Richmond Free Press March 21-23, 2024 edition

Richmond School Board discusses homebound learning, protocols for upcoming graduations

and another 24 students receive home instruction due to administrative placement.

Homebound students cannot attend school-sponsored events, including graduation ceremonies, without the approval of a school principal, the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee based on a medical professional’s

Rise up RISC continues mission for housing, safety, well-being

By George Copeland Jr.

The city of Richmond’s current and potential political leaders committed themselves to more action on affordable housing, mobile home repair and replacement, and discussions on gun violence prevention Tuesday evening, during RISC’s 2024 Nehemiah Action Assembly.

The

“It is a true honor to serve alongside you and with you,” said Sandra

Richmond native Willie Williams III passes away at 93

By Debora Timms

Willie Williams III’s life reflected unlimited service and leadership in the Richmond community. Born July 31, 1930, Mr. Williams left this life on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the age of 93.

He met his wife of 42 years, Jean T. Williams, through a mutual friend, Charlie Taylor. That introduction brought the couple and their two families together. They were married in May 1981.

‘He was always involved with trying to move things forward for us as a community and as a people.’

“It was one of those moments where your spirit moved,” Mrs. Williams shared by phone recently. “I knew the beat of his heart, and he knew the beat of mine.”

– L. DougLas WiLDer

She added that, above all else, her husband, known affectionately as Bill, was a family man and a people person.

“He just loved people; he never met a stranger,” she said.

That ability to connect and earn respect was evident even in his days at Armstrong High School, where he served as president of his graduating class in 1947.

“I believe that we had a really outstanding class,” recalled a former classmate who went on to serve as the nation’s first elected Black governor, L. Douglas Wilder. “For him to be selected and elected as our class president shows you how much we thought of him. He carried through with that for the better part of his life.”

After high school, Mr. Williams joined the U.S. Navy. His wife said he “broke the ice,”

Mr. Williams

as his enlistment came on the heels of the executive order signed by President Harry S Truman on July 26, 1948, that desegregated the military.

“I have a lovely photo of him from Great Lakes Naval Station. He is one of maybe five Black men in the rows of hundreds,” Mrs. Williams said.

Judge clears way for Trump to appeal ruling keeping Fani Willis on Georgia 2020 election case

George Copeland Jr./Richmond Free Press

Hundreds of RISC members fill the pews of St. Paul’s Baptist Church during the annual Nehemiah Action Assembly on Tuesday evening.

About

Richmond Continentals host free financial workshop

Free Press staff report

The Richmond Continental Societies will host a free financial literacy workshop for high school students and parents Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to noon at Armstrong High School, 2300 Cool Lane.

Steve Wilborn and Paula Buckley will have a presentation covering budgeting, taxes, entrepreneurship, net and gross income, and saving and investing. Free pizza, soft drinks and snacks will be provided. Email richmondcontinentalsocietiesinc@yahoo.com to RSVP by Thursday, March 21, at 5 p.m. For questions, please contact Sandra Francis at sfrancisconsult@gmail.com or (804) 921-9838.

The Richmond Continental Societies, Inc. also is accepting applications to participate in the 2024 workshop series and traveling tour of Norfolk State University and the Virginia Air & Space Science Center (VASCC) on Thursday, April 4. Participants must arrive at Virginia Union University by 8 a.m. to depart at 9 a.m. and return to VUU at 6:30 p.m.

Students and parents must attend two mandatory workshops on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to noon at Armstrong High School. Topics covered will be college admissions essays, financial aid, GPAs, SATs, ACTs and transcripts.

Applications and a $50 nonrefundable registration fee are due by Sunday, March 24. The registration fee includes round-trip transportation, snacks, lunch and tour-printed materials. Admission to VASCC is free. Slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The application deadline is Sunday, March 24, and applications received after the deadline will be placed on a waitlist. Incomplete applications or applications without the registration fee will not be accepted. Applications should be emailed to richmondcontinentalsocietiesinc@yahoo.com with the subject line “2024 College Tour.”

For questions and more information, please contact Nkechi George-Winkler, chapter president, at richmondcontinentalsocietiesinc@yahoo.com.

Elegba Folklore Society welcomes Kenyan delegation

Free Press staff report

The public is invited to Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center on Tuesday, March 26, at 6 p.m. to “Meet the Maasai.” Chief Joseph Ole Tipanko, Cicilia Seleyian and Kilenyi John Parsitau are visiting Richmond from Maasailand in Kenya, and they will share with attendees the indigenous history of the Maasai along with their evolving stories split between Kenya and Tanzania as a result of both British and German colonization.

Members of the delegation also will talk about several aspects of contemporary life among the Maasai and their intersectionality with life outside of their community. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and engage with members of the delegation about their personal experiences and world view.

The Maasai are known worldwide for their rich bead work and textiles. “Meet the Maasai” also includes a display and sale of handmade beaded jewelry and colorful indigenous textiles.

Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center is located at 101 E Broad St., Richmond, VA in the Downtown Arts District.

For more information, please email story1@efsinc.org, or call (804) 644-3900.

Free community testing for COVID-19 continues

Local muralist Ed Trask recently completed a major undertaking on the old Bellevue Cleaners’ wall that celebrates various aspect of Richmond’s “NORTHSIDE” at the Corner of Brook Road and Bellvue Avenue.

The mural is a colorful and intimate salute to Rich -

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-19-testing-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 six months to four 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 years old who are unvaccinated or have received a vaccine before Sept. 12, 2023, should get one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Those age 12 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.

Information compiled by George Copeland Jr.

mond’s North Side neighborhoods.

Mr. Trask is a musician, painter and wellknown muralist whose work can be seen in various other neighborhoods across the city. His work, both his paintings and murals, are in numerous permanent collections including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Gov. Youngkin vetoes bills to rejoin voter-sharing organization

By Emily Richardson Capital News Service

Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently vetoed two bills that would have allowed Virginia to rejoin a national organization that helps maintain voter rolls.

The nonpartisan Election Registration Information Center, or ERIC, ensures up-to-date voter rolls and helps voters register when they move, according to Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico. Virginia was a founding member of ERIC in 2012 under the direction of former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Virginia withdrew from ERIC in May 2023, citing other states departing and “increasing concerns regarding stewardship, maintenance, privacy and confidentiality of voter information,” among other reasons, according to a letter from the commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections. Nine states had left ERIC by October 2023, according to Sen. VanValkenburg.

Sen. VanValkenburg introduced Senate Bill 606 to require state membership in ERIC and a budget amendment to cover membership fees. Del. Mark Sickles, DFairfax, introduced an identical measure. Democrats narrowly pushed the proposals past both chambers, where they hold a slim majority.

The vetoes come at a time when election methods and voting-related policy are being questioned by state legislatures across the country.

“Objectively, ERIC is the best way to maintain up-to-date voter rolls,” Sen. VanValkenburg said.

He expressed disappointment with the veto and the governor’s “continued insistence on playing politics with our election security” ahead of the 2024 election on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“It is deeply troubling for our democracy when our Governor and Virginia

Republicans compromise the security of our elections and our ability to maintain accurate voter lists in an attempt to satiate the most extreme, MAGA-wing of their party,” Sen. VanValkenburg stated.

Sen. VanValkenburg said he thought the governor might veto his bill. The state budget has $200,000 allotted to cover the membership cost, which the General Assembly passed in its final version.

states fueled by “right-wing misinformation,” according to Sen. VanValkenburg.

Virginia’s decision to leave ERIC was a result of “persistent management issues, improper data use, escalating costs and the inability to meet statutory requirements for border state information sharing,” the governor stated in his veto of SB 606.

Virginia attempted to reform the organization’s bylaws before leaving, according to Gov. Youngkin’s spokesperson Christian Martinez.

The Department of Elections could use ERIC in tandem with other services, Del. Sickles stated. Pointing out that the department previously praised ERIC, he said, “Nothing changed in the ERIC states to reduce its effectiveness or quality.”

A 2022 list maintenance report by the Virginia Department of Elections states that participation in ERIC “streamlined” Virginia’s cooperation with other states in the sharing of voter registration data.

The 2023 report briefly mentions ERIC but focused on how the department now works to confirm state voter data, including felony convictions that prevent a person from voting. The new approach yielded criticism after 3,400 qualified voters were purged from the list.

Virginia signed agreements with six nearby states last September to share data and “securely compare voter lists and identify potential voter fraud.”

Currently 24 states and the District of Columbia are ERIC members. There was a recent exodus of Republican-led member

“Virginia decided to diversify its list maintenance efforts, successfully sought direct access to state and federal data sources and increased the number of states from where we receive data,” Mr. Martinez stated.

These current agreements incur no additional costs, according to the veto, which also states that ERIC membership fees have increased more than 115% since 2022.

Election law became a partisan issue as a result of misinformation former President Donald Trump and other election deniers spread about ERIC and election administration, Sen. VanValkenburg said.

“I think ERIC got caught up in the big lie of the 2020 election, and unfortunately that’s filtered its way down to the votes on rejoining,” he added.

Noting the importance of legislators make secure and accessible elections a bipartisan priority, Sen. VanValkenburg said he has advocated such practices since becoming a member of the General Assembly.

“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get bipartisan support.”

Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia.

Va. court says lease agreements can’t override landlord’s duty to keep property ‘habitable’

By Sarah Vogelson Virginia Mercury

In a case involving a flea infestation of an Alexandria rental, the Virginia Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, March 12, that lease agreements can’t override state law requiring that landlords keep their properties “in a fit and habitable condition.”

Under the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act, tenants must “take an active role in keeping the dwelling unit free from pests by promptly notifying the landlord of any infestations,” wrote Judge Doris Henderson Causey in a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel. However, she concluded, the law makes it clear that “it is ultimately the landlord’s duty to keep the premises habitable.”

Tuesday’s ruling stems from a conflict over a lease for a single-family home in Alexandria that Mikeya Vance rented from landlord Christopher Parrish in September 2021. According to court records, Ms. Vance moved into the property Oct. 15, 2021 and immediately observed fleas in her bed. She then left the property Oct. 25 and notified Mr. Parrish of the infestation.

The account of events provided by the appeals court outlines a string of extermination attempts undertaken by both Ms. Vance and Mr. Parrish. Ms. Vance first asked to end her lease Nov. 17, but Mr.

Parrish refused. On Jan. 5, 2022, she filed a complaint against her landlord in Fairfax County General District Court seeking to terminate her lease and recover the rent she had paid during the infestation. While the district court ruled against her, the county circuit court later ruled in her favor.

