Richmond Free Press July 20-22, 2023 edition

Richmond Free

Press

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Lincoln Saunders, the city’s chief administrative officer, announced the choice Wednesday following a national search.

“I am honored,” said Chief Edwards, who has served

as acting chief for the past nine months.

A University of Richmond graduate who played basketball, the tall, bald-headed police chief was handed the department’s reins last October following the resignation of his predecessor, Gerald Smith.

“Our goal will be to continue to make the city a safe place for our residents and visitors,” he stated. “I am committed to leading an efficient, well-managed

By George Copeland Jr.

department that is rooted in service to the Richmond community.”

During his nearly 24-year career, he has been involved with patrol operations, criminal investigations, the development of strategies for crime reduction and community engagement and responses to security threats.

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When making remarks about the new Richmond High School of the Arts last Saturday, Jason Kamras’ words were noticeably cheerful and upbeat.

“The first sign that kids have about whether we, the adults, love them is what their build-

ing looks like,” said Mr. Kamras, Richmond Public Schools superintendent for nearly six years. “And for far too long this building has not been giving off vibes of love. But that changes today.”

Indeed, the new high school, which will re-

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Changing of the guard Roger Gregory no longer a chief judge; Reggie Gordon, Damon

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Judge Roger L. Gregory is now the former chief judge of the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court’s first Black judge and the first Black chief judge remains on the court, but handed off the role of chief judge earlier this month to Judge Albert Diaz, 63, who was the court’s first Latino judge in 2010. He also is the first to lead the appellate court, which has 14 active judges of the 15 it is allowed. The court hears appeals from lower federal courts and administrative agencies that arise from litigation in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North and South Carolina.

A 23-year veteran of the court, Judge Gregory served a seven-year term as chief judge and received high marks from

Judge Gregory Mr. Gordon Mr. Jiggetts

legal scholars for his service. During his tenure, he, among other things, led the court in significant decisions that blocked development of two natural gas pipelines in the state after finding that requirements of federal environmental laws were not being met.

Most recently, the court challenged Congress’ ability to strip the appellate court of its jurisdiction over the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and that issue is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Combating PTSD during, after military career

Sgt. Maj. Keith L. Craig, who was raised in Yantley, Ala., joined the Army in August 1984 at age 17.

The change of command at the court is among the significant leadership changes that recently have taken place locally.

Others include the quiet departure of Reginald E. “Reggie” Gordon from the stressful City Hall job of overseeing peoplehelping operations.

He moved on this month to become president and chief executive officer of the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, which provides health care grants.

Mr. Gordon had been the city’s deputy chief administrative officer for human services for five years. That job entailed overseeing the work of social services, justice services and

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City OKs plan for toothless commission to keep tabs on utilities

Also, owning big cats, reptiles, bears and

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

City Council is on track to create the city’s first Public Utilities & Services Commission to review issues involving public utilities and pass a modified ban on lions, tigers, alligators and other “exotic or wild animals.”

The two initiatives top a list of 50 items that the council is poised to approve next Monday, July 24, at its final meeting before the August recess. All of the items are on the consent agenda,

wolves is a ‘no’

which means they already have majority support and are considered noncontroversial.

Three members of council have led the effort to create the utilities commission: Andreas Addison, 1st District; Katherine Jordan, 2nd District; and Ann-Frances Lambert, 3rd District.

Under the ordinance, the commission would have nine members, six appointed by the council and three by the mayor.

‘I have to live my life as a thermostat, not a thermometer’

During his military service, he participated in six combat campaigns, including the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and Operation Unified Response in Haiti after a devastating earthquake in 2010. After 32 years of service, he retired in August 2016 with more than 50 awards and honors.

Along with the accolades and decorations that accompanied his retirement, Sgt. Maj. Craig left the military wearing a not-so-visible badge of courage: PTSD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder affects 9 million, or 3.6% of adults in the U.S., according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Black adults are 20%

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Jiggetts to head foundations

New life, new name for Wythe

Right, Superintendent Jason Kamras and other city officials take part in a July 15

groundbreaking ceremony for the new Richmond School of the Arts. The new school, that will replace George Wythe High School, is expected to be completed in 2026.

