Richmond Free Press Feb. 22-24, 2024 edition

Deane remembered A8

By Darlene M. Johnson

In a meeting Tuesday, the Richmond School Board approved the Richmond Public Schools budget for the 2024-25 school year.

During the meeting, Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, motioned to delay the vote to approve the budget to discuss it in a separate meeting. Superintendent Jason Kamras disagreed with the motion, saying that only minor changes were made and that the board had the full budget book since January. Mr. Kamras added that the board should send the budget to Mayor Levar M. Stoney for approval sooner rather than later to avoid

being at the back of the line for funding.

There was a 4-4 split vote on the motion and the budget was ultimately approved. In the revised budget proposal, the expenditure increase went from an initial $36.2 million to $38 million. Changes made to the budget proposal include a $2.6 million increase for talent and staff compensation and a $1.3 million decrease in operations after cutting cleaning for select schools such as Huguenot High School and Carver Elementary School.

Most of the budget is allocated toward raises for RPS employees. School-based office associates went from a proposed 3% raise to an 8% raise, while other school-

based office associates went from 3% to 22%. Maintenance and custodial staff’s proposed raises increased from 3% to 20%, while transportation staff raises increased from 3% to 10%. Family liaisons have been added to the list for raises at 10%.

The budget also would allow for an expansion of RPS200, and maintenance and repairs for school buildings, including new fire alarms, HVAC systems and roof repairs. If approved, the budget would be the largest budget ever received by RPS in the past decade or so, Superintendent Kamras said. The School Board is set to adopt the final budget in June.

Addison announces run for mayor

Ms.

By Darlene M. Johnson

The Richmond Crusade for Voters (RCV), a historically Black political organization, is calling for the immediate removal of RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras. In a statement released Tuesday, the organization said they have “seen enough” to make this determination.

“The problems, as we see it, begin and end at the top,” RCV stated. “The responsibility of any hired administrator is to produce positive results based on proven methods, staff consensus, setting realistic goals and objectives, and to do so in the most cohesive manner possible while holding everyone accountable, even themselves.”

This has not been the case, however, as RCV cited many instances of Superintendent Kamras’ top goals for 2018-2023 remaining unmet.

A goal of Superintendent Kamras was to increase proficiency and advanced rates in writing, reading, science, math and social studies. This was not achieved, especially among Black students, RCV stated. Another goal was to decrease gaps in proficiency and advanced rates by race, economic status, English language learner (ELL) status and individualized education program (IEP) status. That goal also was unsuccessful, RCV asserted.

“RPS creates deficiencies by neglecting needed interventions and supports at the middle and high school levels for reading, writing, math, science and (career and technical education) preparedness,” an RCV press release stated.

In a School Board meeting Tuesday, the board was presented data on high school winter SOL test scores for RPS students. Between the winter of the 2022-23 school year and winter of the 2023-24 school year, there have been slight improvements Please turn to A4

Student brings loaded gun to elementary school, police say

and staff at the school reported they were made aware of a juvenile student who had had a firearm in the school,” Richmond Police said Wednesday.

The gun does not appear to have been fired, and there were no injuries, James Mercante, a RPD spokesman, said Wednesday afternoon.

“Officers arrived and staff at the school reported they were made aware of a juvenile student who had been in possession of a firearm in the school. Officers recovered the firearm,” Mr. Mercante said.

Parents were concerned they were not notified until later in the day that a student had a gun during the school day.

RPS also issued a statement Wednesday.

“Safety and security is a top priority of Richmond Public Schools, and we take incidents like this extremely seriously. We strive to build a safe, positive, and healthy culture at all our schools. We ask for parent, caregiver, and community support in promoting safe and healthy behaviors, and in reporting any concerning behaviors or reports so that we can address them in a timely and safe manner.”

YWCA Richmond announces 2024 Class of Outstanding Women Awards honorees Free Press Managing Editor Bonnie Newman Davis among this year’s recipients

Free Press staff report

For more than 40 years, YWCA Richmond has recognized accomplished women leaders in the Richmond community who one LinkedIn article described as “modeling resilience, empowering their teams to embrace change, learning

Leading Women in 2021, and in 2022, she was named the winner of the RVA Power Women. Ms. Tedesco founded the Women’s Inclusion Network (WIN) Employee Resource Group in 2020, actively supporting hundreds since its inception. WIN’s mission is

to foster a culture of inclusivity, visibility and empowerment in which all women can achieve their professional goals.

• Education – Sandra Gioia Treadway recently retired as the Librarian of Virginia following 45 years with the agency. Under her leadership, the Library has become a trusted

Mr. Kamras

Ms. Tedesco

Ms. Treadway

Strite Ms. Popovich

Ms. Haas Ms. Davis Ms. Horne

Ms. Jackson

Bonnie Newman Davis/Richmond Free Press

Members of the Richmond Crusade for Voters current leadership led various discussions during its Tuesday night meeting at Club 533 in Jackson Ward. From left, Garry Callis Sr., chair of the education committee, Charlotte Sydnor, first vice president, Jonathan Davis, communications chairman, and (standing) Marty Jewell, president.

Free community testing for COVID-19 continues

The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:

• Thursday, Feb. 22, 1 to 5 p.m. - Henrico Arms

Apartments, 1566 Edgelawn Circle

• Friday, Feb. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Southside Women, Infants and Children Office, 509 E. Southside Plaza

RHHD’s Resource Centers are providing free at-home tests for pickup at select locations:

• Creighton Court at 2150 Creighton Road, call (804) 371-0433 for more info

• Fairfield Court at 2311 N. 25th St., call (804) 786-4099 for more info

• Gilpin Court at 436 Calhoun St., call (804) 786-1960 for more info

• Hillside Court at 1615 Glenfield Ave., call (804) 2307740 for more info

• Mosby Court at 1536 Coalter St., call (804) 786-0204 for more info

• Southwood Court at 1754 Clarkson Road. Unit #B, call (804) 230-2077 for more info

• Whitcomb Court at 2106 Deforrest St., call (804) 7860555 for more info

Call the Richmond and Henrico Call Center at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for more information on testing sites, or go online at vax. rchd.com.

The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID-19 testing locations around the state at www. vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19testing-sites.

Want a COVID-19 vaccine?

Those interested can schedule an appointment with RHHD by calling (804) 205-3501. Vaccines.gov also allows people to find nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine, and those interested can also text your ZIP code to 438829 or call 1(800) 232-0233.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends that children between the ages of 6 months to 4 years old may need multiple doses of the updated vaccines, depending on their COVID-19 vaccine status and whether they had previously received Pfizer and Moderna.

Waiting periods for additional vaccines can range from three to eight weeks or four to eight weeks, depending on the vaccine dose previously received.

Children between the ages of 5 and 11 who are unvaccinated or received a vaccine before Sept. 12, 2023 should get one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Those age 12 years and older who are unvaccinated should get either one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two doses of the updated Novavax vaccine. People in that age range who received a vaccine before Sept. 12, 2023 should get one updated Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax vaccine.

People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine, and are encouraged to talk with their health care providers about how and when to receive them.

The site of the former Oak Grove Elementary School has been vacant since January 2013 when Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary opened its doors. The Redeemer Assembly of Jesus Christ originally lost its bid of $275,000 to purchase the site after a City Council vote in August 2022. In September 2022, City Council approved

Lynx Ventures’s request to purchase the site for $500,000. The property, located at 2200 Ingram Ave., will become income-restricted apartments and 15 new for-sale residences. The project is estimated to cost $45 million, with $20 million in government government tax credits and other resources to finance the development.

Library of Virginia hosts Weinstein Author Series

The Library of Virginia’s 2024 Carole Weinstein Author Series topics will focus on history, literature and the interwoven experiences of Virginians. The series, free and open to the public, will take place on select dates throughout 2024 from 6 p.m. to7:30 p.m. at the Library of Virginia Lecture Hall, 800 E. Broad St.