In appealing that decision, Mr. Parrish argued that Ms. Vance was responsible for dealing with the infestation, since the lease the two had signed stated the tenant would have the responsibility of “controlling and eliminating household pests including but not limited to fleas, ticks, bed bugs, roaches, silverfish, ants, crickets, and rodents during occupancy” and would be on the hook for “costs of the elimination of all such pests and vermin.”

Ms. Vance in turn contended that Virginia’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act requires landlords to keep properties habitable and forbids that responsibility from being transferred to tenants.

The appeals court agreed. “When a lease provision purports to waive [a] tenant’s rights or remedies required by law, the law controls and the lease provision is unenforceable,” Judge Causey wrote. Among the duties of a landlord that can’t be waived are the duty to “keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition,” she concluded. The presence of fleas, she found, “certainly can render the premises uninhabitable” because of the diseases

they can carry.

“Here, the lease agreement between Mr. Parrish and Ms. Vance attempted to shift the burden to deal with insect infestations to Vance,” Judge Causey wrote. “However, the lease could not do so because Ms. Vance did not waive the warranty of habitability by signing the lease agreement.”

The appeals court also rejected another argument by Mr. Parrish that the circuit court hadn’t had sufficient evidence to determine the fleas had been there prior to Ms. Vance moving in.

During a hearing on the case this past September, Ms. Vance’s attorney, Karen Leiser, argued that the circuit court hadn’t been unreasonable in its ruling.

“If the tenant had somehow brought the fleas with her or had caused an infestation in some way, it is possible that that burden would shift to her to remediate the problem, but that is not what the trial court found,” Ms. Leiser told the appeals court. “The trial court found that the fleas must have already been there, and therefore it was the landlord’s obligation under the statute to remedy that problem.”

Judge Causey concluded that even though Mr. Parrish “asserts that Ms. Vance caused the flea infestation, the circuit court was entitled to credit” other testimony “that the flea activity had been ongoing for months, even before Ms. Vance took possession of the property.”

Gov. McDonnell Sen. VanValkenburg

Local News

RPS principals receive R.E.B. Awards

By Darlene M. Johnson

John Marshall High School Principal Monica Murray is a recipient of the 2024 R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership, according to an announcement by Richmond Public Schools. William Fox Elementary School Prinicipal Daniela Jacobs was named a finalist for the award.

The award, presented by the R.E.B. Foundation and the Community Foundation, recognizes principals who “have gone above and beyond the everyday duties of their position to create an exceptional educational environment.” Principals are nominated by the school community and the public at-large. Nominees must also meet specific requirements including being a principal for three years or more, demonstrating leadership,

Mrs. Murray

exemplifying commitment and maintaining dialogue with students, parents, faculty and staff.

Mrs. Murray has been a principal at John Marshall High School since 2018. She has spent her career helping students and staff reach their full potential through mastery of learning and establishing a positive and nurturing school culture, according to the announcement. Under her leadership, John Marshall High School achieved full accreditation, staff have excelled into new positions and community partnerships have increased.

Mrs. Jacobs has been a principal at William Fox Elementary

All Henrico Reads features for ‘Wild’ memoir discussion

All Henrico Reads, Henrico County’s long-running

event, will return Thursday, March 28, with bestselling and award-winning author Cheryl Strayed discussing her 2012 memoir “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.” Ms. Strayed will appear at 7 p.m. at the Henrico Sports & Events Center, 11000 Telegraph Road. The event is free and open to the public.

In “Wild,” Ms. Strayed explores themes of connection, resilience and love following the sudden loss of her beloved mother as well as her family drifting apart. Seeking solace, she considers hiking by herself across the Pacific Crest Trail. She begins the journey from California to Washington and works through her grief on the trail, emerging transformed.

and an Oprah Book Club selection. In 2014, it was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film, starring Reese Witherspoon.

Ms. Strayed

“Wild” was a yearslong New York Times Bestseller

“We are honored to have Cheryl Strayed as our author for All Henrico Reads and to welcome our enthusiastic community of readers to the new Henrico Sports & Events Center,” HCPL Director Barbara Weedman said. “We are grateful to our Friends of Henrico County Public Library and Henrico County Public Schools for the wonderful and enduring partnership that makes this exciting event possible each year. We hope you will come out and enjoy a great evening with us.”

Ms. Strayed’s presentation will be followed by book sales and signings.

For more information on All Henrico Reads, book discussions and other programs related to this year’s title and its themes, visit www.henricolibrary.org/ahr.

Saturday, March 16, at 3107 Old Hilliard

“At RVA Hot Wheelz, we believe in providing more than just a car rental service; we offer an unparalleled experience,” according to a JWC Foundation news release about the event.

“Our mission is to elevate the traditional concept of car rentals

since 2005. “She builds community by learning the names of every student at the school, regularly visiting classrooms and coordinating small group events for student achievement,” according to the announcement. “Mrs. Jacobs enhances the joy of learning through initiatives such as ‘Stop, Drop and Read,’” which is exciting for students who need after-school tutoring, according to RPS.

Mrs. Jacobs

“I want to congratulate both Principal Murray and Principal Jacobs on this incredible honor,” Superintendent Jason Kamras said. “They exemplify what it means to #LeadWithLove and I am confident that under their direction our students will continue to thrive.”

Registration opens for HCPS Summer Academy

Free Press staff report

Registration opens this month for Henrico County Public Schools’ Summer Academy. According to HCPS, the program gives elementary, middle and high school students opportunities for enrichment, remediation and career exploration.

The 2024 Summer Academy is scheduled for 26 HCPS sites: 11 elementary schools, six middle schools, six high schools and two Advanced Career Education Centers, along with online summer instruction for Henrico Virtual Academy students. Programs include high school credit recovery classes, driver education classes, English-learner classes and extended school year programming for some students with disabilities. For more details

and to apply, visit www.henricoschools. us/page/summer-academy.

Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. HCPS transportation is provided for most Summer Academy programs. Some programs have tuition costs. At some Summer Academy sites, the Henrico Education Foundation will offer afternoon enrichment opportunities to support students who need after-school care. Find out more about registration and locations at www.henricogives.reg. eleyo.com.

HCPS also is seeking Summer Academy staff including teachers with licenses and degrees, instructional assistants, registered nurses and clinic aides. Find out more and apply for available positions at www.henricoschools.us/o/hcps/page/ summer-academy-staff-2024.

Let’s

roll

by infusing it with style, adventure and exceptional service.

From the moment our customers step into one of our vehicles, including the iconic Polaris Slingshot, they embark on a journey filled with excitement and possibility.”

For more information about the company, contact: Dashia Oliver and Destiny Oliver at Oliverd@rvahotwheelz. com.

Maymont welcomes all for 2024 Dominion Energy Family Easter events

Free Press staff report

Maymont invites local families to celebrate spring at Dominion Energy Family Easter on Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s event will more than double in size, with dozens of different activities and games stretching from the Carriage House Lawn to The Robins Nature Center and Maymont Farm, plus three stages of live entertainment, two Golden Egg Hunts, and a chance to pose for photos with the Easter Bunny presented by Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods. All three entrances and parking areas will be open for the “eggs-travaganza” this year, with popular local food vendors offering tempting options for family picnics.

Admission is $5 per person — free for Maymont members and Museums for All participants — and includes three activity tickets for Easter-themed games such as the life-size Candy Adventure, the Carrot Pull and Hen House Hoopla, plus inflatable sports games, bonnet-making and other spring crafts, the Planting Station and temporary tattoos. Activity tickets also gain entry to The Robins Nature Center, featuring the “Run of the River” experience and a new otter. Many activities earn small prizes or Easter eggs, so families should bring Easter baskets to take

home the bounty. For “eggs-tra” fun, families can purchase more activity tickets for $2. Included in admission are live performances by Jonathan the Juggler and a showcase of local talent from the SPARC Touring Ensemble, the Jump Rope Squad, and more. Other activities included are the Hopstacle Course, the Chalk Zone, the Dance Zone with a live DJ, a chance to Pet an Alpaca, and Creature Features presented by Maymont educators.

This year’s Community Zone will expand as well, filled with public service heroes and helpers along with their fire engines, emergency vehicles and utility trucks, as well as local sports mascots, family-friendly businesses like Publix and Soccer Shots, and area nonprofit groups. And the Golden Egg Hunt doubles in size this year, with even more chances to solve riddles and earn a prize-filled egg at each surprise location around Maymont. It’s a fun way to “eggs-plore” Maymont’s many gardens, animal habitats and historic features across the 100-acre grounds.

“We are expanding Dominion Energy Family Easter this year to welcome more members of the greater Richmond community to come out and celebrate the season together,” said Parke Richeson, Maymont’s president and CEO. “It’s a special way

for families to have fun and share this unique public green space, while event proceeds help us care for Maymont and keep it open and accessible for all, year-round.”

Advance reservations are recommended, with a choice of entry times — morning (9 a.m.–12.p.m.) or afternoon (12–3 p.m.) — and everyone can stay and play all day. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Maymont. org. Event proceeds benefit Maymont. The event is rain or shine, and tickets are non-refundable, except in the case that Maymont cancels the event.

Event admission also may be purchased in person in advance on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays by visiting The Robins Nature Center or Stone Barn Welcome Center between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Museums for All participants may reserve free event admission for themselves and up to three guests by presenting an EBT card at these locations or at check-in on the day of the event. Volunteers are welcome, too; find details and sign-up forms at maymont.org.

Free parking is available by the Hampton Street entrance, The Robins Nature Center, and Maymont Farm, as well as on-street parking. The grounds are open only to event participants until 4 p.m., when Maymont will reopen to the general public until 7 p.m.

RVA Hot Wheelz, a luxury car rental company owned by Dashia Oliver and Destiny Oliver, celebrated its grand opening

Road.

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmomd Free Press

Twins Desitny Oliver and Dashia Oliver cut the ribbon for their new business, RVA Hot Wheelz Slingshot Rentals, Saturday in Henrico County. Anthony J. Romanello, a county representative, and Crystal Simmons of the Jackson Ward Collective were on hand to congratulate the women business owners.

School Board discusses homebound learning, protocols for upcoming graduations

Continued from A1 certification of homebound services.