By Darlene M. Johnson

Courtesy of the Nikissia Craig Sgt. Maj. Keith L. Craig, who was diagnosed with PTSD while serving in the Army, stands with his daughter, Nikissia Craig, a social worker and CEO and founder of Whole Journey Services.

Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras was joined by members of the RPS School Board, Mayor Levar M. Stoney, and other elected officials to break ground on the site of the new Richmond High School for the Arts, which will replace George Wythe High School.

Cityscape

Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

Coming Together Virginia presents ‘Education Not Incarceration’

Free Press staff report

The school-to-prison pipeline is the focus of an upcoming discussion, “Education Not Incarceration: Stopping the Prison Pipeline,” that will be hosted by Coming Together Virginia on Thursday, July 20,rom 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Branch Museum on 2501 Monument Ave.

Attendees will learn about the history behind this practice, how it is maintained, how it affects children and communities, and the solutions being discussed to stop it. Dinner will be included as part of the event. Attendance is free of charge, but a $20 donation is suggested for those interested in supporting Coming Together’s efforts.

Pre-registration is required and can be done at www. rb.gy/6wmap. More information can be found at comingtogethervirginia.org or by emailing info@comingtogethervirginia.org.

Veteran RPS employee loses effort to keep her job

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

A veteran social worker has lost her job with Richmond Public Schools after a 20-month fight.

The School Board rejected a request from Robin Spears for a hearing and instead voted July 10 to accept Superintendent Jason Kamras’ recommendation that she not be offered a new contract.

Ms. Spears had been on leave since November 2021 after being accused of hitting an unruly 6-year-old while trying to bring him under control in an after-school program she headed.

She denied that she hit the child, and two adults who were in the room when the incident occurred supported her version. She also was acquitted of an assault charge based on the incident in both city General District and Circuit Court by judges who heard the evidence.

Mr. Kamras, however, accepted the allegation and ultimately urged the board to end its relationship with Ms. Spears.

There is no evidence that the Richmond Education Association, the union that represents teachers and other licensed professionals, intervened to support Ms. Spears’ effort to keep her position.

Ms. Spears had been an RPS employee since 2008. She could not immediately be reached for comment.

Chesterfield County Airport collecting school supplies

Free Press staff report

The Richmond Executive-Chesterfield County Airport is hosting a community school supplies drive for Chesterfield County Public Schools students through Aug. 11.

For anyone who is interested in donating school supplies, suggested items include composition books, pens, pencils, markers, folders, glue, crayons, scissors and index cards.

New school supplies may be dropped off at the following locations:

• Chesterfield County Airport Terminal – 7511 Airfield Drive.

• County Administration Building – 9901 Lori Road.

• Community Development Building – 9800 Government Center Parkway.

• Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center – 6610 Public Safety Way.

• Social Services – Smith Wagner Building – 9501 Lucy Corr Blvd.

• Mental Health Support Services – Rogers Building –6801 Lucy Corr Blvd.

• Community Services Building - 2730 Hicks Road, Richmond.

• Uptown Alley - 6101 Brad

McNeer Pkwy, Midlothian.

• Midlothian Book Exchange - 13198 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian.

• Gold’s Gym Westchester Commons - 345 Schofield Dr, Midlothian.

• Coal Mine Coffee & Sweets - 13208 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian.

• Richmond Comix, Inc. - 14255 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian.

• Import Autohaus - 13941 Hull Street Road, Midlothian. All Chesterfield County Public Library locations. For more information, call Hollie Baron, Chesterfield County Airport at (804) 7687720.

“I’m proud that students on the South Side will soon be able to walk into a brand new state-of-the-art facility, but what I will be even prouder of is the future graduates and what they

will achieve in their lives,” Mayor Stoney said. “If we give them the opportunity, not just a building, I know without a doubt that any graduate can succeed in this city.” Following a public process of community engagement and neighborhood meetings, the chosen design of the new school was made by Richmond parents, students, teachers, and community members. Residents voted for their preferred prototype and design styles, which were later approved by the RPS School Board.

Virginia NAACP demands to see governor’s criteria for restoring voting rights to felons

The Associated Press

The Virginia NAACP on Tuesday called on Gov. Glenn Youngkin to establish clear and publicly available criteria for restoring the voting rights of convicted felons who have served their time, saying the system now is secretive and could discriminate against people of color.