The series showcases literary arts across all genres, and brings new and well-known Virginia authors to the Library of Virginia to share the stories that define the Commonwealth. Each book talk will be followed

by a Q&A with audience members and a book signing. Authors will discuss their works on the following dates:

Wednesday, March 16: Rachel Beanland, “The House is on Fire,” and Meredith Henne Baker, “The Richmond Theater Fire: Early America’s First Great Disaster.”

Thursday, April 18: Sen. Tim Kaine, “Walk, Ride, Paddle: A Life Outside.”

Wednesday, May 15: Poetry Society of Virginia “Centennial Anniversary Anthology of Poems by Member Poets.”

Thursday, Sept. 12: Elizabeth S.D. Engelhardt, “Boardinghouse Women: How Southern Keepers, Cooks, Nurses, Widows, And Runaways Shaped Modern America.”

Thursday, Nov. 14: Larry Roeder and Barry Harrelson, “Dirt Don’t Burn: A Black Community’s Struggle for Educational Equality Under Segregation.” For more information and to register for events, please visit www.lva.virginia. gov/public/weinstein or contact Anne McCrery at anne.mccrery@lva.virginia.gov or (804) 692-3568.

Maymont’s new otter needs a name

Free Press staff report

Louis the otter has a new friend at The Robins Nature Center at Maymont. A threeyear-old female otter is expected to make her debut in March and Maymont wants the public’s help selecting her name.

The new otter arrived shortly after Thanksgiving. Like Louis, who arrived at Maymont as a two-year-old in 2017, she is from Louisiana. Local wildlife authorities deemed both otters nuisance predators for local crawfish harvesters, said Joe Neel, Maymont Senior Manager of Zoology.

“We are happy to give her a second chance at a long and healthy life here at Maymont,” Mr. Neel said. “River otters have made a comeback in the past decade after a long absence from the James River Park System thanks to improved water quality, but they can be difficult to spot in the wild.”

Courtesy of Maymont

The new otter has been acclimating to her new environment with the help of Maymont’s staff. After quarantining for a month, she and Louis have been gradually getting acquainted in adjacent spaces following a regulated introduction. On quiet days at The Robins Nature Center, she and Louis take turns in the otter habitat’s outdoor pool area where they swim and bask in the sun on rocks.

“We are delighted to provide a forever home to this rescued otter in the habitat at

Maymont,” said Parke Richeson, Maymont’s president and CEO. “Otters are an important species in a healthy James River ecosystem and they help engage our guests in learning more about the environment.”

Maymont supporters can submit name suggestions when signing up to adopt an animal until Feb. 25 on Maymont’s website.

From March 1 to March 8, the public can vote on the top three name suggestions in a poll on Maymont’s social media or through its newsletter.

Meet the new otter and find out her name at The Robins Nature Center on March 15 through 17. The Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children age 3 to 16 and free for Maymont members and Museums for All participants. For more information, visit www.maymont.org/support/adopt-ananimal

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Lights, Camera, Culture!

It’s more than just the big screen—it’s a celebration where diverse stories and untapped brilliance in our community take center stage.

Just say ‘Black Experience’ into your X nity Voice Remote and embark through a curated content collection of movies, TV shows, original documentaries and much more that pays homage to Black culture, ampli es our narratives, and illuminates our imagination.

Learn more at x nity.com/blackexperience

The Black Experience on X nity can also be watched on the Xumo Play app and X nity Stream.

Youngkin, Earle-Sears join annual anti-abortion demonstration in Richmond

The Associated Press

Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Lt. Gov. Winsome EarleSears, both Republicans, joined thousands of Virginia activists Wednesday for an annual anti-abortion demonstration, where attendees denounced Democratic lawmakers who have blocked proposed restrictions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, who addressed a rally just outside the Capitol before attendees marched through Downtown Richmond, joined other speakers in calling for housing, support and other resources for expectant parents. She also expressed compassion for women who have had abortions and exhorted attendees to keep up their advocacy.

“Let’s pray that hearts will be changed. Let’s pray that our legislators will change and the laws will change,” said Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, whose voice broke with emotion at the start of her remarks.

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision ending constitutional protections for abortion and allowing states to enact bans, Gov. Youngkin said he hoped lawmakers in the then-politically divided General Assembly would enact new limits. He asked them to

send a bill to his desk banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

Democrats — who criticized Gov. Youngkin’s participation in Wednesday’s events — defeated that bill and other proposed abortion restrictions in last year’s legislative session. In the fall election cycle, when every seat was on the ballot, Republicans in many competitive

districts coalesced around Gov. Youngkin’s proposed 15-week ban, while Democrats focused on protecting existing abortion rights or further expanding them.

Democrats see the issue as a key part of the reason they held the state Senate and flipped control of the House of Delegates.

Voters sent a message that they don’t want politicians in Richmond “dictating their health care,” said Democratic

Del. Candi Mundon King, who told reporters that Republicanbacked attempts to limit abortion would threaten women’s lives.

This year, the Democratic legislative majority has defeated new proposed limits on abortion access — with one near-total ban going down on a bipartisan basis. Democrats are also advancing measures proponents say are intended to protect women who might

seek an abortion in Virginia from potential prosecution in other states.

At the rally, other speakers criticized Democrats as extreme and warned of the fight ahead over an effort to enshrine abortion rights into the state’s constitution, which would require voter approval. Democratic lawmakers introduced a proposed amendment this year but opted to delay debate on it until next

year’s session, a move that won’t affect the timeline by which it could go to voters for consideration, in 2026 at the earliest.

The Division of Capitol Police estimates 3,000 to 3,500 people participated, according to spokesman Joe Macenka. Speaking briefly to reporters before the march began, Gov. Youngkin said he did not believe his pursuit of a 15-week ban was a mistake.

Richmond Crusade for Voters calls for removal of Kamras

Continued from A1

of 8% in history and 5% in science. Students maintained a 60% proficiency in math but showed a decrease of 4% in reading proficiency.

Proficiency in Richmond schools usually increases over the spring due to extra support given to students to improve test scores after less-than-satisfactory results, according to the presentation.

The maintained math proficiency was deemed a “positive outcome” by John Grove, manager of data analytics for RPS. This is because more middle schoolers are taking Algebra I and are able to take more advanced math classes in high school. Despite this increase, there has not been an increase in high schoolers taking Algebra II, which could indicate students failing Algebra I, according to RCV.

Increasing student, family and staff satisfaction is another failed goal cited in RCV’s statement. RPS has faced complaints of mold in school buildings, as well as a lack of transparency and multiple shootings. The latter two points are evident in the June 2023 shooting at Huguenot High School’s graduation and issues surrounding the investigation into the shooting.

Garry Callis, RCV’s second vice president who also chairs its education committee, said the organization had spoken with “at least 100 people from different avenues,” including principals, community college officials, teaching training instructors, School Board members, parents and alumni.

“In some cases there were formal interviews,” he said in a Free Press interview on Tuesday. “We made appointments and sat with people.”

Those conversations further convinced RCV to call for Mr. Kamras’ termination.

Kenya Gibson, 3rd District representative, said that she supports RCV and the Richmond Branch NAACP, which pressed for a shorter, two-year extension of Superintendent Kamras’

contract in 2021.

“Three years later, we’ve seen an accelerated breakdown in the district,” Ms. Gibson stated in an email. “Missteps have led to growing staff turnover, fires, substandard lunches and a deadly shooting.”

Every student suffers when a school district is “dysfunctional,” Ms. Gibson stated, adding that working class Black and Latino students are most impacted.

“It’s truly unfortunate, but I don’t have confidence that our administration is equipped to bring a culture shift where workers are empowered to identify and address the problems at hand,”

Ms. Gibson stated. While Jonathan Young, 4th District representative, agreed that “RPS is failing” and noted his differences with Mr. Kamras, he continues to support the superintendent.

Mr. Young stated this is due to his shared “unwavering commitment to big, bold, transformative ideas like extending the school day, year-round school, devolving decision making to our principals and teachers,” among other things.

Ms. Rizzi

Stephanie Rizzi, board chair and 5th District representative, shared similar sentiments to Mr. Young’s. Ms. Rizzi expressed that now is not the right time to discuss Superintendent Kamras’ removal and it would not be in the best interest for students or the district. She added that the RCV’s statement “shared by literally three members of a much larger organization should not impact our decision making.”