Mr. Jackson was not allowed to attend school-sponsored events as part of the homebound program and he did not attend graduation rehearsal. However, Huguenot’s school counselor, Monique Harris, told Mr. Jackson’s mother, Tameeka JacksonSmith, that Mr. Jackson could be “squeezed” into the ceremony if Mrs. Jackson-Smith believed the rehearsal would be “too dangerous,” according to the Sands Anderson report. There was no approval from the school principal, superintendent or the superintendent’s designee.

The presentation by Chief Academic Officer for Secondary Education Solomon Jefferson also focused on a revised process to certify graduates. Principals will be required to personally review transcripts and discipline records of all graduates before

May 22. Principals also will determine whether:

• A student meets all requirements for graduation without reservations,

• A student meets all requirements but raise safety concerns,

• A student does not meet all requirements.

When safety concerns occur, the principal can recommend a review by the High School Principal Director Willie Bell and Mr. Jefferson.

Principals’ certification and secondary approval from the principal director and chief academic officer for secondary education are part of a set of monitoring systems put in place to ensure care and safety. Other monitoring systems include weekly graduation meetings. Dedicated staff in the Care and Safety and Climate and Culture Offices will receive updates on court-involved students.

Further, homebound and home-based seniors who want to

RISC continues mission for housing, safety, well being

Continued from A1

Ms. Lynch, who agreed to patron the Trust Fund resolution and to ensure a mobile home fund amendment would be in the budget if it wasn’t already there.

She also charged the RISC members present to bring this same energy and collective organizing to other political offices outside the City of Richmond.

“It is not in any way equitable, just or Christ-like that we live in a country with so much and yet so many suffering with so little,” Ms. Lynch said. “If you live in Henrico, you live in Chesterfield, you live in other localities, I want you to push your electorate and challenge your elected leaders to do the same.”

Councilmembers Addison and Lambert agreed to co-patron the resolutions. Councilmember Ellen F. Robertson also agreed to support efforts in improving affordable housing and supporting mobile home repair and replacement, though she said additional budget amendments might not be necessary.

The event brought hundreds of parishioners from throughout Richmond and from more than 20 member congregations to St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Henrico County, filling many of the sanctuary’s pews. Energized, it was obvious that they are eager to see their concerns addressed, along with progress on their goals as a coalition.

The commitments RISC presented seek to ensure the dedicated funding stream for the Trust Fund is fully followed through

and supported after the City Council established the stream in 2021. They also would provide further funding for the Mobile Home Repair Program that began last June with $800,000 in funds, and has so far completed work on 11 homes in the city with around 10 more underway. Roughly 67 homes could be repaired and another six could be replaced with the additional funding, according to RISC.

“We are making a difference because we care about how people live,” said the Rev. Ralph Hodge of Second Baptist Church (Southside) and a RISC member. “We want everyone to be safe, alive and free.”

RISC also began the process of building partnerships with and securing commitments from candidates who hope to succeed Levar M. Stoney as mayor of Richmond.

Mr. Addison, former City Council President Michelle Mosby, security professional Maurice Neblett, community advocate Bridgette Whitaker, HR consultant firm CEO Garrett Sawyer and businessman Harrison Roday are set to attend a RISC roundtable discussion on gun violence prevention and a forum to share their plans for the office.

Ms. Whitaker was a very new addition to the candidates scheduled to appear at the assembly, while one of the slated mayoral candidates, former City Councilmember Chris Hilbert, dropped out of the race hours earlier.

The gun violence roundtable is of particular importance to RISC, who have sought for years to see a Group Violence

Intervention solution implemented in Richmond to better tackle shootings deaths.

While efforts over the years to collaborate with Mayor Stoney on GVI have not been successful, the framework was adopted in Hopewell through a partnership with Real Life, a Richmond organization focused on recovery homes and gun violence reduction through mentorships who work closely with RISC.

Since the SAF (Safe, Alive and Free) program started in 2022, homicides decreased by 71% from June to December in Hopewell last year compared to similar time periods in 2022, according to Mike Zohab, violence prevention initiative program manager for Real Life.

Plans now are underway to bring GVI to Hopewell’s Tri Cities in the future, starting in Petersburg, and to collaborate with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority on a GVI program in the city’s public housing communities that could begin in June.

“We want what they are doing in Hopewell here in Richmond,” said the Rev. Marvin Gilliam of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church who serves as RISC’s co-president.

“This gun violence campaign has been long and we recognize that, and yet the restoration and lives saved in the end will be well-worth the struggle.”

The candidates said they plan to attend RISC’s GVI Roundtable on Monday, May 20 and a Mayoral Candidates Forum on Thursday, Aug. 29.

participate in their graduation ceremony are required to follow specific protocols. Homebound students require written documentation from a medical or mental health professional. Home-based students must receive documentation that the student is medically able to attend and court-involved students require a letter of support from the Court Services Unit that confirms the student’s full compliance of court mandates and there are no safety concerns. Principals will communicate with families who are not permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies and they will ensure that these students receive a diploma, cap and gown and are honored.

Process and protocol

By Darlene M. Johnson

A Care and Safety update was distributed to the Richmond Public School Board during its meeting Monday. The board also discussed graduation security and procedures for this school year’s graduation ceremonies.

Graduation ceremonies will be at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (GRCC) or Virginia Union University (VUU). All graduation attendees must follow a set of protocols, including going through metal detectors, no loitering, no re-entry after exiting and only bringing clear gallon-sized zip-lock bags. Graduates cannot enter the venue in regalia and attendees must exit the premises immediately after the ceremony. Ceremonies at VUU will have 10 Richmond Police Department officers, 10 VUU officers, 10 RMC Events security personnel, 15 RPS care and safety associates, 10 RPS administrators and two EMTs. Ceremonies at the GRCC will have 30 RPD officers, 90 RMC Events security personnel, 30 RPS care and safety associates, 30 RPS administrators and four EMTs.

To further ensure the safety and wellness of students and staff, there will be wellness areas at each ceremony. The wellness areas will allow staff and students who feel anxious at the ceremonies to speak to a mental health professional.

More information is available through the RPS BoardDocs at www.go.boarddocs.com/vsba/richmond/Board.nsf/Public.

RPS 2024 Graduation Ceremonies

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Venue: Virginia Union University-Living and Learning Center

• 9 a.m. - Open High School

• 12 p.m. - Richmond Community High School

• 3 p.m. - Franklin Military Academy

• 6 p.m. - Richmond Virtual Academy

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Venue: Greater Richmond Convention

• 12 p.m. - Huguenot High School

• 3 p.m. - John Marshall High School

• 6 p.m. - Thomas Jefferson High School

Friday, May 31, 2024

Venue: Greater Richmond Convention Center

• 12 p.m. - Armstrong High School

• 3 p.m. - Richmond High School for the Arts

Richmond native Willie Williams III passes away at 93

Continued from A1

“He loved being in the military.”

When Mr. Williams retired from the Navy after 20 years as an operations specialist and training administrator, he went on to attend Richmond Business College and then became a special agent with Prudential Life Insurance Company. During his time with Prudential, he became part of the Million Dollar Roundtable, an independent trade association that recognizes high-performing agents and standards of excellence in the industry.

His final business pursuits were spurred on by his love for childhood summers spent at the shore in Avalon, N.J.

“He and his family worked in a restaurant there and he developed a love for it,” Mrs. Williams explained. “That experience was part of his starting Flamingo Restaurant & Lounge.”

He ran the business for more than 20 years with the support of family. The couple also bought a travel business and operated American World Tours for 28 years.

“[Flamingo] was the meeting place for the Black community,” Mrs. Williams said. “There was not a Black politician in Richmond that didn’t utilize those facilities.”

Gov. Wilder added that Mr. Williams also recognized not everyone had the money to rent a facility.

“He made [Flamingo] available for civic meeting and discourse ... often not charging,” he remembered. “He was part of the community. He was always involved with trying to move things forward for us as a community and as a people.”

He also served as a leader in the community as is evidenced by his involvement with a range of organizations throughout his life, starting

with his connection to his home church, Sharon Baptist Church.

“He always told me about how his grandma raised him since the age of 2,” Mrs. Williams said. “She took him to Sharon Baptist and he always said that would be his church forever.”

A lifelong member, Mr. Williams was a deacon with the church and served for a period as its budget director. He also was honored in 2003 for “outstanding contribution and leadership” for his service as a past chairman and member of WTVR-TV/ CBS 6’s Black Advisory Council (BAC) for 25 years. The BAC was the forerunner of the station’s Community Advisory Council.

Mr. Williams’ list of additional community involvement is long and varied, including being a longtime member and former business manager of the Military Retirees’ Club, a life member and service officer of the Veteran of Foreign

Wars, a trustee of the Iota Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, a former treasurer of Living the Dream, Inc., a past founder and board chairman of the Richmond Economic Development Corporation, and a past president of both the Richmond NAACP and the Richmond Crusade for Voters.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Williams is survived by his four children, Katrina W. Flannigan, Wanda W. Harvey (Gary), Wayne A. Williams and Constance W.B. Washington, as well as a stepdaughter, Cassandra Edwards. He was a grandfather to 12, great-grandfather to 22 and great-great-grandfather to one. A wake will be held for Mr. Williams from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at Scott’s Funeral Home, 115 E. Brookland Park Blvd. Funeral services will take place 11 a.m. the following day, Wednesday, March 27, at Sharon Baptist Church, 500 E. Laburnum Ave.

Still no clear answers about the fate of Richmond Community Hospital

Continued from A1

However, VUU hasn’t fully, publicly detailed what might come next for the former hospital or committed to specific alternatives, and a town hall meeting Wednesday evening at Linwood Holton Elementary School offered few straight answers.

“We still haven’t heard them say no demolition. We’re still concerned about that,” said Viola Baskerville, who attended the meeting that drew about 70 other members of the community. “We are excited to hear that they agree to adaptive reuse of the building, but we want to also have them have Historic Richmond come in and do an independent assessment of that building.”

VUU appeared open to other options after a private meeting between Ms. Baskerville, The Camel owner Farid Alan Schintzius, VUU President Hakim J. Lucas and 3rd District Councilmember Ann-Frances Lambert last Thursday.

Ms. Baskerville, a former state House Delegate who has helped lead community efforts to preserve the hospital, and Mr. Schintzius shared with Dr. Lucas and Ms. Lambert their ideas to preserve the hospital. According to Ms. Baskerville, they found an open audience for their ideas.

“(Dr. Lucas) was receptive and committed to rehabilitation of the building and adaptive reuse,” Ms. Baskerville said. This news was further expanded in a Thursday statement from Ms. Lambert, who confirmed that VUU hasn’t submitted a demolition permit for the site following a conversation with Kevin J. Vonck, director of Planning Development and Review for the City of Richmond.

