<h4>Charlottesville-area lawmakers look back on legislative session, ahead to elections</h4>

<h4>Callsen Statement Following Beardsley Selection as UVA President</h4>

<p>Our justice system should be fair, compassionate, and focused on rehabilitation—not punishment. In the General Assembly, Democrats have made strides in reforming sentencing laws, expanding alternatives to incarceration, and addressing racial disparities. In 2024, we fought to increase funding for mental health courts and reentry programs to help individuals successfully transition back into society. But there’s more to be done. I will advocate for ending mandatory minimum sentences, expanding diversion programs, and eliminating cash bail. Everyone deserves a second chance, and we need a system that works for all Virginians, not just the wealthy or privileged.</p>

<h2>Criminal Justice Reform</h2>

<p>Voting is the foundation of our democracy, and I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to protect access to the ballot. As a former deputy city attorney, I represented the General Registrar and worked to ensure elections ran smoothly and fairly. Democrats have led efforts to expand voting rights, from no-excuse absentee voting to same-day registration, making it easier for every Virginian to participate in our democracy. But Republicans are trying to roll back these gains. I’ll continue to fight to protect early voting, block voter suppression efforts, and ensure every vote is counted—because our democracy depends on it.</p>

<h2>Voting Rights</h2>

<p>“Whoever holds the governorship should certainly respect that passed legislation, especially bipartisan legislation,” Callsen said. “There’s no need to provide additional commentary about it not being good legislation. We need to be protecting women’s right and access to reproductive health care and keep politicians out of the doctor’s office.”</p>

<h4>Delegate Callsen gives thoughts on Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor’s note on a proposed bill</h4>

<p><strong>If you want to link an external news source,</strong> use the “link” icons on the sidebar. Anything linked externally will automatically be listed as “news” and any article you create on the site itself will automatically be listed as a “press release.”</p>

<h4>Press Release  Callsen Statement Following Beardsley Selection as UVA President</h4>

<p>No parent should wonder if their kid will make it back home. As a mom and former school board member, this is on my mind <strong>every single day</strong>. Gun violence is a public health crisis, and I’m committed to making our communities safer. Virginia Democrats have led the way with red flag laws and universal background checks, but there’s more we need to do. In 2024, we fought to ban assault weapons, close loopholes, and stop firearms from making their way onto campuses, but Republicans stood in the way. I’ll continue working to pass common-sense reforms that keep guns out of dangerous hands and protect our families. This isn’t about politics—it’s about saving lives.</p>

<h2>Gun Violence Prevention</h2>

<h4>‘Build people, not cages,’ formerly incarcerated advocates push for reform</h4>

<h4><p>Charlottesville Dems wanted specifics on Earle-Sears' education policy. She didn't give them.</p><p></p></h4>

<h4>Statement: Gender-Affirming Care</h4>

<h4>Same-sex marriage key topic in first stop of VA Democrats’ ‘Worst of Winsome Tour’</h4>

<h4>Katrina Callsen launches House District 54 campaign<br></h4>

<h4>Callsen Freshman of the Year before legislature closes with budget&nbsp;passage</h4>

<h4>FBI shows up at Charlottesville public defender's home unannounced after ICE raid</h4>

<p>State Delegate Callsen and Senator Deeds called on UVA leadership to reverse the deal and "reject further federal interference."</p>

<h4>Virginia lawmakers call for audit of UVA’s Justice Department deal</h4>

<p>The autoenrollment bill was&nbsp;<a href="https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2686" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sponsored</a>&nbsp;by Virginia House of Delegates Democratic member Katrina Callsen, a former middle school math&nbsp;<a href="https://www.katrinacallsen.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">teacher</a>, and approved by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the Virginia legislature. Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed it into law this past week.</p><p>As a result, Virginia is likely the leading state in the nation to use state-level actions to encourage local districts to offer accelerated math opportunities to middle school students who are academically ready.</p>

<h4>Bacon's Rebellion - Virginia Pushes Accelerated Math Enrollment</h4>

<p>I'm a mom of two boys—no politician belongs in the room when a person is obtaining reproductive healthcare from their doctor. I served on the subcommittee that reviewed reproductive health policy during the 2024 session and I worked with my Democratic colleagues to kill the Republican total abortion ban bill. I look forward to supporting a full-protection Reproductive Freedom Amendment when it comes before the House.</p>

<h2>Reproductive Freedom and Contraception Access</h2>

<h4>Katrina Callsen: Voters must repudiate Youngkin’s anti-climate crusade</h4>

<h4>League of Women Voters Hosts State Representatives</h4>

<h4>Charlottesville Del. Katrina Callsen awaits action on bipartisan bills</h4>

<p>I know what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet, growing up in a working family that lived paycheck to paycheck. That’s why I’ll fight to get us back on track with raising the minimum wage, establish paid family and medical leave, and ensure every worker has the right to union representation and collective bargaining. Democrats have made progress by standing up to powerful utility companies—making energy more affordable for working families. But we’re not done. I’ll keep working to protect unemployment benefits, invest in workforce development, and make sure our economy works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.</p>

<h2>Supporting Working Families</h2>

<h4>ELECTED LEADERS AND VEA PRESIDENT CALL ON WINSOME EARLE-SEARS TO STAND UP FOR VIRGINIA STUDENTS</h4>

<h4>Cavalier Daily Charlottesville Del. Katrina Callsen Awaits Action on Bipartisan Bills</h4>

<h4>Newsletter: December 2024 Updates and Survey</h4>

<p>“The current BOV has deliberately and continuously ignored calls from every corner of the Commonwealth,” Callsen told Charlottesville Tomorrow. “They have ignored what Abigail Spanberger has asked them to do, they’ve ignored the General Assembly — the very people who confirmed them — and they continue to act despite there being legal challenges. And not only that, they’ve ignored the very people that make UVA great, the workers, the staff, the alumni and the students,” she said. “It’s politicizing the governance of our public universities in a way that’s inappropriate.” </p>