Ms. Rizzi acknowledged that while more work is needed for “growth and change,” there are conditions outside of RPS’ control that disproportionately affect students’ well-being and success. This includes increased housing and food insecurity, inflation and unaddressed generational trauma, she stated.

Leadership concerns are valid, but it should not be ignored that

thousands of RPS employees give their all to address students’ needs everyday, Ms. Rizzi added.

“Perhaps the original strategic plan did not take all of this into account and did not do enough to acknowledge that addressing the inequities our students face necessitates an all hands on deck effort and that assigning blame without recognizing the complexities of our challenges is not a constructive approach,” Ms. Rizzi stated.

Ms. Rizzi plans to meet with RCV to ask for its continued help and support.

Addison announces run for mayor

Continued from A1

the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, fare-free bus transit and a resident-led budgeting commission were a major part of Mr. Addison’s announcement for his mayoral campaign.

“We need more than promises,” Mr. Addison said. “We need a leader committed to doing the hard work, implementing progressive policies to move us forward, governing for the sustainable growth of Richmond, focusing on meeting the basic needs

of residents, and preventing displacement.”

Mr. Addison joins a growing field of candidates seeking to succeed Mayor Levar M. Stoney, including former 9th District representative and Council President Michelle Mosby, former 3rd District council representative Chris Hilbert, and community members Maurice Neblett and Garrett Sawyer. A launch event for Mr. Addison’s campaign will feature more details on his policy priorities, and is planned in the coming weeks.

YWCA Richmond announces 2024 Class of Outstanding Women Awards honorees

Continued from A1

and essential resource to a large and complex constituency of elected leaders, public librarians, authors and researchers alike. Dr. Treadway’s career has focused on increasing access to the Library’s vast collections and highlighting the contributions of the often overlooked in our history, particularly the experiences of Virginia women. She has served on the Virginia Women’s Monument Commission and is the co-editor of Virginia Women: Their Lives and Times.

• Human Relations & Faith in Action – Amy Strite is the current executive director at Senior Connections and has served as CEO of Voices for Virginia’s Children and Family Lifeline. A licensed clinical social worker, Ms. Strite’s work in service to Richmond’s underresourced communities and deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion spans 34 years. She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including Smart Beginnings RVA, the NAMES Project of Central Virginia, and Richmond Memorial Health Foundation.

• Health & Science – Amy Popovich is the nurse manager of the Richmond/Henrico Health District (RHHD) and serves as a go-to public health leader in the Richmond region, ensuring the efforts of RHHD are equity-driven. She has spent her career inspiring public and private partners to join with RHHD in developing innovative solutions to our region’s issues while driving community engagement and education in Richmond and Henrico’s most vulnerable populations.

• Law & Government – Lori Hanky Haas: In 2007, Ms. Haas’ daughter was shot and survived what was at the time America’s deadliest mass shooting at Virginia Tech. In the almost 17 years following the tragedy, Ms. Haas has served as the state director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and its sister organization, the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, which provided evidence-based research on gun violence efforts

nationally, working to drive discussions around gun control legislation at the state level. Ms. Haas currently serves as advocacy manager at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She also has served on the Virginia State Crime Commission following appointments by two Virginia governors.

• Marketing & Media – Bonnie Newman Davis has worked as a journalist for more than 40 years, receiving numerous awards for her work. In addition to her current role as managing editor for the Richmond Free Press, she has trained hundreds of journalism students at several universities in Virginia and North Carolina. Ms. Davis recently published “Truth Tellers: The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists Since 1960,” sharing the stories of 24 Black women whose journalism careers spanned the last 40 years of the 20th century.

• Nonprofit Management – Kelly King Horne: Ms. Horne has been the executive director of Homeward, the coordinating and planning agency for the Richmond region’s collaborative networks of homeless service providers for the last 15 years. She is recognized as a national leader in the homeless services sector. Under her leadership, Homeward was one of the first in the country to adopt the Housing First model of resource coordination, now the gold standard in homeless services.

• Volunteerism – Eucharia “Ukay” Jackson is a community leader, advocate and professional who is devoted to tackling social issues ranging from education, the arts, diversity and women’s empowerment. She has left a lasting impact within her community by utilizing the extraordinary skills gained through her 20-plus years of experience in sales and marketing with Eli Lilly and Company. She is a gubernatorial appointee on the Board of Trustees for the Science Museum of Virginia and on the Citizens’ Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion. Ms.

Jackson also serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, the Advisory Board of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, and various other organizations.

YWCA Richmond is a 134-year-strong nonprofit organization committed to empowering women, children and their families to live their best lives. YWCA strengthens our community through early childhood education programming, free emergency and ongoing services for survivors of violence, violence prevention education and leadership opportunities for women. If you or a loved one has experienced domestic, intimate partner violence or sexual violence, you may call the Greater Richmond Regional Hotline at (804) 612-6126.

Rupa Murthy, CEO of YWCA Richmond, is honored to celebrate this year’s class of leaders. She believes our region can “Join YWCA Richmond as we stand together in recognition of the incredible strength and wisdom that women bring to leadership as we work to unlock the full potential of our societies. The leadership these eight women exemplify goes far beyond the matter of parity; they are catalysts for progress, innovation, and positive change.”

The honorees will be formally recognized at the Outstanding Women Awards Luncheon 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, presented by Dominion Energy and Altria.

In 2023, YWCA Richmond welcomed more than 660 guests to honor the extraordinary achievements of women who lead in the Richmond region. To purchase tickets, tables or corporate sponsorships to celebrate the 2024 Outstanding Women Awards, please visit www.ywcarichmond.org/owa.

For more information about the event, please contact YWCA Richmond at owa@ywcarichmond.org. For more information about YWCA Richmond and its mission to empower women and eliminate racism, please visit www.ywcarichmond.org.

Pro life supporters attend the 6th Annual Virginia March for Life at the Virginia State Capitol on Wednesday. The event, organized by the Family Foundation, commenced with a rally in front of the Capitol Square Bell Tower at 11 a.m., followed by a march on the streets surrounding the Capitol starting at noon. Rally speakers included Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, left.

Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian

Driving

while

Black Judge asked to revisit ruling regarding RPD’s racial profiling

Both Chief Edwards and Ms. Aber pushed against Judge Gibney’s assessment of RPD’s methodology for patrolling and traffic stops. They said the areas where traffic stops occur the most frequently aren’t racially motivated, but “hotspots” of

disproportionately high criminal activity determined through information gathering and crime reports.

RPD, according to Ms. Aber and Chief Edwards, uses that information to determine the areas where officers and the

department should focus their time, attention and resources the most.

Those areas of focus, the First, Second and Fourth Precincts, have a high percentage or a majority of Black residents, a factor Chief Edwards said

doesn’t reflect on or affect how RPD handles law enforcement in those areas.

“We use data that is regularly analyzed to determine where best to allocate resources in an effort to decrease injury and loss of life,” Chief Edwards said. “I

have a deep and long-lasting commitment to protecting the citizens of Richmond and doing so in a manner that is professional, fair, and impartial.”

Judge Gibney had not yet responded to the motion by the Free Press print deadline.

Last Friday, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber asked Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. to rethink a ruling last week that led to the dismissal of charges against Keith Rodney Moore for possession of a firearm found during a traffic stop in December 2020.

Judge Gibney was convinced to rule in Mr. Moore’s favor in the case due to the defense’s argument that RPD traffic

“This

In her motion, Ms. Aber argues that Judge Gibney’s decision, while well-intentioned, doesn’t take into account the circumstances surrounding Mr. Moore’s arrest and the arguments put forth by the prosecution.

She also said it risks undermining a necessary component of RPD’s efforts to address violent crime in Richmond, and would “unravel the progress RPD has made” in decreasing criminal activity in the city.

“While this Court’s decision to dismiss the indictment against a felon with an illegal gun was undoubtedly motivated by good intentions, the United States respectfully requests that it reconsider its finding,” Ms. Aber wrote.