Ms. Lambert also noted that, while City Council has no authority to stop a demolition permit once submitted, she was committed to ensuring the hospital isn’t removed.

“I am absolutely opposed to any attempt to demolish the former Richmond Community Hospital,” Ms. Lambert said, “and I will stand in complete solidarity with the community to oppose all efforts to demolish this historic asset to our community.”

The Thursday meeting was one of the more significant developments in the conversation around the hospital and its future. Growing public awareness of VUU’s plans for the site had inspired community outcry in the weeks beforehand, along with efforts from officials and organizations throughout the city

to offer compromises and alternatives to the demolition.

The 3rd District Town Hall, organized by Ms. Lambert, wouldn’t see further answers provided or more definitive messages on the matter.

Franklin Patterson, VUU’s vice president of administrative services and iInfrastructure management, attended the meeting in place of Dr. Lucas, who had originally been scheduled to appear and discuss their plans for the hospital.

He stressed that, despite what “misconceptions” the community may have heard, the hospital’s removal was not part of VUU’s plans for the area but didn’t give more concrete details for how they may preserve the building.

“Yes, there is an affordable housing project on the table in its early stages,” Dr. Patterson said. “But the president has committed to working with community leaders, having a meeting with them on campus in the near future (...) to talk about the Community Hospital and how we can get the best and brightest minds to figure out how to redevelop, reuse, repurpose this hospital into this other project.”

“We have no fight with the community. We are committed to working with everyone.”

Advocates and concerned residents are set to return to the hospital for another community gathering Sunday, April 7, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Judge clears way for Trump to appeal ruling

Continued from A1

judge said Willis can remain on the most sprawling of four criminal cases against the former president as long as Mr. Wade resigns, which he did last Friday.

But the judge also rebuked Ms. Willis for her “tremendous” lapse in judgment and questioned the truthfulness of Mr. Wade’s and her testimony about the timing of their relationship. While the judge did not find the relationship created a conflict of interest that should force Ms. Willis off the case, he said an “appearance of impropriety” infected the prosecution team.

Attorneys for Mr. Trump and the other defendants said in court papers on Monday that Mr. Wade’s resignation was not enough to correct that. Defense lawyers say a failure to remove Ms. Willis could imperil any convictions and force a retrial if an appeals court later finds it was warranted.

Jeff DiSantis, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, noted in a text message that the case had not been put

on hold, so he said the office will “work to move it forward to trial as quickly as possible.” The district attorney’s office will only comment on the appeal in court filings, he said.

Ms. Willis’ romantic relationship with Mr. Wade has roiled the case for weeks, overshadowing the allegations charging Trump and 18 others with trying to illegally overturn his narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 in a desperate bid to remain in power.

Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty and has denied doing anything wrong. The presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election has characterized all the criminal cases against him as an effort to hurt his bid to reclaim the White House in November.

Defense attorneys alleged that Ms. Willis paid Mr. Wade large sums for his work and then improperly benefited from the prosecution of the case when Mr. Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations for the two of them.

Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade acknowledged they engaged in a romantic relationship, but they rejected the idea that Ms. Willis improperly benefited from it, as lawyers for Mr. Trump and some of his co-defendants alleged. Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade insisted they didn’t begin dating until after he became special prosecutor and the relationship ended in the summer of 2023. They both said that Ms. Willis either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Mr. Wade for travel expenses.

Mr. Wade offered his resignation in a letter to Ms. Willis on Friday, saying he was doing so “in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public and to move this case forward as quickly as possible.”

“I will always remember — and will remind everyone — that you were brave enough to step forward and take on the investigation and prosecution of the allegations that the defendants in this case engaged in a conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 Presidential Election,” Ms. Willis wrote in a letter accepting his resignation.

AMMD Pine Grove prepares to stabilize building, debut film ‘More than a School’

Free Press staff report

The past and future of the historic Pine Grove School will be the focus of two events hosted by the AMMD Pine Grove Project during the last week of March and the first week of April.

The history of the Pine Grove community centers around Pine Grove Elementary School. Completed in 1917, the Pine Grove School is a part of a system of schools conceived by Booker T. Washington and supported through the philanthropy of Julius Rosenwald. The school has been recognized on the Virginia Landmark Register and National Register of Historic Places. The school is documented as part of Preservation Virginia’s survey of African-American and Rosenwald Schools.

Through the years, the school not only educated students, it served as a community center and gathering place for the nearby residents. The school closed in 1964. However, the spirit of the school lives on in its graduates who have organized the Agee Miller Mayo Dungy (AMMD) Pine Grove Project and work to protect the historic African-American school at the heart of the community.

On Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m., Cumberland County residents are invited to attend the Pine Grove Project’s monthly meeting that will focus on construction to stabilize the historic school, located at 267 Pinegrove Road. To register for the meeting, please visit https://tinyurl.com/ammdpgpeventsreg.

Also, on April 5, the Pine Grove Project will help debut the first showing of the documentary “Pine Grove: More than a School” produced by Departure Point Films.

The premiere is at 5 p.m. in the Robert Russa Moton Museum at 900 Griffin Blvd., and includes a keynote address from Kwesi M. Daniels, orator and head of the Architecture Department at Tuskegee University.

Tickets cost $30 and may be purchased at http://www.ammdpinegroveproject.com/shop.

By Debora Timms

Healing in the context of community will be the central theme of this year’s 14th Annual Lemon Project symposium taking place March 22-23 at the William & Mary School of Education.

The two-day event, titled “Taking Our Time: Healing Through Black History, Family and Communities,” is free to attend either in person or virtually via Zoom, but those interested in attending are asked to register in advance.

On Saturday morning, Queen Quet, chieftess of the Gullah/ Geechee Nation, will deliver the symposium’s keynote address. She is an advocate for the continuation of the Gullah/Geechee culture and has spoken on behalf of her people before the United Nations. Her address, “Healing de Black Famlee: A Gullah/ Geechee Circle of Healing Session,” will share traditions of the Sea Islands from the Carolinas to Florida.

On both days, panel discussions will feature students, faculty and alumni of William & Mary as well as scholars and community members sharing their expertise and lived experiences on a range of

topics from the legacies of school integration to the role free Black Virginians played in the establishment of Liberia, West Africa.

Some of the panels may be of particular interest to Richmonders.

The University of Virginia’s Descendants of Enslaved Communities will present “Preserving Legacies: Memorialization and Commemoration” on Friday morning. It will explore the importance of honoring legacies and the organization’s work in fostering community engagement on memorialization projects such as the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at UVA.

That afternoon, Richmond native Viola Baskerville will be one of the panelists on “Using Public History such as Markers and Statues to Heal Communities of Color,” discussing the challenges faced by public projects seeking to restore the history of Black communities.

Ms. Baskerville was the organizer of a recent protest in opposition to Virginia Union University’s stated intention to tear down the historic former Richmond Community Hospital building on Overbrook Road as part of a multimillion dollar development project between VUU and the Steinbridge Goup,

Riverfront Canal Cruises will kick off their 24th season on Friday, April 5, offering historically narrated tours of the James River and Kanawha Canal.

Traveling along Downtown Richmond’s historic Canal Walk, passengers will learn about Richmond’s history and see sights such as the Virginia Capital Trail, the Low Line gardens and James River wildlife.

Tours depart on the hour from the canal’s Turning Basin at 139 Virginia St. and will operate between April and November. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis at the

By Debora Timms

a New York-based investment firm. VUU’s President Hakim Lucas recently has agreed to the “adaptive reuse” of the hospital and an “ongoing community engagement process,” Ms. Baskerville has said.

Another Friday afternoon panel will focus on the East Marshall Street Well (EMSW) Project at Virginia Commonwealth University. The project was named for the well where, in 1994, the remains of more than 50 Black Richmonders were discovered. Their bodies were stolen and used for dissection between 1848 and 1860 by professors of the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), now the VCU School of Medicine.

The EMSW Project documents the history of medical racism at MCV and how that history continues to impact health equities today. It also works to enact recommendations of the Family Representative Council, who represent the descendant community, that prioritize ethical research, memorialization and dignified burials for ancestors.

For more information on the symposium program or to register to attend, visit William & Mary online at https://www.wm.edu/ sites/lemonproject/annual_symposium/

It was William Shakespeare who wrote, “What’s in a name?”

When the name in question is Nola, the name chosen by Maymont fans for the new female otter at The Robins Nature Center, then ‘what’s in a name’ is an homage to her home state — Louisiana. Nola is short for New Orleans, LA

The three-year old rescued river otter arrived just after Thanksgiving last year and has been getting to know the center’s other resident otter, Louis. The nine-year-old male is a fellow Louisianian rescue who has called Maymont home since 2017. Both had been deemed nuisance predators to crawfish harvesters by local wildlife agencies.

In February, Maymont announced a contest to name the new otter and 165 suggestions were submitted through its Adopt an Animal program, which helps to fund the care of the more than 85 different animal species who live at Maymont, including other rescued animals in the wildlife habitats and The Robins Nature Center, plus the domestic animals at Maymont Farm.

Four names that all had a connection to Louisiana advanced to the March 1 to March 8 public vote. Competition was fierce with more than 11,500 votes cast, but Nola emerged a clear winner garnering 1,300 more votes than the other contenders — Beignet, a popular New Orleans pastry; Evangeline, a parish in Central Louisiana; and Ana, which pairs with Louis to complete the state’s name.

River otters live in wetlands throughout the U.S., including in Virginia. Maymont says Nola and Louis will help illustrate the importance of their species within a healthy James River ecosystem as part of the “Run of the River” experience at The Robins Nature Center.

The facility was renovated and expanded in 2020 to showcase the diverse ecology of the Chesapeake Bay watershed with 30,000 gallons of aquariums filled with fish, amphibians and reptiles, plus a 34-foot climbing sculpture, interactive displays and recreation areas to explore.

More information about visiting Nola, Louis and more than 300 other animals living at Maymont is available online at https:// maymont.org/

Safe and secure

New safety nets are crucial in ensuring the well-being and success of students in Richmond Public Schools. Recent discussions by the RPS School Board regarding homebound and home-based instruction protocols, as well as revised procedures for certifying graduating seniors, highlight the importance of providing support and guidance to students who already face myriad pressures and mental health challenges.

