Virginia Walden Ford is one of America’s leading advocates for parent empowerment. As a student, a mother, an advocate, and a grandmother, Virginia has spent her lifetime fighting to create new educational opportunities for children and families. In 2003, Virginia and her courageous group of parent advocates succeeded in convincing lawmakers to enact the nation’s first-ever Opportunity Scholarship Program for low-income children. This program provides scholarships for low-income children to attend private schools in Washington, DC while boosting federal funding for traditional public schools and public charter schools. Since the program’s inception, thousands of students have received Opportunity Scholarships, and the program boasts a 91 percent high school graduation rate. Virginia now travels the country speaking to parents and education groups, encouraging moms and dads and grandparents to discover the value of their voices and the importance of their advocacy. Virginia is the subject and executive producer of the 2019 MPI Original Film Miss Virginia. She is also the author of two books, Voices, Choices, and Second Chances and School Choice: A Legacy to Keep. She serves as an independent, voting member of the Moving Picture Institute’s board of trustees.