Gov. Youngkin has come under scrutiny since his administration confirmed earlier this year that it shifted away from a system used by three of his predecessors that was partly automatic. Two lawsuits have been filed over Gov. Youngkin’s process, which critics have said is confusing and does not have clear standards on when an application should be granted or denied.

The governor’s “painfully slow opaque process is sure to have a discriminatory impact on Black Virginias and other Virginians of color, as well as communities where they live and work,” Robert Barnette Jr., president of the NAACP Virginia State Conference, said during a news conference Tuesday.

In Virginia, a felony conviction automatically results in the loss of certain civil rights such as voting, serving on a jury, running for office or carrying a firearm. The governor has the sole discretion to restore them — with the exception of firearms rights, which only a court can do.

In a letter sent to Gov. Youngkin on Tuesday, Mr. Barnette said the NAACP is “deeply concerned” about the possibility that criteria such as applicant’s race, voting history

or geographic location “may be determinative in whether their application is denied.”

The administration has previously denied that race, religion or ethnicity are considered during the decision-making process, and Gov. Youngkin told The Associated Press on Tuesday that neither a person’s geography nor voting record were being considered.

Toni Heath Johnson, 60, was released from prison last August after serving a twoyear sentence on felony drug charges. Two weeks later, she filed an application seeking to restore her rights. But last month, when she checked the status of her application on a state website, she saw the word “ineligible” next to her name.

“I knew that my felony convictions would get that (right to vote) taken away, but before I was convicted, people were automatically getting their rights back, so I said it doesn’t really matter because I can’t vote in jail anyway, and when I get out, I’ll be able to vote,” she said. “I thought it was going to be a temporary thing.”

Ms. Johnson is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed last month by the ACLU of Virginia and Protect Democracy, a nonprofit that focuses on voting rights, challenging the state’s automatic disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions.

A separate lawsuit filed in April alleges that the discretionary process being used by Gov. Youngkin to decide which felons can have their voting rights restored is unconstitutional.

The NAACP said it received several hundred documents from

the governor’s office in response to public records requests, but none of them make clear the exact criteria the administration is using. The documents, which were reviewed by the AP, show that the state website that outlines the process was changed between September and November 2022, shifting from language that said individuals “are eligible” to language that emphasized individuals must apply to seek restoration of their rights.

The documents also paint a picture of a labor-intensive review process involving sometimes-glitchy government databases and hand-delivered documents.

The records show Dianna Fortune, the state’s director of clemency, emailing workers at other agencies including the Department of Elections, State Compensation Board, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and Department of Corrections requesting information about

batches of individuals who had sought to have their rights restored.

In one instance, an employee of the Compensation Board — which maintains data on inmates in jails — told Ms. Fortune, “For some reason I’ve had issues with the database we use for this continually crashing on me.”

Other emails also highlight the excitement of individuals who received word from the office that their rights were being restored.

“Thanks for notifying me with such amazing news!” one individual wrote in October.

According to a lawsuit filed last month, Virginia is the state with the fifth-highest number of citizens disenfranchised for felony convictions — over 312,000. Black Virginians make up less than 20% of the state’s voting-age population but account for nearly half of all those disenfranchised due to a felony conviction, according to the suit.

Battling book bans

The political advocacy group MoveOn’s Banned Bookmobile made a stop at Richmond’s Main Public Library in Downtown during its trips around the country. The bookmobile is seeking counter book bans imposed by Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis and mostly Republican leaders in other states by rallying supporters and distributing free copies of award-winning books ranging from “To Kill a Mockingbird” to “The Hunger Games,” “Gender Queer,” “The Kite Runner” and “Beloved.” Dr. Lauranett Lee, a historian, educator and candidate for a seat on the Chesterfield County School Board, was among the speakers at the event. Whitney Smith of Richmond, one of the 60 people who attended the rally, chose a copy of Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” as the banned book she planned to read. We The People for Education, which backs Virginia candidates who are pro-public schools, hosted the bookmobile’s visit.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

The Associated Press

NAACP Virginia President Robert N. Barnette Jr., speaks about a Freedom of Information Act request related to the changes the Youngkin administration made to restoring rights to the formerly incarcerated.