RPD leadership struck a similar chord days earlier in response to the ruling. In a statement, RPD Chief Rick Edwards rebuffed the ruling’s opinion outright, saying that “the Richmond Police Department does not stop motorists based on race.”

Crusade carries on

Anyone who knows anything about Richmond knows that the story of the Richmond Crusade for Voters is legend.

Yet, it is always worth recounting, which can be done by visiting the organization’s website or better yet, reading about or speaking with one of its founders.

Six years ago in February 2018, Richmond Free Press

Managing Editor Bonnie Newman Davis interviewed Dr. William Ferguson Reid, who co-founded the storied civil rights group in 1956, along with Dr. William Thornton, John M. Brooks, Ethel T. Overby and Lola Hamilton.

Eleven years later, Mr. Reid was elected to the statehouse in 1967.

When Ms. Newman Davis wrote her article about Mr. Reid for another Richmond publication, he was 93 years old, which means that he now is close to 100. At that time he was about to move to California to live with relatives.

“The Crusade was formed to register more voters to combat the racist politics driven by the era of “massive resistance,” a term coined by then-U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr. of Virginia,” Ms. Newman Davis wrote in describing the Crusade’s genesis. “Massive resistance was part of a Southern strategy to thwart the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that public schools be desegregated.

In his book, “The Dream Is Lost: Voting Rights and the Politics of Race in Richmond, Virginia,” University of Richmond history professor Dr. Julian Maxwell Hayter writes “No civic organization did more to democratize local politics in 20th-century Richmond than the Crusade. Mr. Reid and others knew that the only way for the city’s blacks to gain political influence, along with better jobs and education, was to register voters. The Crusade developed a strategy that focused on Richmond’s 28 predominantly black precincts.”

Mr. Reid described that strategy to Ms. Newman Davis:

“Each of us would be responsible for starting a civic association in areas where [there were] housing projects and other areas where there were unregistered voters. Eventually we were able to elect moderate whites, who then would appoint other Crusade choices to commissions in City Hall. We were very patient.”

During a Richmond Crusade for Voters meeting Tuesday night at Club 533 located just off Interstate 95 South in Richmond, patience often was in short supply as approximately 50 members and guests listened, spoke, asked questions or sat silently.

Some were frustrated that a press release calling for the termination of Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras was distributed without their knowledge on Feb. 20. (It should be noted that several weeks ago a Free Press editorial also called for Mr. Kamras’ resignation.)

Other Crusade members wanted a retraction, which of course was too late because most local newscasts, by then, had aired segments about the Crusade’s demands for Mr. Kamras’ exit.

Jonathan Davis, the Crusade’s communications chairman, later told the Free Press that news releases have been distributed in the past without the consent of membership and for that matter, the entire board leadership.

What would William Ferguson Reid say?

We think he might chuckle or either shake his head, reflecting on what likely were many heated discussions during Crusade meetings more than 60 years ago as it moved with all deliberate speed to “start a third party.”

“Say what you must,” Mr. Reid might tell current Crusade membership. “But whatever you do or say, get on with the business of finding unregistered voters and getting them signed up to vote.”

Crusade member Carol Davis magnified Mr. Reid’s spirit and words Tuesday night by delivering passionate remarks about the lack of voter participation in recent elections and the half-hearted attitude shown by some Black people and others regarding upcoming elections.

She reminded the Crusade about the tedious work of Mr. Reid and his counterparts that eventually led to his own election by a win of 36,735 votes to the Virginia House of Delegates.

“A bigger payoff came in 1969, when L. Douglas Wilder became the first African-American to be elected as a Virginia state senator,” states Ms. Newman Davis’ article in a Richmond magazine. “After becoming lieutenant governor in 1985, Wilder was elected governor of Virginia in 1989, becoming the first black governor in the United States.

“Leading up to Wilder’s wins, several AfricanAmericans were elected to Richmond City Council and appointed to various boards and commissions,” Ms. Newman Davis’ article continues. “During Mr. Reid’s four-year tenure in the General Assembly, gains included a bill ferreting out housing discrimination and redlining by banks and other lending institutions.”

Chuck Richardson, who was elected to City Council in 1977 as part of the first Black council majority in Richmond history, reminded the Crusade about its heroic legacy while also noting that much work remains.

Now in his mid-70s, Mr. Richardson, when on City Council, helped provide opportunities at City Hall for Black employment that had long been restricted. He also successfully pushed through legislation that required at least 30% of every significant city construction contract to be awarded to Black-owned businesses until the U.S. Supreme Court took up a challenge and deemed that requirement unconstitutional.

While Richmond has elected or appointed several Black mayors since esteemed civil rights attorney Henry L. Marsh III became the city’s first Black mayor nearly 50 years ago, the message was clear during Tuesday’s meeting that the struggle continues. Yet the Crusade, as stated on its website, “remains diligent to opening closed doors, challenging voter suppression and educating citizens on the power of the vote.”

Charles “Lefty” Driesell died peacefully at home at 92 in his native Tidewater.

Appreciations are pouring in for the coach who put University of Maryland basketball on the map in the 1970s and 1980s and earned Hall of Fame honors for winning at least 100 games at four different institutions, Maryland, Davidson, James Madison, and Georgia State University.

had Black players at his Southern school, notably Mike Maloy, a bruising 6-foot, 7-inch forward who was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

Yet Coach Driesell also deserves appreciation as a sports racial change agent.

Coach Driesell played monumental roles in smashing the stonewall whites-only college sports teams that were normal operating procedure until the late 1960s. Coach Lefty unwittingly desegregated the Atlantic Coast Conference. Yes, the league where Black student athletes from North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, Wake Forest, Clemson, and others saturate the hardwoods with talent.

During the mid-1960s, all the ballers were white. Then Driesell recruited Charlie Scott, a wiry 6-foot-6 guard, to come play for him at Davidson College in North Carolina. Coach Driesell already

Mr. Scott changed his mind about going to Davidson because he was lured away by the UNC Tar Heels, which was whites only before the offer. Coach

Lefty indirectly facilitated sports history. Soon competing ACC schools quickly desegregated one by one.

Well, except one. The South Carolina Gamecocks decided to leave the ACC, in large part because it was unable to recruit local Black talent because of the conference’s academic standards, complained Gamecock officials. Decades later South Carolina joined the Southeastern Athletic Conference [Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, et al] with integrated teams. Coach Driesell was famously fiery, competitive, and not shy about his ability: “I can coach.”

Also Stanley O. King, a New Jersey civil rights lawyer, friend, and former college basketball player, remembered this: In 1977 when Coach Driesell was recruiting Albert King, kid brother of NBA great Bernard

King, Coach Driesell promised that if he came to College Park and played for Maryland, the U.S. president would wake up every morning and ask, “How did Al do last night?”

He continued to seek out Black talent. He hired George Raveling as an assistant coach in 1969, another kind of barrier breaking because African-Americans were not even considered at that time. Coach Raveling went on to be a winning coach at the USC [Southern California] and other Division I schools.

Coach Raveling’s character was featured in “Air,” the 2023 movie about Nike sneakers and UNC star Michael Jordan, an unproven NBA rookie, who made the former running shoe company the No. 1 sneaker globally.

Coach Driesell’s Davidson was a mid-major level Division I liberal arts college.

Coach Driesell upgraded to what we now call the Power Five conference ball by going to the University of Maryland, which in the early 1970s was part of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Coach Driesell promised to make the Terrapins the “UCLA of the East.” He did not accomplish that feat; the Bruins of Los Angeles were too dominant. Still, Coach Driesell was successful. Maryland battled North Carolina,

North Carolina State, and Duke for ACC championships, and the Terrapins made numerous postseason appearances.

Maryland’s early stars were the high-low post big men and teammates Tom McMillen and Len Elmore. Post college, Mr. McMillen was elected to Congress, and Mr. Elmore became a lawyer, and then TV college basketball analyst. After 17 years [1969-1986] at Maryland, Coach Driesell finished his coaching career at Georgia State. His 786 wins are a laudable achievement. But Coach Driesell’s vision and leadership, showing the way that white and Black college athletes and coaches could thrive in the new South, should rank as a greater success.