The tragic incident involving Shawn Jackson, a homebound student who was fatally shot shortly after accepting his high school diploma last June, underscores the need for clear guidelines and safety measures for students receiving homebound instruction. As we’ve stated before, the fact that Mr. Jackson was not allowed to attend school-sponsored events, including graduation ceremonies, without proper approval raises concerns about the existing protocols in place.

In this week’s edition, Richmond Free Press reporter Darlene M. Johnson notes that School Board members were presented a revised process to certify graduates during its meeting Monday night. This step signals a proactive approach to ensuring that students meet all requirements for graduation, while also addressing any safety concerns that may arise. The involvement of principals, the principal director, and the chief academic officer in the certification process reflects a commitment to monitoring student progress and well-being.

Such actions are a step in the right direction and we hope the School Board continues to prioritize the safety and support of students in all aspects of their education.

Taking a RISC

It is gratifying to read Free Press reporter George Copeland Jr.’s article about the commitment shown by Richmond’s current and potential political leaders who attended a forum focused on affordable housing, mobile home repair and replacement, and gun violence prevention.

Tuesday night’s forum, which drew hundreds of parishioners from more than 20 member congregations to St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Henrico County, was organized by Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our Communities, also known as RISC.

Such a turnout is incredible and worthy of several rounds of “Amazing Grace” performed by our Forever President Obama!

During the RISC meeting, pledges from city Councilmembers Stephanie A. Lynch, Andreas D. Addison and Ann-Frances Lambert for an additional $2 million in mobile home funding in next year’s budget and a resolution guaranteeing money owed from the 2022-23 fiscal year would be added to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Ms. Lynch agreed to patron the Trust Fund resolution and to ensure a mobile home fund amendment would be in the budget if it wasn’t already there.

She also charged the RISC members present to bring this same energy and collective organizing to other political offices outside the City of Richmond.

“It is not in any way equitable, just or Christlike that we live in a country with so much and yet so many suffering with so little,” Ms. Lynch said. “If you live in Henrico, you live in Chesterfield, you live in other localities, I want you to push your electorate and challenge your elected leaders to do the same.”

Councilmembers Addison and Lambert agreed to co-patron the resolutions. Councilmember Ellen F. Robertson also agreed to support efforts in improving affordable housing and supporting mobile home repair and replacement, though she said additional budget amendments might not be necessary.

The additional funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the Mobile Home Repair Program will help address critical needs in the city. The focus on gun violence prevention through the Group Violence Intervention solution also is commendable, as it has garnered success in other areas.

Say “Amen,” somebody.

Realignment and transformation throughout our nation’s political landscape is not new. Our country will always be divided over who gets the political upper hand and the fight to keep it. With today’s polarization approaching Civil War levels, the division is no longer regional (North vs. South). It is more political (red vs. blue) but remains divided by culture, race, and class. At one time, the Democrats were the conservatives, and the Republicans were the liberals. It is unlikely we will ever see the two parties flip again in ideology, but the internal political transformation on the state level will always take place.

taken for granted, the Democratic Party must work hard and focus on expanding the big tent and keeping it unified. Therefore, Democrats should have listened more to Tom Vilsack when he sounded the alarm as Agriculture Secretary in the Obama administration. Mr. Vilsack grew frustrated with a culture

in Washington that often ignored rural America’s struggles. “I just sometimes think rural America is a forgotten place,” he often said.

Whenever I think of the Democratic Party, I see it as a big tent party of political inclusion. It generally welcomes a broad spectrum of views and beliefs, reflecting a nation of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. The Democrats, with its broad coalition of movements, face a greater challenge than Republicans in keeping their big tent intact from one election to another.

Since people don’t like to be

The fact that many white, working-class voters turned decisively to the former reality TV star after supporting President Obama in 2008 and 2012 played a big part in electing Donald Trump as president. Before Trump’s surprising victory, Mr. Vilsack complained loud and often that the Democratic Party had given up competing in large areas of the country that were necessary to win Senate seats, governor’s races, and state legislatures.

Before Mr. Vilsack became Agriculture Secretary, he served two terms as governor of Iowa, which is 95% white. His eight years as governor should have been the national blueprint for the Democratic Party to follow in

addressing the isolation of white working-class voters in rural America—now, rural America has become the heart of Trump’s MAGA movement. When Mr. Vilsack won his longshot race for governor in 1998, it was the first time Iowa had elected a Democrat in 32 years. In eight years, he transformed the state’s political landscape.

“I personally took over managing legislative races,” Mr. Vilsack said. “We won the House and the Senate, and we had three of the five members of Congress.” His success was a boon for President Obama, whose 2008 victory in Iowa proved that he could attract the support of white Midwestern voters.

As the party of political inclusion, the Democrats were deaf to Mr. Vilsack’s warnings. All the political gains in Iowa made at the state and federal levels and in presidential elections are now erased. Today in Iowa, Republicans dominate every aspect of state government while controlling both U.S. Senate seats and three of the four U.S. House seats. Today, Florida is in the midst of its own political transformation by building on a trend over the last decade that has pushed the state further to the right. Miami-Dade County has long been a Demo-

Trump making Black voter inroads. Why?

voters have raised understandable alarm among my Democratic-leaning friends.

And it’s small wonder. Despite anecdotal reports that Mr. Trump made some inroads with Black vot ers in 2020, he won just 8% of the Black vote, according to Pew Research Center. That was the same share he won in 2016 against Hillary Clinton.

So it’s quite something that polls show more than 20% of Black voters saying they will vote for Mr. Trump in 2024 in his rematch with President Biden in states likely to determine who wins. The New York Times/Siena poll back in early November had Mr. Trump with 21% Black support while President Biden was the choice of 71% in six key battleground states. In early March, Mr. Trump’s total rose to 23% while President Biden’s fell to 66% in those states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Democrats reached out to Black voters in the current election by moving up South Carolina’s primary, a recognition of that state’s Black voters in playing a crucial role in handing President Biden the Democratic nomination in 2020. The gesture apparently isn’t having much effect, at least if polls are to be believed.

Let’s be clear. It’s early. And voters are just starting to engage. They’ll focus far more in late summer and early fall on a presidential choice many

have said they’re unhappy to have been handed. But it’s worth considering why this substantial number of Black voters at this early stage would even be open to Mr. Trump. After all, we’re talking about a man who from his earliest days as a New York real estate

developer was accused of racist business practices. The federal government successfully sued him in the 1970s for discriminating against Black apartment seekers. In the early 1990s, Black pastors accused him of stirring racial animus surrounding the “Central Park Five” rape case, for which all the suspects were later exonerated — except by Mr. Trump, who would not allow the confessions of another man get in the way of his unfounded accusations.

Most notoriously, he became a leading promoter of the “birther” conspiracy theory, which questioned President Obama’s citizenship despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. But all that and other controversies have not much dimmed sentiments like those of several young Black men MSNBC interviewed in a Charleston, S.C., barbershop in early February.

Anecdotally, this seems to be more of a male phenomenon. Black women tend to turn out in greater percentages for Democrats than any other major demographic. So what explains Mr. Trump’s appeal to Black men, in particular? One of the young men said, quite simply, “Money.” Mr. Trump has built a reputation of being

“the money man,” the young voter said.

More recently, I’ve heard similar responses from my own son — which is a far cry from the neo-socialist attitudes that caught his fancy when he was a collegiate volunteer in President Obama’s 2008 presidential run.

Now 34 and entering the business world as co-owner of a comic book store in Maryland, he’s starting to sound more like, yes, a Republican, although fortunately minus the MAGA movement’s crackpot conspiracy theories — except when he wants to annoy his parents, which still seems to be his favorite pastime outside of making money.

Ah, well, I tell myself, he’s a grown man who has to learn some lessons for himself. There’s a lesson here for any of us who expect the new, rising generation to automatically embrace their parents’ attitudes without their parents’ experiences.

Talking to young Black voters, I hear a lot of questions as they try to understand why President Biden and other traditional politicians have not done more for Black people, as well as others from here to the Middle East and beyond, even as I ask myself, “Why hasn’t Biden done more to make this case for himself?”

Sure, he’s a busy man — and his State of the Union speech offered a taste of the messages his campaign is beginning to make. He owes that to the voters who want to make an intelligent and informed choice even though, unlike me, they don’t have the luxury of following politics for a living.

The writer is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

cratic stronghold in Florida. If Republican success in expanding their support with Hispanic voters continues to gain momentum, it would likely take Florida out of play entirely for Democrats in future presidential elections.

As the Democrat’s political base shrinks in Florida with a growing number of Hispanic voters flipping to the Republicans, the Democratic Party’s dependence on the Black vote becomes even more critical with future elections. No one likes to be taken for granted. As rural voters nationally felt ignored and taken for granted, Hispanic voters in certain areas of the nation are feeling the same way. The Democrats cannot afford to make the same mistake with Black voters.

The writer is the founder of the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and author of “God Bless Our Divided America.”

Clarence Page

Letters to the Editor

‘What became of the Black People of Sumer?’

I learned the value of peaceful protest at Virginia Union University. I learned to stand up and speak up for issues that matter, in an atmosphere of civil discourse. I learned about the necessity of preserving and protecting our history while making more for generations to come. I learned these things through classroom teachings and through the role models I encountered on campus every day over the 10 years I roamed those hallowed grounds, and in the years since as an involved alumna. I learned the meaning of good citizenship at Virginia Union University.

The Richmond 34 and so many others learned those same life lessons.

VUU’s leadership in those years valued and encouraged input from its constituencies, truly listened to opposing views, altered course when a better idea became evident and, in the 1960s, supported peaceful student protests when dissatisfactions arose. VUU’s leadership viewed such a posture as a learning experience for all involved, including themselves.

Now, we are finding the need to direct our

attention back on our alma mater which seeks to destroy a symbol vital to the history of adequate and reasonable health care for African-American citizens, as well as others, in Richmond and

beyond. It is hard to understand how such a venerable institution could evolve into one which cavalierly dismisses one of the three stalwarts of our African-American community.

These three stalwarts were: Consolidated Bank and Trust, founded by L. Maggie Walker as the Penny Savings Bank; Richmond Community Hospital, founded by Dr. Sarah Garland Jones; and Virginia Union University, founded on the property of Lumpkin’s Jail to educate freed slaves.

Consolidated is now gone, the (new) Richmond Community Hospital is a shell of what the old RCH was on Overbrook Road, and VUU has lost much of its glow, respect and influence.