Photos by Jeremy M. Lazarus/Richmond Free Press

Gov. Youngkin

Ms. Spears

City’s top cop will be paid a record $216,000

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He also had to shoot an armed man who fired at him and a fellow officer during a 2002 traffic stop.

Among the big, continuing challenges that the new chief faces: Filling empty slots. The department is operating with about 600 sworn officers, or about 154 people short of full strength, despite significant pay increases at the same time violent crime, particularly shootings, have increased.

His starting pay will be a record $216,000, the highest ever for a city police chief, according to city information. Chief Smith previously had been the highest paid Richmond police chief ever at $185,000 a year.

Chief Edwards will be third police chief that Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration has appointed since he first took office in 2017.

Mr. Saunders said that the new chief “stood out among all the applicants. He brings decades of experience and has a solid reputation throughout the region.”

The city received 26 applications for the post, with the new chief being among the three finalists who were interviewed last week by a 10-member committee Mr. Saunders established to assist the process, according to a city statement. The panel recommended Chief Edwards.

The selection drew applause from members of City Council and the wider community as well as from the police union, the Richmond Coalition of Police, which is now involved in negotiating its first contract.

The choice was popular in large part due to Chief Edwards’ efforts to re-establish trust within the department and with the community during his tenure as acting chief.

Council President Michael J. Jones, who served on the interview committee, described him as an ideal choice.

Dr. Jones stated in a text to the Free Press that the chief already has made “remarkable contributions” since taking charge. But he stated that it is Chief Edwards’ caring approach that has stood out.

“I have yet to arrive at a tragic scene in a neighborhood and not see Chief Edwards,” the 9th District council member continued. “We require a leader who can adapt swiftly and proactively. He has not only demonstrated exceptional leadership, but also has displayed a remarkable ability to anticipate challenges.”

He also “values collaboration and inclusivity in our com-

Gregory no longer chief justice; Gordon, Jiggetts to head foundations

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parks, recreation and community facilities. He also oversaw city initiatives involving multicultural affairs and the elderly and disabled.

On his watch, staffing at social services deteriorated, and left the agency far behind in addressing applications for renewal or approval of food stamps, Medicaid and Temporary Aid for Needy Families. Other challenges also remained unmet, including a provision for year-round services for the homeless.

He was being paid more than $205,000 as DCAO. His salary at the foundation was not disclosed, but a foundation report indicated his predecessor was being paid $335,000.

Lincoln Saunders, the city’s chief administrative officer, has announced that Traci J. Deshazor, the city’s chief equity officer, has been promoted to DCAO for human services. She will continue to serve as chief equity officer while handling the DCAO duties.

Separately, Damon Jiggetts, who served as executive director of the Peter Paul Development Center in the East End for 11 years, is now the chief executive officer of the Henrico Education Foundation, a 30-year-old philanthropy group that supports the school system, including operating seven after-school learning centers.

He was paid approximately $122,000 at Peter Paul. His new salary has not been disclosed, but his predecessor was paid $94,000.

Sheila Hill-Christian, who has led various government agencies and is now a managing director at the executive recruiting firm Farenheit Advisors, is serving as interim executive director during the search for a replacement for Mr. Jiggetts. Peter Paul operates a variety of tutoring and education programs, primarily for children in the East End.

Free COVID-19 vaccines

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Office, 509 E. Southside Plaza.

Please be aware that these dates are pending, and testing events may be canceled.

Call the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for more information on testing sites or go online at vax.rchd.com.

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

Want a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot?

The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free vaccines for COVID-19 and more at the following locations:

• Thursday, July 20, 1 to 4 p.m. - Richmond Technical Center, 2020 Westwood Ave., TDAP, meningitis and HPV shots. Walk-ups welcome but appointments encouraged.

• Tuesday, July 25, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Henrico East Fast Track Clinic, 1400 N. Laburnum Ave., TDAP, Meningitis and HPV shots. Walk-ups welcome, but appointments encouraged.