The writer is a Professor of practice at Morgan State University and author of several books, including “Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith: The Dynamic Duo that Desegregated American Sports.”

than at this moment.

Nothing makes this more clear than Vice President Kamala Harris’ courageous decision to champion reproductive freedom in the midst of a full-on assault on the right to choose.

Right now, Vice President Harris is traveling the country on an extensive Reproductive Freedom Tour.

As noted by the New York Times, “The vice president has been the administration’s most forceful voice for abortion rights in the year and a half since Roe v. Wade fell.”

Even among those of us without a uterus, the impact of the vice president’s courage affects many of us personally in our lives.

It affects me as a girl dad, as a member of this country, and because the person who shaped me most as an organizer is my grandmother, Mamie Todd, who started her career in social change at Planned Parenthood in Baltimore. Even though abortion was illegal then, the basic mission was the same: reproductive health and freedom. And while the work mainly focused on birth control, education, and some routine health care, it was not without its challenges — especially in a Catholic city in a Catholic state.

By the early 1940s when my grandmother was doing this work, things had come a long way since 1916 when

Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger was arrested for opening the nation’s first birth control clinic in Brooklyn. But the Comstock Act was still on the books and enforced. That law defined contraceptives as obscene and made it a federal crime to send them through the mail or transport them across state lines.

In the pre-Roe v. Wade era, when abortions were illegal

in most parts of this country, many still depended on them. Some required them in order to extricate themselves from abusive relationships or avoid other dire consequences. Being illegal, the procedure was risky. Abortions, forced to be conducted in secret, frequently resulted in death or injuries that would leave women unable to bear children.

From 1973 until 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abortions were safe and legal. Now, the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case has created a flood of laws threatening to send us back to the dark ages. This goes for women who are attempting to sever ties with dangerous men and those in other horrific situations many of us can only imagine. And it is not stopping. Just this month, the Missouri state Senate voted down two amendments to the state’s medieval abortion laws that would have allowed exceptions for rape and incest.

That’s why Vice President Harris’s leadership is so impor-

tant. It is easy to imagine that whoever was vice president in these times would be fighting these attacks … that a male with a similarly impressive resume as a litigator and advocate could too be a stalwart for this fundamental right. But the difference is evident when you watch Vice President Harris on the stump, speaking against these laws that would deny freedom to women who find themselves in the situation my mother was in back then. You cannot help but sense that she feels the urgency to help those women in her bones in a way that no man could.

Let me be clear, however, about the responsibility that men have at this moment to be good allies. The matriarch of my family, my grandmother, set a powerful example with her fierce advocacy for equality and reproductive freedom. But my parents taught me an important lesson as well. Part of my parents’ bond has always been that my father understood men have a role to play in the fight against gender inequality and sexism. President Biden and Vice President Harris’s teamwork in pushing back against state-level assaults on the right to choose, to me, echoes that lesson.

The legions of lawmakers who received, and are now acting upon, the Supreme Court’s signal to eviscerate reproductive freedom will not stop unless we stop them. Thank God we have a courageous woman in the vice presidency fighting to do just that.

The writer is executive director of the Sierra Club and a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ben Jealous

Wayne Dawkins

Regina

Richmond Community Hospital

VUU’s willingness to destroy historic hospital shows shortsightedness

As an alumna of Virginia Union University and a longtime resident of Richmond, I find it hard to believe, and digest, that my beloved alma mater is so callously dismissing the intrinsic value of this landmark, Richmond Community Hospital, in an historic part of the city, which includes the neighborhood that produced so many of the leaders entrenched in the uplifting of the Black community.

The building was a gift to the university when the new Community Hospital was built in Church Hill, in part because it housed a significant part of Richmond’s Black history and was representative of the contributions of dedicated Black doctors when reasonable health care for

Black residents was virtually non-existent. VUU produced many of those physicians. Through the years, many of VUU’s graduates went on to well-known medical schools and became prominent contributors in their respective locales.

our history is being attacked on many fronts and attempts to disavow our very existence are escalating. it is horrible to consider that VUU is willing to participate in the plowing over of this small piece of land that speaks so much to the life experiences of so many. i suspect that every Black resident 60 years or older who lives/ lived in the area has some connection to RCH — from births to tonsillectomies to broken arms and beyond.

in an institution of higher education, i feel certain there are bright minds that can conceive of, design and produce plans that can incorporate this building into the proposed development envisioned via the partnership. Shortsightedness is not a characteristic of an institution of higher education that has existed since 1865. Repurposing the building and incorporating it into the master plan is a far more appropriate way to honor the era of RCH’s North Side existence and the physicians who sacrificed and served. A brass plaque is far from sufficient.

MARy DePiLLARS Richmond

The Civil War: Cause and effect

Contrary to what H.V. Traywick claimed in his recent letter to the Richmond Free Press, the cause of the Civil War was slavery.

The Framers had to make compromises with Southern states on the issue of slavery to get a Constitution. There was the 3/5th clause that gave Southern states favored representation. There was the Electoral College that gave them an advantage in presidential elections.

And there was the fugitive slave clause that enabled them to get escaped slaves back from other states. After the Constitution was ratified and the union formed, there was an attempt by Congress to strike a balance between the number of slave and free states admitted to the union so that slavery was not threatened in the Southern states. This led to one controversial compromise after another.

Unfortunately, due to the efforts of Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas, the compromises intensified the issue of slavery. The enactment of the Fugitive Slave Act through the efforts of Henry Clay inflamed Northerners in free states, because they were expected to assist in the return of escaped slaves, who were not entitled to any due process. And Douglas’ concept of state sovereignty led to the KansasNebraska conflict over slavery before the outbreak of war.

What led to secession by Southern states was the election of President Abraham Lincoln, whose party wanted to stop the spread of slavery into the territories. The Southern states seceded over slavery and fired the first shots in the Civil War. President Lincoln understood that as the war was ending that an amendment was needed to abolish slavery. Slavery was the cause of the war and secession was the effect.

GEoRGE MAGAKiS JR Norristown, Pa.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF PETITIONS BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY AND APPALACHIAN POWER COMPANY, FOR DETERMINING THE TREATMENT OF RENEWABLE

Sports

Stories by Fred Jeter

Panthers go cold in Indy

NBA superstar Stephen Curry gave Virginian Union University its locker-room pregame speech, but unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to play for VUU.

VUU Coach Jay Butler could have used any help he could muster as his Panthers went frostbite cold in the NBA/HBCU Classic in Indianapolis.

In front of a crowd of 14,691 and national ESPN2 audience, the Panthers were 64-47 losers to Winston-Salem State.

The game was played Feb. 17 as part of the NBA’s All-Star festivities. It was an all-expenses-paid proposi-

tion for both the Panthers and Rams, who stayed for the Feb. 18 All-Star Game.

Despite the loss, Coach Butler was thankful for the rare opportunity.

“This was big time,” he told the media. “This was an awesome event — something these kids will remember for the rest of their lives.”

Tahj Harding, in contention for the CIAA scoring title, scored 11 points to lead the Richmonders and Travis Vaughn hit three 3-pointers for nine points.

Off the bench, 6-foot-7, 260-pound freshman Malachi Dark, a late arrival to the team, had four points and two

rebounds in 12 minutes.

Out of John Marshall High, Dark is the great nephew of Jesse Dark, the former Maggie Walker High and VCU star who played one NBA season with the New York Knicks.

VUU falls to 11-17 overall with only a Feb. 24 date at Virginia State (3:30 p.m. tipoff) before the CIAA tournament in Baltimore Feb. 26-March 3. The VUUVSU game could determine the Northern Division’s second seed, behind Lincoln, in Baltimore.

The Panthers, who hope to shoot better in Maryland, hit just

17 of 45 shots versus the Rams (38 percent) and were just five of nine at the foul line. Winston-Salem improved to 17-8.

There were celebrities all over in Indy. Among those interviewed for the broadcast were former VUU star Ben Wallace and former Ram Stephen A. Smith (1987-91), the noted television personality.