Must WE be a part of the Destruction of Black Civilization? (Ref: The book written by Chancellor Williams, 1971) Or shall we heed Chancellor Williams’ dire warning: “What became of the Black People of Sumer?” the traveller asked the old man, “for ancient records show that the people of Sumer were Black. What happened to them?” “Ah,” the old man sighed. “They lost their history, so they died.”

MARY DePILLARS, VUU ’74 Richmond

There are incredible times in our lives when we should work as hard as possible to preserve old buildings to retain our sense of community and protect our history. I was born in the old Richmond Memorial Hospital in the 1960s. The hospital served as the official memorial to Richmonders killed in World War II. This hospital, now called Ginter Place, was converted into a high-end condominium development in 2008.

Protecting historical buildings can be a challenging task, but it is possible. The controversy surrounding the proposed redevelopment of the site housing the historic Richmond Community Hospital, on the campus of Virginia Union University, has become a matter of great concern and importance for many in the Richmond community. Opened in Jackson Ward in 1907 and relocated to Overbrook Road in the 1930s, this Black-owned hospital treated Black patients during segregation and was a teaching hospital for Black nurses.

I know there are challenges and opportunities when tough decisions have to be made on how to incorporate historic preservation into a development project. However, this is not the time for elected officials to pontificate. Meaningful action is required. I have taken the time to call the leadership at Virginia Union and speak with some of the preservation activists personally— with a sincere interest in finding a solution. We can be our own “heroes” by taking the time to pause and listen to each other. Together, we can and should find ways to develop the project by integrating preservation incentives that align with the focus of preserving the historic Richmond Community Hospital building and its cultural value. By balancing appropriate tradeoffs, I believe we can achieve a fair and feasible compromise, together!

MICHELLE MOSBY Richmond

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Alpha Phi Zeta Chapter has been at the forefront for social, health and economic justice in the Richmond community since its chartering in 1942. Upon hearing of the decision to demolish the Richmond Community Hospital the Executive Board of Alpha Phi Zeta Chapter unanimously voted in opposition of the demolition of this rich, historical landmark that has significant historical importance to Black people across Virginia.

As the first Black-owned and operated hospital in Richmond to serve the health needs of Black people, its history must be preserved. Dr. Barrington Bowser, a Richmond Community Hospital pediatric physician and panelist participated in a discussion regarding preschool children. The article titled, “Parental School to Open Tuesday,” was reported in the May 7, 1949, issue of the Richmond News Leader. As a relatively young sorority chapter, Alpha Phi Zeta Chapter co-sponsored one of the forum

discussions, therefore solidifying its ties to Richmond Community Hospital.

In keeping with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s current national initiative, “Embracing the Extraordinary Power of S.H.E. (Social, Health and Economic Justice),” the Executive Board on behalf of the members of Alpha Phi Zeta Chapter strongly urge you to preserve and restore this historic treasure. We welcome an opportunity to discuss acceptable alternatives. Just as the hospital has served as an incredible starting point of professional achievements for thousands of Black medical professionals in the United States, it can continue to serve Richmond community residents for an even greater purpose.

TAMIKA BREWER-JOHNSON

Chapter President

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Alpha Phi Zeta Chapter

Stories by Fred Jeter

There’s still a pulse

It wasn’t exactly what it wanted, but VCU will take it.

After falling to Duquesne, 57-51, in the A-10 finals and being denied an NCAA berth, the Rams made travel plans for Philadelphia to face top-seed Villanova in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

The game was set for 9 p.m. Wednesday night. VCU was leading 31-30 at halftime and at Free Press deadline. The winner advances to play March 23 or 24 against the survivor of Central Florida vs. South Florida on a campus site.

VCU is 22-13 while Villanova is 18-15.

This would be the second-ever match between VCU and Villanova. The Wildcats defeated the Rams in 2014.

NIT quarterfinals will be March 26 and 27 on campuses. The Final Four will be April 2 and 4 in Indianapolis.

A player of interest for ‘Nova is senior forward Tyler Burton, who transferred to the Big East school from University of Richmond, where he was an All A-10 selection. Burton averages eight points for the ‘Cats.

Three out of four: The Rams, seeded fifth for the A-10 tourney, defeated Fordham, Massachusetts and St. Joseph’s to reach the final, telecast on CBS.

The Rams, then under coach Mike Rhoades, won the A-10 tourney last year in Brooklyn and then lost to St. Mary’s, Calif., in the NCAA opening round.

Judgment: An “unsung hero” for VCU was West Virginia U.S. District Court Judge John Bailey, who ruled in mid-December that multiple transfers were immediately eligible.

That meant VCU’s Joe Bamisile became eligible 10 games into the season. He had played at Virginia Tech, George Washington and Oklahoma in the three previous seasons.

Given a reprieve, the 6-foot-4 forward out of Monacan High

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VCU’s NIT history

responded, averaging 14 points and four rebounds while hitting 38% of his 3-pointers and 74% at the foul line.

“Bam the Ram” had 20 points (7-for-15 from field) in the finale versus Duquesne to go with four rebounds and three blocked shots.

Bamisile is a senior academically but eligible to return to VCU for the 2024-25 season. Max Shulga, the Rams’ All-A-10 senior

Justices make All-State team

Success on the court has led to success at the ballot box for the John Marshall High girls basketball team.

Coach Virgil Burton’s North Siders are well represented on the Class 2 All-State squad in a vote conducted by the Virginia High School League.

Senior Janiyaha Pickett and junior Kiyah Lewis were named to the first team and senior Kayden Jones and junior Yasmin Hall made the second team.

JM posted a 21-8 overall record while advancing to the state finals at the Siegel Center against Central Wise, losing

Harding named to AllAmerican team

Tahj Harding has followed up his All-CIAA honors with AllAmerican honors.

The 6-foot-5 junior from Lincoln Heights, Ohio, was named to the first team of the NCAA Division II, Bow2Row.com AllAmerican team.

Harding averaged 18.5 points a game with a high of 47 against Augusta, while adding 4.3 rebounds per outing.

Finishing strong, Harding had 15 points in VUU’s first round CIAA tournament win against Bluefield State and 17 in the second round loss to Fayetteville State.

Among

58-41. The player of the year was Wise’s Emmah McAmis.

Quickly, the emphasis switched to 2024-25.

Minutes after the loss to Wise, Coach Burton told the media: “We’ll reload and rebuild in pursuit of a state championship. We’ll work hard with the girls we have and perhaps add a transfer or two.”

JM has become a popular destination for players because of its winning ways, TRIO after-school educational program and ties to AAU travel Team Loaded.

JM has been to the state semifinals each of the past two

guard, and starting senior guard Zeb Jackson also are eligible to return.

Only players VCU is sure to lose are graduate students Kuay Kuay and Sean Bairstow. The lone announced newcomer is 6-foot-3 guard Brandon Jennings out of St. Christopher’s School.

Packing them in: The Siegel Center was loud and mostly full throughout the regular season. The Rams averaged 7,200 per game, second in A-10 to Dayton’s 13,407. Regular season co-champ Richmond was third at 5,833. George Washington (1,628) was last.

Other notable NCAA news:

A-10 champ Duquesne drew Brigham Young in the first round Thursday in Omaha. It’s the Dukes’ first NCAA appearance since 1977.

A-10 quarterfinal loser Dayton will play Nevada Thursday in Salt Lake City. Sun Belt champ James Madison will play Wisconsin Friday in Brooklyn. Big South champ Longwood will play Houston Friday in Memphis.

In a battle of No. 10 seeds, ACC semifinalist Virginia was to play Colorado State in a “First Four” matchup in Dayton on Tuesday night.

Among the No. 16 seeds, MEAC champ Howard was to play Wagner Tuesday in Dayton’s First Four. Howard defeated Delaware State for the MEAC crown in Norfolk after eliminating host Norfolk State in the semifinals.

On the Division II level, CIAA champion Lincoln, Pa., was a 92-63 loser to Gannon, Pa., in the first round of the Atlantic Region March 15. On the women’s side, A-10 champ Richmond will play Duke Thursday in Columbus, Ohio.

seasons. Generally, a coach brings two or three athletes into the VHSL postgame interview room.

In JM’s case, Burton brought the whole team, creating a standing-room-only situation. It was symbolic of the unity that has made the Justices a state contender.

As the coaches and girls left the interview room, in lock step, you got the sense they were thinking, “We’ll be back.”

HBCUs do well outside NCAA

There is life beyond the NCAA for HBCUs with basketball teams. The NAIA (National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics) has a rich history with historically Black programs. And this year’s NAIA championship bracket included two entries from the HBCU Gulf Coast Athletic Conference — champion Philander Smith, Ark., and runner-up Tougaloo, Miss.

Philander Smith lost at Cumberlands, Ky., 97-96, and Tougaloo fell to Tennessee Southern, 91-84, in first round action. The Final Four will be March 2126 in Kansas City. Among the many HBCU players who competed in the NAIA tournament were NBA stars Dick Barnett

Thomas

Hampton University has chosen Ivan Thomas to navigate its basketball program through what has been choppy waters of late.

The hiring was announced last week by HU Athletic Director Anthony Henderson Sr.

(Tennessee A&I), Willis Reed (Grambling), Zelmo Beaty (Prairie View) and Travis Grant (Kentucky State). Dating to 1937, the NAIA tourney included HBCUs prior to the NCAA recognizing them much later. Virginia Union and Prairie View broke ground by playing in the 1961 College Division (now Division II) event. HBCUs that won the NAIA title were Tennessee A&I (now State) in 1957, 1958 and 1959; Grambling in 1961; Prairie View in 1962; Central State of Ohio in 1965 and 1968; Kentucky State in 1970, 1971 and 1972; Coppin State in 1976; and Texas Southern in 1977.

Gulf Coast member Talladega, Ala., took second in 2022.

The Gulf Coast conference includes Philander Smith; Tougaloo; Talladega; Fisk (Tenn.); Wiley (Texas); Rust (Miss.); Southern of New Orleans; Dillard of New Orleans; Oakwood (Ala.), and the Virgin Islands.

There has never been an NCAA Division I champion from an HBCU nor has any HBCU ever won more than one game.

NCAA Division II champs include Winston-Salem (1967); Virginia Union (1980, 1992 and 2005); the University of the District of Columbia (1982); and North Carolina Central in 1985.

named new Hampton coach

Coach Thomas, who replaces Ed “Buck” Joyner, arrives at HU with an impressive résumé including successes as a high school head coach, college assistant and AAU travel coach. The Norfolk native and Norview High alum will try to resuscitate a Pirates program that has gone 17-48 overall the past two seasons and 8-28 in the Coastal Athletic Association. Coach Thomas guided Hampton’s Kecoughtan High to a 127-60 record and T.C. Williams of Alexandria to a 75-9 mark that included a State Group AAA crown in 2008. He also coached at Edison High in Alexandria.