• Wednesday, July 26, Time TBD - Henrico West Health Department, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Bivalent Moderna boosters for ages 6 years and older, Bivalent Pfizer boosters for ages 5 years and older, Novavax primary shots for ages 12 and older, JYNNEOS shots and Moderna/Pfizer baby bivalent boosters; 1 to 4 p.m. - Henrico West Fast Track Clinic, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive., TDAP, meningitis and HPV shots. Walkups welcome, but appointments encouraged.

People can schedule an appointment online at vase.vdh. virginia.gov, vaccinate.virginia.gov or vax.rchd.com, or by calling (804) 205-3501 or (877) VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682). VaccineFinder.org and vaccines.gov also allow people to find nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine and booster.

Those who are getting a booster shot should bring their vaccine card to confirm the date and type of vaccine received. RHHD also offers at-home vaccinations by calling (804) 2053501 to schedule appointments.

The Pfizer booster is approved for ages 12 and up, while the new Moderna booster is for ages 18 and older.

As with previous COVID-19 boosters, the new doses can only be received after an initial two vaccine shots, and those who qualify are instructed to wait at least two months after their second COVID-19 vaccine.

The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts also offer bivalent Pfizer and Moderna boosters to children between the ages of 5 and 11. Children in this age range will be eligible after at least two months since their last vaccine dose.

munity … and consistently demonstrated his dedication to the people, ensuring every person is acknowledged and that their voices are heard,” Dr. Jones stated.

Members of the council’s Public Safety Committee were equally supportive.

Public Safety Chair Reva M. Trammell, 8th District, said her phone was blowing up with calls from constituents praising the choice of an officer who “came up through the ranks” and has proven supportive of “police officers, our citizens, our churches and the business owners.”

She said she is confident that Chief Edwards will continue to work with neighboring counties and federal and state agencies to “combat crime.”

Fifth District Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch, who also serves on the committee, stated that “his length of service, experience and compassion for the communities he serves is top-notch and exemplary of the leadership the Richmond Police Department needs at this time.”

“I think it’s great,” said Sixth District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson, who has served nearly 20 years on the council and seen numerous chiefs come and go. “He has already shown an

ability to work well with the council.”

The Richmond Coalition of Police, which had been supportive of Chief Edwards since he was named acting chief, applauded the choice, noting the chief’s long service and familiarity with the city. “His appointment will provide stability,” an RCOP spokesman said.

Richmond NAACP Branch President James E. “J.J.” Minor III, who also was an interviewer said that “from the beginning of his interim appointment, Rick made a concerted effort to re-engage with the community at all levels. He was intentional in reaching out not just to the NAACP but other organizations to have authentic conversations about hard topics. This is the type of leader we need.”

Dr. William Pelfrey Jr., a Virginia Commonwealth University associate professor who specializes in police issues and also served as an interviewer, called Chief Edwards “the right choice.”

“As a researcher who has studied crime in Richmond and policing in cities across the United States,” Dr. Pelfrey stated that “Chief Edwards combines experience across many of the RPD units, an in-depth knowledge of Richmond and a dedication to success that could not be matched.

Combating PTSD during, after military career

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more likely to report serious psychological distress than white adults.

Initially, Sgt. Major Craig had trouble acknowledging his symptoms, believing that any sign of vulnerability was weakness, especially for a Black man holding a senior military position.

Seven percent of veterans will have PTSD at some point in their lifetime compared to 6% of the general population, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD.

“It can be difficult to experience peace, happiness and to feel adequate and whole in the midst of life as a Black person,” agreed Nikissia Craig, a social worker and CEO and founder of Whole Journey Services, a counseling and wellness services provider with locations throughout Virginia and in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In addition to seeing the effects of PTSD professionally, Ms. Craig, the daughter of Sgt. Maj. Craig, personally has experienced the disorder. Her father’s condition, which developed and was diagnosed during his military service, inspired her to enter the mental health field.

Sgt. Maj. Craig, 53, of New Kent County, has battled PTSD since 2013. He became aware of his mood swings, a symptom of the condition, after his former commander mentioned his inconsistent behavior.

“My commander called me in and told me for the most part, ‘You love your soldiers, right, Sergeant Major? If you really want to do them justice, let them know that it’s OK to not be OK’,” Sgt. Maj. Craig recalled.