All-Stars from HBCUs are rare now but both VUU and Winston-Salem can boast. Wallace was a four-time All-Star and Panther Charles Oakley was an All-Star in 1994.

The Rams’ Earl Monroe was a four-time All-Star.

Martin is Walker’s freshman phenom

Jamie Martin

With so much national attention going to Iowa basketball sensation Caitlin Clark, let’s not forget Pearl Moore.

From 1975 to 1979, the 5-foot-7 guard scored 4,061 points in 120 games for her hometown school, Francis Marion University of Florence, S.C. No woman has ever scored more.

In her final game, she tossed in 60 points in a tournament contest against TennesseeChattanooga. She earned all 60 “the old-fashioned way,” minus the benefit of 3-pointers.

At the time, women’s sports were governed by the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). The NCAA did not enter the women’s picture until 1982.

Following graduation from Francis Marion, Moore played in the Women’s Professional Basketball League (precursor to WNBA) with the New York Stars and St. Louis Streak. She

leyball with a youth STANDINGS Northern Division Division CIAA Overall Lincoln, Pa. 6-2 9-6 13-12 Virginia Union 5-3 6-9 11-17 Virginia State 4-4 7-8 13-13 Elizabeth City 4-4 6-9 9-17 Bowie State 4-4 5-10 10-15 Bluefield State 1-7 4-11 7-19 Through Feb. 18 Trojans attract top-notch recruits

also played professionally in Venezuela.

One of 11 children in her family, Moore was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Now 66, she coached high school basketball in South Carolina for many years and, in 2018, the Pearl Moore Recreation Center in Florence was named in her honor.

Back to the present: On Feb. 15, against Michigan, Clark passed Washington’s Kelsey Plum (3,527 points in

Jamie Martin has been sunshine in a cloudy season for Maggie Walker Governor’s School basketball.

It’s almost unfair. She’s so talented, so savvy, so confident … and she’s only a 14-year-old freshman.

“We had an extremely young and inexperienced team this season,” said Green Dragons Coach Speedy Baughman. “Jamie had to do it all, at times.”

Wearing jersey No. 20, she averaged 19 points per game while adding about five rebounds, five steals and four assists per outing.

It’s hard listing a position for Martin because she was here, there and everywhere for the Lombardy Street squad – sort of a hurricane in green shoes.

Still, the very young Dragons (no JV team) were 7-14 and failed to make the Class 3 Region playoffs.

In a rarity of all rarities, the 5-foot-9 freshman was named team captain.

“People think of a captain as being older and stronger,” Martin said. “But I feel like I can play older and be as strong as upperclassmen.”

“Walker, at least in the last 18 years, has never had anyone

do anything like that,” Baughman said.

In her freshman finale, Martin, always on the attack, poured in 28 points in a tense 53-51 loss to Colonial Heights at Walker’s second-floor gym.

Earlier this season Martin had 40 points – likely a school record — in a loss to Amelia.

“I’m happy with my freshman season,” said. “But I’m most proud of how our team has improved from Game 1 to Game 20.”

Martin is the daughter of Jermaine and Kelly Martin of New Kent County.

Jermaine, who serves as team videographer, is a former gymnast at Thornton High in Chicago while Kelly was a cheerleader at Eleanor Roosevelt High in Prince George’s County, Md.

It’s not an easy commute to school. Martin takes two buses from her home to Walker each morning.

“It’s hard, but it’s worth it,” she said. “This school is awesome.”

Martin is much more than a basketball player and star student. She also served as the setter on the Dragons’ volleyball club and hopes to make

an impact this spring in track and field. While an adept sprinter, her specialty is pole vaulting. That comes as welcome news to Walker Hall of Fame coach Jim Holdren, a renowned tutor of all events, including the vault.

Foul Coaches unfazed by man’s rudeness

Loudmouth fan needs to check his manners

The Maggie Walker girls are blessed with perhaps the most experienced coaching staff in the area.

Head Coach Speedy Baughman and assistants Ray Copple and Rick Brennan have roughly 70 seasons worth of knowledge drawing up X’s and O’s.

Still, not everyone is satisfied.

At the Green Dragons’ final home game Feb. 13, one spectator raised his voice loud enough for many to hear in the small confines. As Walker players were breaking huddle in the closing moments of a tight game, the unidentified man blurted out, “Whatever they (coaches) say, do the opposite.”

It was uncalled for. Safe to say, the Walker coaches know more about basketball than anyone in the stands.

139 games, 2013-2017)) as the NCAA’s all-time scorer.

Clark raised her total to 3,569 points in her first 126 games. But consider this: Clark has 487 3-pointers compared with Moore’s zero.

Let there be no doubt, Clark is a star of stars, but so was Pearl Moore. Don’t forget it.

Harold Deane Sr., who found much success as a basketball player and coach at Virginia State University, died Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. He was 84.

Out of Roanoke’s Lucy Addison High, Mr. Deane was a three-season starter at VSU (then Virginia State College) from 1956 to 1961. He also excelled as a high jumper on the track team.

Mr. Deane, who cast a towering presence at 6-foot-5, served two stints as Trojans head hoops coach from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1987 to 1994. He won CIAA Coach of the Year honors in 1972, 1974 and 1976.

In 1988, his Trojans won the CIAA tournament, the school’s first CIAA championship since 1947.

Mr. Deane’s nicknames included “Beethoven,” a tag he got as a Virginia State freshman when he sang “Roll Over Beethoven” in a student talent show.

Following his retirement as coach, he continued until 2015 as a professor in VSU’s Health and Physical Education Department.

Along with his teaching and coaching, Mr. Deane also officiated basketball, baseball and softball – working under the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) banner. While at Virginia State, he joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and was a member of the Army ROTC. He also was a member of the Big Brothers Organization and later earned the rank of first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, serving in 1961 and 1962 at Fort Benning, Ga.

earned first team All-State honors as a wide receiver, defensive back, punt returner and kickoff returner.

Ajenavi ‘AJ’ Byrd

Offensively, he made 54 catches for 1,291 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping the Wildcats to the Class 3 Region finals.

VSU Coach Henry Frazier III, in his third season, is billing his recent talent haul as the “Solidification Class,” after calling last year’s recruits “The Foundation Class.”

The Trojans were 8-2 last season, second in the CIAA North, with a win over Norfolk State University of the Football

Pearl Moore made her mark before Clark One of the most decorated high school football players in Richmond area history will continue to play locally — at Virginia State University. Ajenavi “AJ” Byrd, who earned All-State honors at four positions for Armstrong High School, is among 26 to sign scholarship offers with the CIAA Trojans. Under Armstrong Coach Jeremy Pruitt, a former VSU standout, Byrd

Championship Subdivision or FCS. Other local players headed to Ettrick are running back James Grant from Trinity Episcopal; lineman Rae’Qwon Taylor from Highland Springs; linebacker Christian Payne from Huguenot; and receiver Khali Coward from Life Christian Academy.

Less documented is an act of courage he performed as a young Virginia State coach in 1970. His Trojans were playing an exhibition against VCU at the old Franklin Street Gym (the Rams’ original gym). It was a packed house and spectators were ringing the floor, several bodies deep. In the late going, some close calls went against the Trojans and a group of angry VSU students rushed the court, aiming to confront an official.

It might have been a disaster, if not for Mr. Deane racing onto the floor himself as a peacemaker. The students backed off out of respect for their coach. It was one of those “Oh, my gosh” moments.

Mr. Deane is survived by his wife, Thelma; daughter Benita; son Harold Jr., who starred in basketball at Matoaca High and the University of Virginia, where he earned AllACC honors; and three grandchildren.

Long before anyone heard of a three-point basket, and before the NCAA acknowledged women’s sports, Moore was the queen of the court.

In her final game, Pearl Moore tossed in 60 points in a tournament contest against TennesseeChattanooga. She earned all 60 “the old-fashioned way,” minus the benefit of three-pointers.

