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RICHMOND, Va. — Today, Freedom Virginia announced the winners of the inaugural Virginia Scroll Awards. The Virginia Scroll Awards recognize Virginia elected officials and leaders who help online audiences across the Commonwealth understand what is happening in Virginia’s government. Winners were decided by a panel of judges composed of Virginia content creators and influencers, members of the Virginia digital press corps, activists, and Freedom Virginia staff and partners.
The Awards are made up of six categories, with winners listed below;
The Freshman Flex: Delegate Jessica Anderson (@jessanderson4virginia)
First year out of the gate, Delegate Jessica Anderson showed up as her authentic self, ready to legislate — and ready to explain it online.
The Director’s Cut: Delegate Irene Shin (@ireneforvirginia)
In a world of endless scrolling, Delegate Irene Shin consistently created the rarest thing on the internet: a reason to stop and make civic content interesting to the end.
Open Door Policy: Delegate Joshua Cole (@jcole4va)
While others posted the highlights, Delegate Joshua Cole invited Virginians into the group chat, making the nuts and bolts of state government compelling.
The Iron Poster: Delegate Jessica Anderson (@jessanderson4virginia)
Deadlines, floor fights, late nights, and Delegate Jessica Anderson kept posting like the session came with extra hours in the day, with early morning and late-night explainers.
The Translator: Delegate Josh Thomas (@jet4va)
Through sharp editing, clear explanations, and a knack for asking the right questions, Delegate Josh Thomas created policy content that didn’t just stand out in the feed, it also made Virginians smarter.
The People’s Follow: Senator Louise Lucas (@senatorlouiselucas)
With a voice that is unmistakably her own, Senator Louise Lucas built one of Virginia politics’ most influential feeds, one followed closely by supporters, critics, journalists, advocates, and fellow lawmakers alike.
Freedom Virginia Co-Executive Directors Rhena Hicks and Ryan O’Toole released the following statement:
“More than ever, we’re seeing that Virginians want to be involved in their government but find barriers to being involved. Communication is key, and social media has proven itself to be an effective tool for legislators to connect with constituents, when used authentically and as an organic part of legislating, not an afterthought or a box to check. At a time when Virginians are overwhelmed by the cost of groceries, gas, and other daily needs, you shouldn’t need a political science degree or the luxury of time to know what’s going on in state government. Leaders have an opportunity and obligation to use social media to educate and engage people in the legislative process. The nominees and winners did that this year, not just through stray posts with comments going into the void, but through engaging, informative, and even entertaining content that breaks through the noise we all see on our phones and has back-and-forth dialogue with Virginians. These inaugural Scroll Awards winners are doing the work to meet people where they are and are using their platforms to make government more accessible for all Virginians. We hope the awards continue to encourage even more elected officials to embrace civic storytelling, constituent engagement, and creative communication in future legislative sessions.”
The Virginia Scroll Awards announcement with a full list of nominees can be found here.
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