Coach Thomas also led the Boo Williams U-17 AAU squad to national recognition from 2002 to 2015. In 2016, Coach Thomas joined Ed Cooley’s staff at Providence University of the Big East Conference. The Friars made five trips to the NCAA under Cooley. This past season, Cooley moved to Georgetown, also of the powerful Big East (including ’23 NCAA champ Connecticut), with Coach Thomas serving as his associate head coach.

Coach Thomas has a degree from VCU in guidance and counseling and a degree from George Mason in educational leadership.

Wood stands out in Nationals spring training action

Wood is a 6-foot-6, 234-pound athlete who is off to a sizzling start in Nationals spring training action in and around West Palm Beach, Fla.

Batting left and throwing right, the 21-year-old was hitting .324 (12 for 37) with 12 runs and seven walks through 17 games of Washington’s Florida exhibitions. Wood had three homers, a triple, a double, three stolen bases and five runs batted in during the hot start. Wood began spring training even though he is not on the Nationals’ 40-man roster but he could be elevated by opening day

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Coach Thomas

Joe Bamisile Tyler Burton

John Marshall High Schools’ Janiyaha Pickett and, left, junior Kiyah Lewis (10) were named to the first

Personality: Stephanie Spencer

Meet the founder, executive director of Urban Baby Beginnings

For years, Stephanie Spencer has worked to build a better future for mothers. A lifetime of experiences – from working in the medical system as a nurse to becoming a mother herself – has contributed to her growing knowledge of maternal issues, particularly for Black women.

The things Ms. Spencer has learned are a reminder of the work that’s needed to aid mothers and families who are caring for vulnerable new lives.

“Witnessing the struggles faced by pregnant and new mothers, coupled with my own journey through motherhood, illuminated the critical need for comprehensive support and resources during this pivotal time in a woman’s life,” Ms. Spencer said recently.

To that end, in 1994, Ms. Spencer founded a nonprofit organization that’s focused on early childhood education — Urban Baby Beginnings.

Maternal care, however, wasn’t a major focus of the group’s mission and Ms. Spencer wasn’t the only one worried about how expecting and new mothers were supported at the time.

When local mothers and community members shared with her their own concerns about maternal care and the need for solutions more than a decade ago, she responded by transforming Urban Baby Beginnings and its mission in 2015 to one more focused on the critical issue of maternal care.

Urban Baby Beginnings now encompasses a wider range of care for expecting and new mothers, including

wellness support, doula services, lactation specialists and maternal health community hubs in locations that include Richmond, Newport News, Petersburg and Norfolk.

“Urban Baby Beginnings embodies my unwavering dedication to ensuring that every mother, regardless of background or circumstance, receives the care, education and advocacy she deserves to navigate pregnancy and motherhood with dignity, empowerment and optimal health,” Ms. Spencer said.

“It’s more than just an organization; it’s a reflection of my deepest values and a tangible manifestation of my commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others,” she added.

Nearly a decade after the organization’s transition into its new mission, Ms. Spencer is as committed as ever, even as many challenges still exist for maternal care and the health systems meant to provide it.

Ms. Spencer has continued to see issues in connecting local and state-level organizations with health systems and building relationships and trust with families. She believes more work needs to be done to make sure there is authentic community engagement to transform how the maternal community is supported.

“Transformation doesn’t mean we have a new hospital, that’s great and all,” Ms. Spencer said. “Transformation in a community means something totally different; it’s really empowering people and giving them the resources and tools and putting them at

the forefront of conversations about themselves.”

Ms. Spencer is clear that there needs to be a willingness, as individuals and a community, to engage in this matter to ensure meaningful change. And while Urban Baby Beginning’s new mission was carried out without much initial support, she has seen firsthand the benefits of the public’s growing awareness of the issues in maternal care.

With a new maternal care hub opening in Petersburg last year and further projects underway, she said more and more people in the community understand the importance of maternal care. She said those same people are helping to build a better future for mothers.

“I do think that there is a shift that’s happening, and it’s happening because the com-

munity is pushing the envelope on making sure that people understand that they are a priority,” Ms. Spencer said. She added: “But there’s a long way that we need to go to get to where I think we’re trying to, and that’s really going to require that we don’t give up, don’t get tired and that we don’t allow the same conversations to start happening.” Meet a leader working to improve maternal care in Virginia and this week’s Personality, Stephanie Spencer:

Volunteer position: Founder of Urban Baby Beginnings.

Occupation: Executive director.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in leadership studies, Virginia State University.

Family: Three children, a grandchild and my significant other.

What is Urban Baby Beginnings (UBB): A maternal health system that provides support to pregnant and postpartum moms and their children up to the age of 2 through UBB’s maternal health hubs.

When and why I founded the organization: The inception of UBB in 2015 was catalyzed by a transformative life experience many years prior, propelling me to broaden our mission beyond early childhood education. Recognizing significant gaps in essential services for pregnant and new mothers, informed by

both personal experiences and observations within the communities we served, I was spurred to action. These gaps manifested in alarming disparities leading to adverse outcomes in pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care.

Location of hubs: Richmond, Norfolk, Newport News and Petersburg.

Why UBB is meaningful to

me: Urban Baby Beginnings holds profound personal significance for me due to its origins rooted in a life-altering experience from years ago. This endeavor represents not only a response to tragedy but also a testament to resilience and the transformative power of empathy. Witnessing the struggles faced by pregnant and new mothers, coupled with my own journey through motherhood, illuminated the critical need for comprehensive support and resources during this pivotal time in a woman’s life.

No. 1 goal for UBB: To ensure that mothers are valued, supported and cared for with the highest quality of care.

Biggest challenge: Pushing to transform broken systems of care that are impacting outcomes for our moms and babies. This is hard work!

No. 1 joy I have witnessed since founding UBB: The sense of community and resiliency despite these obstacles.

How UBB is funded: UBB receives support from foundations, donations, private grants and is a Medicaid provider. How to connect with UBB if

you’re an expectant mom: Moms should go to our website at www.urbanbabybeginnings. org and select “Refer Now.”

Other ways to get involved: Volunteer, donate and share stories to help get the word out about how important it is to support our moms and babies.

The three words that best describe me: Insightful, transparent and loving.

Best late-night snack: Cookies!

My music playlist: Anything peaceful.

I love to: Watch Hallmark movies!!

A quote that inspires me: “Real change is driven by the strength of our collective voices and the convictions of our hearts.” — Michelle Obama

The best thing my parents ever taught me: The only person that can hold you down is yourself. Keep loving yourself and pushing forward. Don’t let anyone deter you from where you are trying to go.

The person who influenced me the most: My mother. Book that influenced me the most: “Becoming” by Michelle Obama is so inspiring because it reminds me of the potential for personal growth, resilience and impact, regardless on background or circumstances. It encourages reflection on my own journey, to embrace my authenticity, and strive to make a positive difference in the world.

Next goal: To create a legacy so UBB lives on past me.

ICA exhibit explores race, class and gender

By Jennifer Robinson

Artist Patrice Renee Washington isn’t interested in mainstreaming her creative talents to fit into the white-dominated spaces of the commercial art world. Instead, she focuses on exploring the roots behind racial identity. She’s the artist behind “Tendril,” a solo exhibition of her works at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU (ICA at VCU).

African-Americans and other people of color have long used code-switching—adjusting one’s normal behavior to fit into a particular environment—to navigate interracial interactions, typically in the workplace. Unfortunately, code-switching can be exhausting and potentially stifling, especially for creatives. Ms. Washington is intentional about creating and framing her work on her terms.

“It’s exhausting trying to create nuances with my pieces to fit into those white-dominated spaces in the art world to make them more comfortable with the work I do,” says Ms. Washington.

Her determination to explore her AfricanAmerican experiences in her work rather than code-switching has not hindered her career. Her extensive résumé includes solo exhibitions at notable galleries throughout the U.S., and many group exhibitions.

Ms. Washington creates a body of work by taking an idea or theme and investigating structures of race, class, and gender while also considering how identity can be manipulated and shaped to achieve different ends.

“It’s a conscious choice not to hide my blackness, and it makes sense to be out about it,” Ms. Washington explains. “It’s more comfortable when you don’t have to hide your blackness. It makes the art easier.”

According to Ms. Washington, a ceramics class at Columbia University changed her life while she pursued her master’s. It set her on a course to work with clay. Although the professor’s teaching style resonated and inspired her, she struggled to create nuanced pieces that suited her African-American narrative in the Ivy League’s white-dominated space. Engaging with other black students fueled a desire to be authentic with her work.

In Tendril, she threads together different bodies of her work, each revealing how different meanings connect to form cultural symbols. Inspired by the slender, thread-like appendages referred to as tendrils, the exhibit’s title takes on a more significant meaning. Through her work in clay, Ms. Washington reveals the complexities of cultural symbolism.

“Clay withstands the test of time,” Ms. Washington says. “It has a permanence.

Ms. Washington wants us to see how identities are defined through objects that have persisted through history and across continents to converge in the complex cultural symbols she creates with clay. Free-standing ceramic vessels pay tribute to historical Central African nkisi sculptures— hollowed figures filled with medicinal herbs and sacred substances to empower them to protect people and communities.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin greets Patrick O’Connell, chef and sole proprietor of the Inn of Little Washington at the Executive Mansion.

First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin speaks with guests during a March 14 media preview of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture’s new exhibit,“Julia Child: A Recipe for Life.”

Inlaid in heavily glazed and polished surfaces of her cylindrical sculptures are hairstyles such as cornrows, braids, locks, weaves, Bantu knots, and crowns. These hairstyles of black women are reclaimed as symbolic appendages of strength and vulnerability, which also tie into the more significant meaning of the exhibit’s title, “Tendril.” With her European delftware-inspired tile paintings, Ms. Washington tackles stereotypes that reclaim the historically African-American narratives that have constructed black identity.

“The Fried Chicken King z’, for example, is a series of six glazed stoneware paintings. In these pieces, Ms. Washington pays tribute to

By Bonnie Newman Davis

Virginia’s First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin hosted a media preview on March 14 in honor of the Virginia History and Culture Museum’s new exhibit “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” on view through Sept. 2.