Personality: Margaret O. Daramola

Spotlight on 21st Poet Laureate of Virginia

Margaret O. Daramola says she is an overachiever. The Hampton University graduate is currently undertaking her master’s in theological studies at Harvard Divinity School while also serving as the 21st Poet Laureate of Virginia, which requires her presence and performance at official events.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced his selection of Ms. Daramola in May 2023, and the honor has been followed by opportunities that include a TEDx Talk. In her TEDx speech, “What Can Chameleons Teach Us About Adaptability?,” she discusses resilience, authenticity and adaptability in facing life’s challenges.

“Giving a TEDx Talk was big for me,” Ms. Daramola said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while.”

Plus, every talk she gives or event in which she performs allows her to promote the art of poetry and reach others through her poems.

The Nigerian-born poet was raised in Switzerland. She says her first exposure to poetry, wasn’t really poetry.

“I think I was first introduced through those quotes you see on social media when I was younger,” Ms. Daramola said, adding that she found them relatable. Eventually, her journaling took on a more poetic form.

In 2015, she shared one of her poems on Facebook. The feedback Ms. Daramola received was positive, so she continued to

share her work as spoken word poetry. That helped her peers, who didn’t always understand her passion for poetry, learn to appreciate and connect with her poems.

A champion volleyball player at her high school in Switzerland, Ms. Daramola received a college scholarship and, in 2019, she came to Hampton University to study English and history. She was attracted to Hampton because of its status as a historically black college and university, and its standing as a Division I school.

Black history had always been part of her writing, she said, but being in Virginia allowed her to “feel that history firsthand and understand what I’d only read in textbooks.”

“It was inspiring to attend Hampton University,” Ms. Daramola said, adding that Virginia’s rich history helps shape her poetry.

A collection of her poems make up her first book, “A Pathway Through Survival,” which she self-published in 2021.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who wrote the novel “Half of a Yellow Sun,” was an inspiration for her to publish and to continue to publish her works.

“This book was just so beautiful, it inspired me to produce good literature as well,” Ms. Daramola said.

Ms. Daramola believes poetry can be healing, whether when reading or writing it. She hopes to publish more and,

although she does not have a set career in mind after graduation next year, she knows that it will involve writing.

For now, besides her writing, Ms. Daramola’s school days are filled with classes, assignments and networking events. She says she tries to get an early start each day to fit in as much as she can, often starting with prayer to get ready for the day and ending with a German berliner, or jelly donut, as a late-night snack.

“I absolutely love sweets,” she said. She also is also working with the Poetry Society of Virginia on a poet laureate initiative to involve school students in writing poetry.

“Writing poetry requires vulnerability as much as talent,” Ms. Daramola offered as encouragement to aspiring poets. “Don’t be afraid of the scrutiny of others because more people will relate than criticize. Just think about all the people who will be changed by your words.”

Meet a poet who did know it—at an early age— and this week’s Personality, Margaret O. Daramola:

Top honor: 21st Poet Laureate of Virginia.

Occupation: Graduate student and poet laureate.

Place of birth: Born in Nigeria; raised in Switzerland.

Where I live now: Boston.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Hampton University; student in the master’s in theological studies program, Harvard Divinity School at Harvard University.

Being named the 21st Poet Laureate of Virginia means: Having the opportunity to promote the art of poetry in the

Commonwealth and beyond.

Standing as a testament that all things are possible.

How I learned I was named by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and reaction: I found out through a phone call from his office, and I was very excited.

Length of my tenure: 20232025.

Immediate past Poet Laureate of Virginia: Luisa A. Igloria.

When did Virginia establish a state poet laureate position: Dec. 18, 1936.

Role of Poet Laureate of Virginia: The poet laureate is an honorary award. The poet laureate performs at official talks and events.

How Virginia shapes my poetry: Virginia’s rich history shapes my poetry. When I write about black history, specifically, I am inspired by my experiences in Virginia.

How poetry can help people during difficult times: Poetry can be therapeutic. The simple act of writing can be very helpful to people and when they are unable to write, the act of consuming poetry can be healing in nature.

Who I hope to inspire with my position: The next generation of poets and writers.

Where Virginians can engage with my poetry and me: On my website www.maggiedaramola. com and Instagram @maggie.

daramola.

How I start the day: I start my day very early so I can get more done throughout the day.

Three words that best describe me: Ambitious. Creative. Talented.

Best late-night snack: A jelly donut.

I love to: Take long walks by the water, read books, go to the gym, try out new restaurants. and spend quality time with the people who matter.

A quote that inspires me: “Give yourself grace. It’s hard to compete with the imaginary version of yourself.” — Jerlad Watson (friend)

The best thing my parents taught me: My parents taught me the value of education. They have been very supportive throughout the years.

Favorite poet and why: I do not have a favorite poet. I was inspired by a few poets, namely Sophia Thakur a British spoken word poet, Reyna Biddy for her vulnerability and eloquent use of prose, Najwa Zebian and Kwabena Foli.

Book that influenced me the most: “Half of a Yellow Sun,” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie because it introduced me to historical fiction.

Next goal: To make the most of my tenure by launching my poet laureate initiative.

Black History Month Events

BHMCCV receives 2024 Commonwealth History Fund Grant

Free Press staff report

The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA) it is one of 14 organizations selected to receive a grant from the Virginia Museum History & Culture’s (VMHC) Commonwealth History Fund. BHMVA has been generously awarded $60,000.

The VMHC, in partnership with Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources (DHR), awards grants to history organizations and projects throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia through its Commonwealth History Fund. There are several key selection criteria to be considered for the grants, including the significance of the project or resource, its impact on its community and the Commonwealth, the focus on historically underrepresented topics and communities, and the need for funding and urgency of the project.

One of the largest initiatives of its kind, the Commonwealth History Fund is expected to award up to $2,000,000 over its first five years. In 2023, the VMHC

awarded $401,206 to fellow history organizations. Funds can be used for a variety of purposes including preservation, publications, artifact acquisition, research, conservation of artifacts and educational programming. Eligible recipients include Virginia non-profits, educational institutions, and state recognized Virginia Indian tribes. The Fund was made possible through the generosity of Dominion Energy

and others.

“The Commonwealth History Fund continues to exceed our expectations in supporting a wide range of historic preservation projects and initiatives across the state,” said VMHC President and CEO Jamie Bosket. “We remain committed to reaching more Virginians with this wonderful opportunity to invest in Virginia history.”

The Black History Museum preserves the inspirational stories of Virginia’s African-American people. The museum plans to use the Commonwealth History Fund grant to support the restoration of the museum’s 00 Clay St. property.

“The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia possesses amazing treasures that tell Virginia’s Black history story. The educational value of our collection is priceless. We are grateful for this grant because it supports our efforts to safeguard our treasures and make them more accessible,” said Shakia Gullette Warren, BHMVA executive director.

discusses the project that involved working with fellow Richmond artist Unicia Buster, below, to honor, through tapestry and quilting, community members whose contributions have uplifted and celebrated African American narratives. Ms. Buster, a textile artist, primarily working in fiber to create art quilts and soft sculptures, also engages in acrylic painting and mixed media.

Above right, Ana F. Edwards, a public historian, is recognized as a RVA 2024 Community Makers honoree. Ms. Edwards and her husband, Phil Wilayto, are two of four co-founders of the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality, an all-volunteer, anti-racist, internationalist, social justice activism group. The couple also founded the Defenders’ Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project, to promote the history, reclamation, and memorialization of Gabriel’s Rebellion and Richmond’s first municipal African Burial Ground.

J. Dontrese Brown (right), a 2024 Community Maker honoree, engages in conversation with Gary Garbett (left), a student in Mr. Brown’s master’s of mass communications program at VCU. Mr. Brown, recently co-founded “Hidden In Plain Site,” a virtual reality exploration highlighting overlooked sites across the nation that narrate the Black experience throughout American history.

The VMFA’s sixth annual public art project once again commemorates Black History Month with an art installation that unites local artists and the community to pay tribute to individuals who positively impact the Metro Richmond community. This year’s RVA 2024 Community Makers Unveiling took place at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on Feb. 15.

Right, Lucretia Anderson (right) shares a photo opportunity with Elvatrice Parker Belsches (left).

