Name: Lenard Myers
Race: House of Delegates, 81st District
Party: Democrat
Website: Lenforthewin.com
Biography: A son of Virginia, Len Myers believes in public service for the benefit of our great Commonwealth. As you read his biography, you will quickly discover he is passionate about three things (1) inspiring our youth to reach their full potential, (2) creating opportunity for everyone to succeed, and (3) protecting the most vulnerable in our community. So, take a look!
God. Family, and Community
Nothing means more to Len than his relationships with God and his two adorable kids. Len has almost 20 years of continuous membership and service with Calvary Revival Church but no matter what Len finds himself doing, being daddy remains job one.
Len also wants to be a force for good in the lives of kids without dads as well. That’s why Len has served as a long-time board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia. He has also served as a mentor to young men through a mentorship ministry at his church. Without mentors and role models, many kids find it difficult to find a maintain a pathway to becoming responsible productive citizens. Len wants to empower as many kids as possible to make healthy decisions for healthy lives through proper resources and helping hands.
A Leader in Virginia Law
Len serves on the Virginia State Bar Council, which recommends improvements in the practice the law to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He has also served as president of the South Hampton Roads Bar Association, where under his leadership, it was recognized as the best local bar association in the state by the Virginia Council of Local Bar Associations due to its extraordinary amount of work with the youth and senior citizens in our community.
Len began his legal career as a prosecutor, but now fights for his clients as a successful a consumer rights attorney throughout Virginia. Len is proud of his part in organizing an effort to improve living standards in a subsidized housing community after two of its residents died in their sleep due to carbon monoxide poisoning. With new appliances and working carbon monoxide detectors installed throughout the community, these families are now able to finally sleep safely throughout the night without the fear of not waking up the next morning.
Service to Virginia
Len served the Commonwealth as an officer in the Virginia Defense Force; an integral component of the Virginia National Guard. In addition to serving as a JAG Office for a time, Len served as officer-in-charge of the Joint Operations Center Augmentation Detachment during some of the most demanding state emergencies in the history of the Guard. It was through this experience, that Len recognized the emerging threat of flooding and that we must act now to protect our special way of life for the future.
Dedicated to Education
Len earned his doctorate of jurisprudence from the Regent University School of Law and in addition to the practice of law, Len strives to inspire students in his business law class at his alma mater Norfolk State University, where he earned his bachelor’s in finance. Len is a proud graduate of the mighty I.C. Norcom High School (Go Greyhounds!) and treasures the intimate class sizes he experienced throughout his education. That’s why he wants to ensure schools have the resources to give each student the personal attention they deserve.
An Example of Civic Service
Since moving to the great city of Chesapeake, Len became a certified member of the Chesapeake Emergency Response Team and answered the call to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Len recently completed his tenure as chair of the Transportation Toll Facility Advisory Committee, ensuring the toll operators in Chesapeake remain accountable for the tolls they charge. Len also served on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee for Comprehensive Planning Strategies. There, Len came to truly understand the needs of our precious rural communities and is dedicated to preserving this peaceful way of life because once it’s gone, it’s gone.
The Call to Richmond
Now, Len has set his sights on representing you and your neighbors in the Virginia General Assembly. You read his resume’ and now you have a sense of his heart. Len wants to be your friend in Richmond, so hopes you’ll be his friend too and vote for Len on November 5th!
Why should residents elect you to the Virginia House of Delegates?
I am a consumer rights lawyer who fights for the little guy everyday in courts all across Virginia. I have also been a leader in our community when it comes to empowering our youth and defending our poor. As your next delegate, I want our seniors and our single parent moms to earn a living wage so they can better make ends meet.
We also have to finally start protecting our homes, farms, and businesses from hundreds of millions of dollars in flood damage every year. I want to restore the state funding for public education that was lost over the last ten years because when we invest in our students, schools and teachers, we are really investing in the economy of Virginia. I just want you to know that when you elect me, you will be electing a delegate dedicated to making life better for you and your family.
What is the biggest issue facing your district, and how do you plan to address it?
As your next delegate, I am committed to finding new ways to lower our healthcare costs while protecting coverage of pre-existing conditions. We also need to find a way to help our many families out there that earn too much for Medicaid eligibility, but not enough to afford private health insurance. Finally, medication needs to become more affordable in Virginia. For instance, states have begun capping insulin co-pays at $100 per month due to the artificially-inflated prices associated with this medication. So, I am finding solutions to make healthcare more affordable for the members of my district as well as the Commonwealth.
What was the most important vote taken in the Virginia General Assembly in 2019, and why?
I believe the most important vote taken this year, is the vote NOT taken and that was the Governor’s special session on gun safety which was essentially cancelled this summer. In the wake our 12 neighbors tragically lost to gun violence last spring in Virginia Beach, our 10 neighbors shot at a Memorial Day block party in Chesapeake, and the roughly 1,000 more Virginians that will be lost this year to gun violence, we owe it to our grieving families and we owe it to each other, to finally pass commonsense gun safety measures in Virginia.