<h4>Board of Visitors names UVA’s next president despite vocal opposition to ‘rushed’ search</h4>

<p>Healthcare is a human right, and I’ll fight to protect the progress we’ve made. Democrats expanded Medicaid to cover over 700,000 Virginians, giving more families access to critical healthcare. In 2024, we worked to protect that expansion from Republican efforts to roll it back. But access to care is just the start—we need to address the root causes of health disparities, from housing insecurity to food access and education. I’ll continue advocating for policies that tackle these social determinants of health and expand mental health services, including crisis response teams and school-based supports. No one should have to choose between their health and financial security.</p>

<h2>Healthcare</h2>

<p>“I know Charlottesville Schools will handle this with grace and resiliency but it’s incredibly unfortunate to have to deal with all this turmoil from the Trump Administration,” said Callsen.</p>

<h4>Daily Progress - Feds renege on deal to give Federal Executive Institute to Charlottesville Schools</h4>

<p>Del. Katrina Callsen and state Sen. Creigh Deeds, both Charlottesville Democrats, joined Laufer at the press conference, where all three thanked Ryan for his leadership and decried the Trump administration’s attack on the country’s longstanding tradition of academic freedom.</p><p>Callsen, in particular, raised concerns that UVa might only be the beginning of a “list of universities that are being targeted” by the Trump administration. She said she’s heard rumors George Mason University in Fairfax “is next.”</p>

<h4>Lawmakers, UVa faculty blame Trump admin's 'gross overreach' for Ryan resignation</h4>

<h4>UVa students, faculty demand lawmakers deny Cuccinelli seat on board</h4>

<h4>Virginia Mercury - Bipartisan lawmakers introduce Save Local Pharmacies Act</h4>

<h4>Virginia lawmakers honor ‘Charlottesville Twelve’ with resolution</h4>

<p>The governor-elect and Charlottesville-area delegates preview legislative goals that could affect students, renters and workers across Virginia in 2026</p>

<h4>Spanberger, Callsen and Laufer outline legislative priorities following election victories</h4>

<h4>Richmond Times Dispatch Commentary: In Virginia, there's a prescription for unity</h4>

<h4>Home Depot arrives in Charlottesville</h4>

<p>As your representative in the Virginia House of Delegates, it is my pleasure to provide you with a post-session update on the 2025 legislative session. This session was unique, as it took place amidst a backdrop of extraordinary federal uncertainty. While this lack of predictability can be problematic, it has deepened my resolve and commitment to protecting our communities and priorities.</p><p></p>

<h4>2025 Constituent Letter</h4>

<p>Callsen noted that if she had to choose one key metric to gauge the bill’s success, it would be the number of students taking Algebra by the 8th grade—generally seen as a critical milestone that opens doors to higher education and STEM-related careers.</p><p></p>

<h4>UVA Research Helps Shape New Law Advancing Math Access for Virginia Students</h4>

<p>Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Albemarle, added that while the news is currently focused on Ryan’s departure, she expects the pressure to expand to the governing boards of Virginia’s institutions, who are engaging in “ideological battles” impacting colleges.</p><p>“If anyone needs to be submitting a resignation, I would urge them to look at themselves,” Callsen said.</p>

<h4>UVA President Jim Ryan resigns amid federal ultimatum</h4>

<h4>Newsletter: July 29, 2024</h4>

<h4>Affordable housing top of mind for Katrina Callsen as she runs for reelection</h4>

<h4>Newsletter: September 19, 2024</h4>

<h4>Delegate Katrina Callsen launches re-election campaign</h4>

<h4>Charlottesville Legislators Submit FOIA Request to Albemarle County Regarding ICE Activity at the Albemarle County Courthouse</h4>

<h4>Callsen on Her Re-Election Bid on WINA</h4>

<h4>Multimillion-dollar reno welcomes Charlottesville middle schoolers back to class</h4>

<h4>Test Headline</h4>

<h4>Virginia lawmakers prepare for 2025 session amidst sharp partisan divides</h4>

<p>Environmental justice isn’t just about fighting climate change—it’s about making sure no community is left behind. Alongside my colleagues, we made progress with funding for clean energy infrastructure like EV charging stations and expanded sustainability measures for housing developments. But there’s still more to do. We must rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and protect the Advanced Clean Cars standard from Republican attacks.</p>

<h2>Environmental Justice and Clean Energy</h2>

<h4>Legislation aiming to lower property taxes for affordable housing advances</h4>

<h4>Newsletter: August 30, 2024</h4>

<p>“Witnessing Del. Callsen at work was an amazing lesson in how meticulous research and careful listening to the feedback of stakeholders can guide solutions for constituents,” Guardino said. “It was a highlight of my clinic experience to gain valuable training in public speaking and policy research through supporting Del. Callsen on this bill.”</p>

<h4>Clinic Students Help Pass Bills on Preventing Gun Violence, Math Education, Criminal Justice</h4>

<h4>Gov Youngkin signs Charlottesville freshman Delegate Katrina Callsen’s kinship foster care legislati</h4>

<h4>Newsletter: June 7, 2024</h4>

Katrina Callsen | Virginia Delegate, District 54

Katrina Callsen for Delegate

IconPlus1

Plus Circle

Check Square 1

IconStar1

Star Circle

IconCheckCircle1

Check Circle 1

IconMinus1

Minus Circle

Gamay is published by <a href="https://www.dardenstudio.com/gamay" target="_new">Darden Studio</a>. <a href="mailto:office@dardenstudio.com">Contact them</a> to recieve a 50% off discount for use of the fonts outside of your Run website.