Ms. Belsches, a 2024 Community Makers honoree, is a public historian, archival researcher, lecturer, author, and filmmaker renowned for her lectures on the Black experience in history, both locally and nationally. She authored “Black America Series: Richmond, Virginia” and has received numerous awards for her work.

Below, the Sisters of the Yam African American Quilters Guild, a Richmond-based group founded in 2001 with a mission centered on the healing power of fabric and the preservation of quilting as an art form, were special guests at the Community Makers event.

Group members include, from left, Mary Lauderdale, Janice Braggs, Grace McClendon, Cheryl Jarrett and Faye Greene.

The RVA 2024 Community Makers project creator and lead artist, Hamilton Glass, above,

Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian

Shining a light on the ‘Rural Black Church’

By Debora Timms

Leonard L. Edloe, the founding pastor of Hartfield’s New Hope Fellowship Church, delves into the history and the legacy of the rural Black church in his recently self-published book, “Restoring the Glory: Breathing New Life into the Rural Black Church.”

His 110-page book also discusses the importance of the church’s role in the Black religious community and what the Richmond native sees as a crucial need to revitalize the institution to ensure its future, not only in Virginia but everywhere.

He spoke in a recent interview about the many reasons why the Black church, and especially the rural Black church, has been so important.

“The church was the only institution in our community that had power,” Dr. Edloe explained. “The power of just being organized and the power respected members of the church bring to the community. [The church] also filled many roles in the community.”

Historically, it was a place community members could come for spiritual guidance, but also practical assistance. New pastors fresh out of seminary were usually sent first to a rural church.

“The rural Black church still serves as a training ground for pastors,” he added.

Some of those pastors retain that connection even when they

move to larger urban churches and continue to preach in small rural churches simultaneously.

“Many Black pastors are bi-vocational,” Dr. Edloe said. “Having two churches might fulfill that need.”

Leading a church is his second career as well.

Dr. Edloe

A graduate of Armstrong High School, he earned a degree in pharmacy which led him to own and operate several pharmacies in Richmond. He continues to work part time filling prescriptions.

“As Black people, we have the worst health outcomes in this nation,” Dr. Edloe noted. “When I worked on my doctorate in pharmacy at the University of Florida, my pharmaceutical care project was on ‘Health Outcomes in Two Rural Black Churches.’

When I owned my pharmacies, I provided flu shots at the church. We also held countywide health fairs. To me, they are one and the same — healing of the body and healing of the spirit.”

Dr. Edloe became a pastor in 1997 after earning a divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

“Restoring the Glory: Breathing New Life into the Rural Black

Hair care products founder Joe Dudley dies

to create a multimillion-dollar, Black-owned hair care company, died Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at age 86. Funeral services were Monday, Feb. 19, at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Greensboro, N.C.

Born on May 9, 1937, in Aurora, a town near Beaufort, N.C., a young Mr. Dudley, with his mother’s help, overcame a speech impairment.

Mr. Dudley

Mr. Dudley went on to attend North Carolina A&T State University, where he majored in business administration.

During the summer of 1957, he traveled to Brooklyn, N.Y., to find employment. While there, he met a salesman working selling Fuller Products, a hair care line owned by Samuel B. Fuller, an African-American entrepreneur, according to Black Entrepreneur Profile. In a few months, he earned enough money to continue his studies in the fall. After returning to A&T, he continued selling Fuller products on campus.

In 1962, Mr. Dudley graduated from A&T with a bachelor’s, and he moved to New York to become a full-time employee of Fuller Products. As a troubleshooter for Fuller Products, Mr. Dudley traveled to cities with poor sales to determine how to improve sales.

In 1967, Mr. Dudley moved back to Greensboro and became an independent distributor for Fuller Products.

By the end of the 1960s, sales were low, and Fuller Products was struggling overall, so Mr. Dudley decided to make his own products at home. Mr. Dudley and his wife, Eunice, began their business by mixing shampoo and hair care formula in their kitchen in Greensboro, N.C. Local regulations prevented this, and the entrepreneur was forced to stop home production of hair products. To continue producing hair care products, Mr. Dudley bought space in a strip mall for his new business, Dudley’s Beauty Center and Salon. From day one, the Dudleys’ successful business experienced more success.

By 1975, he had started Dudley Products Company and employed approximately 400 salespeople. His initial success also enabled him to start a beauty school, and a

chain of beauty supply stores throughout the Southeastern United States.

Mr. Dudley never forgot his entrepreneurial beginnings. At Fuller’s request and to aid his former employer’s struggling business, Mr. Dudley moved to Chicago and ran both Dudley Products and Fuller Products.

In 1984, Mr. Dudley bought the rights to Fuller Products and moved back to Greensboro.

In 1988, he opened Dudley Cosmetology University located in Kernersville, N.C., and the following year opened Dudley Beauty School with eight locations. Mr. Dudley’s daughter now runs the company. In Chris Rock’s 2009 documentary “Good Hair,” Mr. Rock paid a visit to the Dudley Products factory during a segment on hair relaxer.

Church” began as a thesis in the winter semester of 2017. It was part of Dr. Edloe’s graduate studies when he returned to school to pursue a master’s in theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary.

The late Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, one of his professors and the first Black woman to be ordained in the Presbyterian church in the United States, told him he had a “good title for a thesis … and a good title for a book.”

As he wrote, finding sources about the history of rural Black churches proved difficult.

“Academically, there has been a disconnect too many times when it comes to the rural Black church,” Dr. Edloe said. “A lot of the history of rural churches has also been lost for numerous reasons. Church fires or fires in the homes of those who kept the records, along with not keeping good records as well.”

One of his first sources was the book “Dark Glory: A Picture of the Church among Negros in the Rural South,” written by one of Dr. Cannon’s professors, the theologian Harry V. Richardson. Another was a pamphlet written by VUU’s first Black president, Dr. John M. Ellison Sr.

Wanting to provide an easily accessible history of the rural Black church also motivated Dr. Edloe to publish his work. He wanted to provide advice and guidance to seminarians leading a rural church.

“There needs to be a change in theology,” he said. “Many of our traditions came out of the white church and the patriarchy.”

Adding that it was important to “take a fresh look at everything,” his book offers suggestions for revitalizing the church, emphasizing innovation, adaptability and a renewed commitment to the church’s core values.

His book already is being used as a resource by the Fellowship for Clergy in Rural and Underserved Areas at Campbell University in North Carolina whose members come from several states.

“We need to keep the church in our communities,” he emphasized. “Once you lose the institution, it’s hard to get it back and it needs to be there.”

Contract ID #: C00118973DB132

Staunton District Bridge Bundle

with design and construction experience of bridges. The Staunton District Bridge Bundle includes complete bridge replacements of Route U000 over Jackson River, Route 159 (1037) over Dunlap Creek, and Route 159 (1039) over Dunlap Creek; complete culvert replacement of Route 39 over Guys Run; and superstructure only replacement of Route 707 over North Fork of the Shenandoah River.

but not limited to: roadway and bridge design, survey, environmental, geotechnical, hydraulics and public involvement/relations and stakeholder coordination, quality assurance and quality control, construction engineering and inspection, and overall project management.

The

Marshall Eichfeld, P.E. (marshall.eichfeld@vdot.virginia.gov).

Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express (bidexpress.com)/ The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.

among other things all work required to support the design and construction of: (a) roadway; (b) survey; (c) structure and/ or bridge; (d) resurfacing of existing asphalt pavement ; resurfacing, repairing, rehabilitat ing (rubblizing, unbonded overlay), and/or removing of existing concrete pavement ; (e) environmental (f) geotechnical; (g) hydraulics; (h) stormwater management; (i) traffic control devices; (j) transportation management plan; (k) right -of -way; (l) utilities; (m) public involvement/ relations (n) quality assurance and quality control; (o) Intelligent Transpor tation Systems; (p)railroad; (q) construction engineering and inspection; and (r) overall Project management.

Q uestions/clarifications regarding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be submitted to Joseph A. Clarke, PE, DBIA (joseph.clarke@vdot.virginia.gov)

Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express (bidexpress.com)

The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non -discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.