June 9, 1940 – August 4, 2023

The staff and friends of Virginia Poverty Law Center mourn the loss of John Horejsi, an unsurpassed advocate for impoverished Virginians.

John was the founder of, the fire within, and the guiding light of Social Action Linking Together (SALT). SALT is a network of Virginians embracing the principle that “the justice of a society can be measured by how the most vulnerable members of that society are faring and being treated.” This principle inspires SALT members to propose and shape fair public social policies through the education of policy makers and advocacy for the poor and powerless.

“John not only stood side by side with VPLC advocates when we advocated for more fair social policies at the Virginia General Assembly but he constantly pushed, prodded, and inspired us to work for more,” said Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director. “He was a tireless advocate and friend of vulnerable Virginians, and he will be sorely missed. His legacy will be the thousands of Virginians who benefited from his labors and those of us who will continue to be inspired by him.”