Throughout 2021, VIP leaders tackled many challenges Arizona faced in light of the ongoing pandemic and worked to refocus local and state politics on concrete issues that affect Arizona families and residents. VIP expanded access to training for family-wage and career-path jobs, opposed tax policy that would harm children and families and led efforts to make vaccines accessible in the zip codes with the lowest vaccination rates. Here are some of the notable events and actions of VIP's year.

2021: Our Initiatives / Our wins / Our challenges

COVID-19 Response. VIP’s COVID-19 response continued in 2021, as the COVID vaccine came on the scene.  Realizing the inequity in the rollout of the vaccine in Arizona, VIP developed a congregational vaccination strategy. In April, 2021, the vaccination rate in Maryvale’s zip code 85031 was 25%, the 3rd lowest in Maricopa County. VIP acted quickly, deploying over 30 leaders on 3 separate community walks, where VIP leaders engaged residents at over 1,200 homes. Working with St. Vincent de Paul School and the Maricopa County Public Health Department, VIP’s efforts vaccinated over 1,200 residents which helped raise the 85031 zip code’s vaccination rate to 36%. In addition to this project, VIP has worked with local institutions to deliver over 2500 vaccines, and the efforts are ongoing.
Opposing bad tax policy. Several tax bills targeted 2020’s Proposition 208 and the revenue it raised for education. VIP spoke out against these bills during the legislative session and organized opposition to the so-called flat tax during the legislative budget process. Unfortunately, those bills were rolled into the budget process and passed in the dark of night with no public comment and little transparency, leaving VIP and allied organizations no other recourse but Ballot Referendum...
The Invest in AZ Referendum. As part of the coalition of Arizona organizations that passed Prop 208 (Invest in Ed), VIP gathered signatures in summer 2021 to refer the harmful budget bills to the ballot. VIP Leaders developed civic academies and trained people to collect signatures, held petition signing and notarizing sites at our institutions and community sites, and texted over 900,000 voters to support the effort. The bill that would most drastically change Arizona tax policy is the so-called “flat tax” which would give a huge tax break to the wealthiest Arizonans and cause a massive, irreversible cut to the General Fund. VIP and our Arizona Interfaith Network sister organizations were driving forces in the signature effort, successfully submitting, with our allies, over 200,000 signatures to stop the so-called Flat Tax and refer it to the 2022 ballot for voters to decide as Prop 307.     In-state Tuition for Dreamers. VIP has long advocated for in-state tuition for Arizona’s immigrant students ever since Prop. 300 took that opportunity away in 2006. Working with Aliento, VIP met with legislators and activated our rapid response network in support of SCR1044, a ballot referral that would make in-state tuition and access to scholarships a reality for Arizona immigrant students. The measure will be on the ballot in 2022.
Support for a Path to Citizenship. VIP continues to call for commonsense immigration reform. Working alongside business and community leaders, VIP clergy leaders represented Arizona Interfaith Network in calls for bipartisan immigration reform and a path to citizenship as part of the federal budget. Local Investment in Workforce Training. A VIP campaign to engage local elected officials in discussions of economic development and pandemic recovery through effective workforce funding led to the Phoenix City Council approval of a $1.5 million investment in Workforce Training Funds.

Developing Leaders

While it was a year of hard work in the community, VIP, with VIP Education Fund, also prioritized the work of investing in our capacity to take on future challenges. That is accomplished through organizing:  training leaders, holding house meetings, and expanding our networks.

The Ryle Faith Leaders Public Policy Institute. VIP’s fourth cohort of faith leaders participated in this year’s sessions, adapted in the pandemic to online meetings. 22 Arizona clergy engaged in this Public Policy Institute in which clergy grapple with complex state issues that affect the well-being of Arizona families and communities. The Ryle Institute provides access to leading experts and policy makers, while also creating an environment to meet and collaborate with clergy colleagues.
VIP House Meetings continued online on Zoom throughout 2021, enabling congregations to identify new leaders and learn about issues, by engaging over 300 leaders in these important conversations. The consequences of the pandemic surfaced in many of those conversations, with the cost of housing and eviction being chief among those concerns. VIP was able to provide families with information on where to find eviction relief and other assistance.
Recognizing the Stranger Trainings. VIP, with our Arizona Interfaith Network sister organizations, convened 75 Spanish-speaking leaders from across the state for this training and mentoring program developed by the regional Southwest IAF network. Over two days, immigrant leaders from local congregations develop the skills to build connections among themselves and with non-immigrant allies in their parishes.
Two-Day Regional Leadership Training. Both English and Spanish speaking leaders from the Phoenix area and Northern Arizona participated in this two-day regional IAF leadership training, focused on developing and forming the basic habits of broad-based community organizing: Individual meetings, house meetings, power analysis, and action.
June Delegates Assembly/November Leaders assembly. In June over 75 leaders from VIP institutions across the Valley gathered to ratify an updated Human Development Agenda, formally adopting two agenda items that had already become enmeshed in our work: Housing and Climate, and formally approving participation in the Invest in AZ referendum. In November the theme of the November Leaders Assembly was mastering the organizing practices that will allow VIP to build the power necessary to take on the challenges that 2022 will bring.

Like 2021, we know that 2022 will be full of unexpected challenges.  You can help VIP to continue to train leaders and work with local institutions to take on those challenges and make Arizona a better place for children, families and vulnerable Arizonans across the state.  Consider a contribution to the VIP Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the training and leadership development that drives VIP's work.