American Friends Service Committee WV

05/08/2026

Check out this Op Ed from Lida Shepherd!!!

As Mother’s Day approaches, elected officials are cutting the very programs moms depend on. We can do something about it.

04/21/2026

We cannot believe that we are now in the 11th year of the Summer Policy Institute -- my, my how time flies. We are so happy that we'll be in Logan County this time around (June 19-21), with the theme "Healthcare in the Hollers". If you're a current or aspiring policy wonk and you like working with others to come up with solutions to our state's thorniest problems, Summer Policy Institute is for you. Registration closes this Friday. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScn5w4aaDufiE7AJBLRoODKEE3nLP6UTctLAZffoF1Wd4FHWw/viewform

04/21/2026

We are proud to be a part of the WV Restorative Justice Project. This summer our statewide summit will be at WVU College of Law on June 26th. The theme of the summit this year is focused on creating "a community of practice" for restorative justice. Find out more register here:

West Virginia Restorative Justice 2026 Summit: "This Is How We Do It" June 26, 2026 · WVU College of Law · Morgantown, WV · In Person + Live Online Join us for a one-day gathering of community members, advocates, and professionals who believe in the power of restorative justice — and

02/20/2026

For those that couldn't attend the "Compassion Calls Us" presser yesterday either in person or online, here is a 10 minute recap video of the event!

02/20/2026

We have a chance to rein in spending on school vouchers known as the Hope Scholarship that are sucking tax dollars away from our public school system and other vital public goods and services. The privatization of our education system is one of the many strategies the merchant right is using to reduce the bargaining power of workers. You can send a message to your delegate here:

The House Finance Committee has originated a bill, HB Org: Hope Scholarship, that calls for a cap and sensible guardrails on the Hope Scholarship voucher program. Please take a minute to contact your representatives and encourage them to support...

02/18/2026

We are honored to be supporting the West Virginia Council of Church’s Compassion Calls Us Day tomorrow (2/19) at the State Capitol, starting at 9am with a press event in upper rotunda, led by Reverend Cindy Briggs Biondi. Clergy and members of the public are encouraged to attend. After the press event those gathered will meet with legislators about our call for compassion for immigrants; people incarcerated; families without clean drinking water; and communities that would be impacted by proposed data centers. You will be able to view the livestream of the event here!

Also tomorrow (2/19) at a noon rally in the little rotunda, we will be in solidarity with communities members from Mingo, Logan, Mason, and Tucker counties who would be impacted by proposed air-polluting, water-guzzling data centers.

02/10/2026

HB 4433 is on Senate Judiciary today at 3pm. While the stated intent is to combat human trafficking and smuggling, as written the bill does not distinguish between exploitation and everyday acts of charity or assistance. Please help oppose or amend this bill by signing this open letter:

HB 4433 is intended to combat human trafficking, but as written, it broadly criminalizes the transportation of undocumented people without clearly distinguishing exploitation from everyday acts of assistance. Its vague definitions and severe penalties could make neighbors, church volunteers, and com...

01/28/2026

Federal judge grants petition to release Venezuelan national from South Central Regional Jail...

US District Judge Joseph A. Goodwin granted the petition filed by Mountain State Justice (MSJ) on behalf of Anthony Segundo Larrazabal-Gonzalez. Justice Goodwin stated that the government violated his 5th amendment rights and stated that "In our society, freedom is the constitutional default"

Mountain State Justice fights for the rights of all people regardless of documented status.

CHARLESTON – A federal judge has granted a petition to release a Venezuelan national being detained following a traffic stop on the West Virginia Turnpike.

01/27/2026

The House of Delegates is going to vote on a bill today that rolls back child labor laws, a bill that is straight off the page of authoritarian playbook, Project 2025

If you take a quick peek into the National Archives, you can find photographs by Lewis Hine when he was hired by the National Child Labor Committee in the early

01/23/2026

Today on the Goat Rope, we remember Jane Hearne...

n. 1. Appalachian slang for a real mess, a situation out of control. Example: the world we live in. 2. a blog devoted to current events, economic and social justice, and culture in West Virginia, the US, and around the world.