However, rather than the VMHC being the backdrop for the preview, First Lady Youngkin hosted the luncheon preview at the Executive Mansion. The afternoon’s special guest, in addition to her husband, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, was acclaimed celebrity chef Patrick O’Connell of the three-Michelin-starred The Inn at Little Washington.

Chef O’Connell – a self-taught cook who is considered as one of the world’s most celebrated—will be featured alongside his mentor, Ms. Child, in the exhibit. VHMC describes him as one of the best representations of Julia Child’s profound and lasting impact.”

During the hour-long luncheon, Chef O’Connell noted that people from Asia frequent his restaurant more than any other country outside the U.S. Mrs. Youngkin said that she and the governor have dined at the restaurant on two occasions.

“I know your own story is very special,” Gov. Youngkin told Mr. O’Connell, adding “I grew up with her impact in my own house.”

Gov. Youngkin also predicted that the exhibit will

be about celebration, education, provide an experience along with long lines and “clamoring to get there, which is very exciting.”

For lunch, guests were served parsnip soup with lardon and pickled quail egg, black bass with early green colcannon and vermouth cream sauce and lemon chiffon cake. An array of Virginia wines also was served, and guests were gifted a bottle of wine named

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Harold’s Chicken Shack, a black-owned restaurant chain in Chicago, primarily found in the city’s predominately black South Side. Based on childhood memories of visiting the restaurant chain, she paints each piece in her rendition of the facades of the restaurant’s many locations with the care and love of an artist intent on exposing the restaurant’s deep tradition in the African-American soul food culture.

“Tendril” will run through June 9 at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU. On Friday, March 22, Ms. Washington will discuss her works at 5 p.m. at ICA. A reception will follow. For details, please visit ica.vcu.org Dr.

after Mrs. Youngkin and Little Inn of Washington black and white aprons.

Prior to the luncheon, Mrs. Youngkin led guests on a tour of the mansion, which reopened in 2022 after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Explaining that the Capitol of the Commonwealth moved from Williamsburg to Richmond in 1780, Mrs. Youngkin said governors rented small wooden buildings because there was no formal home until 1811 when Gov. James Monroe convinced the General Assembly to provide funds to house governors and their families.

“And so, for a whopping $12,000 approved by the Genral Assembly, they went about building this home,” Mrs. Youngkin said.

Designed by Alexander Parris, the Federalist style home with 14-foot ceilings still looks the same minus the dining room,” Mrs. Youngkin added. She proudly pointed to artwork from various Virginia institutions that are displayed throughout the mansion, as well as a portrait of Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Debbie Jo Evans art, “Forgotten Fentanyl Victims of Virginia,” which pays tribute to her son, Jamie, and other fentanyl victims of the epidemic.

“Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” runs through Sept. 2 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, 428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.

range in size from tabletop vases to life-size creations, each representing the artists interpretation of the conference theme.

The practice of using clay as a medium for artistic expression has been in existence in many cultures for centuries, including the African diaspora. Visitors can see the cultural connectivity of the works created by artists from various backgrounds while experiencing the value in the diversity. The exhibition is designed to provide access and knowledge about the tradition of ceramic arts to new audiences.

“Like the Dust Settles in Layers, So Does the Story”

Organized by professor Lydia C. Thompson, and curated to complement the NCECA Multicultural Fellowship Exhibition, this ceramics exhibition invites viewers to challenge stereotypes related to communities, environments, race, economics, and societal roles, focusing on the themes of self-reflection, strength, and the beauty of resilience during challenging times. Professor Thompson is a faculty member of the Art and Art History Department at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

A distinguished mixed media artist, Professor Thompson earned a bachelor’s from The Ohio State University and a masre’s of fine arts from the New York College of Ceramics at Alfred University.

Her accolades include a Fulbright Hayes grant, and she was a Windgate Distinguished Fellow for Innovation in Craft. Besides the United States, Professor Thompson has been an artist in residence in Canada and Denmark. Her work has been showcased internationally and is featured in public and private collections around the globe.

The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia is located at 122 W. Leigh St. For more information, visit www. blackhistorymuseum.org.

Free Press staff report

The Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Richmond Section of the National Council of Negro Women will host the annual Dorothy Height Day celebration on Friday, March 22, at 10:45 a.m. The event will be at the historical markers at Hull Street Library, 1400 Hull St. Remarks will begin at 11 a.m.

The celebration also will include voter registration and education at five Richmond Public Library locations. The theme will be “Celebrate the Vote! The Legacy of Dr. Dorothy I. Height.” During Women’s History Month, the organizations celebrate the birthday and life of Dr. Height, an African-American civil rights and women’s rights activist born in the Blackwell community of Richmond. Dr. Height focused on the issues of AfricanAmerican women, including unemployment, illiteracy and voter awareness. For more information, contact the Social Action Committee of the Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority at social.act.dstrichmond1@gmail.com or call (804) 276-7053.

Dr. Height

Ms. Washington

Photos by Bonnie Newman Davis/Richmond Free Press

Julia Child photo courtesy VMHC

Courtesy ICA@VCU

Sculpture park aims to look honestly at slavery, honoring those who endured it

The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala.

Visitors to the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park wind a serpentine path past art pieces depicting the lives of enslaved people in America and historic exhibits, including two cabins where the enslaved lived, before arriving at a towering monument.

Stretching nearly four stories into the sky, the National Monument to Freedom honors the millions of people who endured the brutality of slavery. The monument is inscribed with 122,000 surnames that formerly enslaved people chose for themselves, as documented in the 1870 Census, after being emancipated at the Civil War’s end.

ally taught,” he said. But he also believes it is ultimately a “hopeful place.”

“If people found a way to create family and future, despite the horrors of that institution, then we can do something comparable in our day to create a future that is less burdened by these histories than I think we’ve been,” Mr. Stevenson said.

to the silence and the status quo and the burden of bigotry which we’ve coped with for so long. And I just don’t believe it will succeed because the truth is powerful,” Mr. Stevenson said.

The sculpture park includes major pieces from artists including Simone Leigh.

Leigh’s Brick House, a 16foot-tall bronze bust of a Black woman, sits as a formidable presence of strength at the entrance to the garden.

The sculpture park, which opens March 27, weaves art installations, historic artifacts and personal narratives to explore the history of slavery in America and honor the millions of people who endured its brutality.

Bryan Stevenson, the founder of Equal Justice

The sculpture park is the third site created by the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala., which is dedicated to taking an unflinching look at the country’s history of slavery, racism and discriminatory policing. The first two sites — the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a memorial to people slain in racial terror killings; and The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration — opened in 2018.

Initiative, said after opening the first two sites that he felt there was more to do. Most plantation tourist attractions, he said, are centered around the lives of the family that did the enslaving. His goal was a place for visitors to have a “really honest experience with the history of slavery.”

“I do see it as a truth-telling space, a place where we can confront parts of our history and paths that are not usu -

The 17-acre site is nestled between the twisting banks of the muddy waters of the Alabama River and railroad tracks — the two transportation mechanisms used to bring people to the city’s slave markets in the 1800s. Visitors will be able to arrive by boat, essentially tracing the same path taken to deliver the stolen and trafficked people.

The park is opening as some politicians, including in the Deep South, try to put parameters on how race and history are taught in classrooms and in workforce training sessions. Mr. Stevenson says such push-back has always accompanied progress.

“I see this as a kind of a desperate act to hold on

In a piece titled “Mama, I hurt my hand,” by Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, a child dragging a bag of cotton reaches out to show his injured hand to his mother, who balances a basket of cotton and an infant strapped to her back. Near them, a weary man with scarred skin and a splinted leg, sits in exhaustion.

The exhibits include two 170-year-old cabins that housed enslaved families on a cotton plantation, a whipping post, chains used to hold trafficked people and replicas of a transport box car and slave-holding pen. Interwoven between the exhibits are first-person accounts by enslaved people and formerly enslaved people about their lives.

East Laburnum Avenue Sidewalk Improvements

County of Henrico, Virginia Notice of Willingness to Hold a Public Hearing

The County of Henrico proposes to provide approximately 475 feet of 5-foot-wide sidewalk on both sides of E. Laburnum Avenue between Mechanicsville Turnpike and Ronnie Avenue including ADA ramps, and upgrades to two existing GRTC transit stops. Construction is anticipated to begin in July 2025. Information related to this project including the plans, project schedule, and funding information can be reviewed at the County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, 4305 E. Parham Road, Administration Annex Building, 3 rd Floor, Henrico, VA 23228, Telephone: (804) 501-4624.

County is willing to hold a public hearing. You may request a public hearing by sending a written request to the Department of Public Works, Attn: Michael Elander, P. O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775, on or before March 29, 2024. If a request for a public hearing is received, a notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be provided. The County ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or Elander at the above address, phone number, or ela013@henrico.us.

VDOT

Maude Trevvett Elementary Sidewalk Connection Henrico County, Virginia

Notice of Willingness to Hold a Public Hearing

The County of Henrico proposes providing approximately 450-feet of concrete sidewalk and ADA ramps from Maude Trevvett Elementary School (Trevvett Drive) to Carters Bridge Place (east side of Woodman Road just south of E. Parham Road). Construction is anticipated to begin in May 2025.

Information related to this project including the plans, project schedule, and funding information can be reviewed at the County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, 4305 E. Parham Road, Administration Annex Building, 3 rd Floor, Henrico, Virginia 23228, Telephone: (804) 501-5532.

County is willing to hold a public hearing.

You may request a public hearing by sending a written request to the Department of Public Works, Attn: Kevin Newcomb P. O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775, on or before March 22, 2024. If a request for a public hearing is received, a notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be provided.

The County ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or Newcomb at the above address, phone number, or new038@henrico.us.

VDOT UPC #: 117039

and signs and be constructed entirely on properties already owned by Henrico County. Construction is currently planned for September 2024.

Project information which includes the construction plans, project schedule, National Environmental Policy Act documentation in the form of a Categorical Exclusion (CE), National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800 information, and funding information can be reviewed at the County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, 4305 E. Parham Road, Administration Annex Building, 3rd Floor, Henrico, VA. Telephone: (804) 501-5532.

County is willing to hold a public hearing. You may request a public hearing by sending a written request to Charley Sessoms, PE, County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, Transportation Development Division, P. O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775, on or before March 29, 2024. If a request for a public hearing is received, notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be provided.

The County ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or Sessoms at the above address or phone number or at ses016@henrico.us.

UPC: 123292

State Project #: 9999-043-038

2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act Demo ID: VA298