Sgt. Maj. Craig’s other PTSD episodes include nightmares, being startled by fireworks and certain memories “etched” into his mind. However, with the support of his daughter, Sgt. Maj. Craig allowed himself to “lower his guard,” seek treatment and

tell his story, he said. He began therapy in 2014, two years before retiring. Today he ascribes to certain coping mechanisms to help him live a healthier life “filled with a mission.” This includes a routine incorporating meditation, an in-home sauna, regular massages, reading the Bible and seeing a mental health professional every two weeks.”

Only one in three Black adults in need of mental treatment receive it, according to NAMI. There is still a stigma around mental health in the Black community and some prefer using faith, friends or being active as ways to cope, Ms. Craig said.

“I no longer live my life like everyone does because it’s not reasonable,” Sgt. Maj. Craig said. “I have to live my life as a thermostat, not a thermometer. Most people [with PTSD who do not tailor their lives to accommodate themselves] walk through life day to day and it’s like they’re a thermometer because they don’t have a choice in their world. They literally are just taking what’s given to them.”

Seeking professional help is also essential to coping and living with PTSD, Ms. Craig said. Yet, many Black people encounter challenges when searching for culturally competent counselors and therapists.

Black psychologists account for only 5% of psychologists in the U.S. as of 2021, according to the American Psychological Association. In 2015, the Association reported that 4% of psychologists were Black. The percentage of Black psychiatrists is even lower at 2% as of 2021, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Another challenge occurs when Black people are misdiagnosed, over-diagnosed or their pain is misunderstood, Ms. Craig said.

“Our needs and pain have often been dismissed and erased in a way that discourages getting treatment,” she said.

Other mental health care professionals agree.

The Black community has become numb to the pain experienced and going day to day without addressing trauma makes it worse, said Dennis Parker, Ph.D., CEO of Carieton and Associates, COO of Hargrove, Oliver, Parker Enterprises (HOPE) and president of Caliber Virginia, all of which are mental health service providers.

Trauma is experienced so often that in order to continue with life, it is blocked out to not create overwhelming despair, Dr. Parker said.

“We don’t have enough providers and instead of the state making the barriers of entry culturally unbiased for African-Americans, [the state] adhered to a traditional way of thinking that doesn’t necessarily connect with people who are providers or are wanting to become providers,” Dr. Parker said.

Dr. Parker speaks at local and national forums to not only raise awareness for mental health, but to also promote gateway jobs into the mental health field, he said.

Some people believe they always need a mental health-related degree to be in the mental health field, he said, but sometimes there just needs to be a willingness to learn and gain more experience.

Since retiring from the Army, Sgt. Maj. Craig spends much of his time working on a new passion: Film distribution. Formerly a distribution executive for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in Burbank, Calif., he has helped with distribution plans and strategies of films such as “Coco,” “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Endgame.” He is now CEO of Porter + Craig Film and Media Distribution, founded in 2021 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Describing himself as a “thriver,” not a survivor, of PTSD, Sgt. Major Craig said he hopes that everyone experiencing PTSD can obtain the help they need.

New life, new name for Wythe

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place George Wythe High School in name and aesthetics, initially was planned five years ago and officially announced in 2020, has had its share of fits and starts.

Two students were shot in a nearby parking lot of the current high school located at 4314 Crutchfield St. in April.

The sudden death of the school’s beloved principal occurred just before the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

Seemingly overlooked and treated like a stepchild when Fox Elementary School caught fire in early 2022. Rebuilding Fox, located in a more well-heeled neighborhood, appeared to get far more attention than George Wythe, which is listed among the school facilities in the worst condition.

In its early inception, the new high school also was beset with disagreements over budgets and funding.

All of those challenges should change with the official groundbreaking of the

new Richmond High School of the Arts. With 2026 its estimated completion date, the new school will cost $154.6 million and house 1,800 students, the Richmond Free Press reported in February.

Design plans include band rooms, a black box theater, a dance studio, art rooms, a podcast studio and an orchestra. Classrooms will be built for careers in business, fashion, graphic design and technology.

While the current school will be demolished entirely once Richmond High is occupied, school officials stressed that the colors, mascot and spirit of George Wythe would live on.

“Today is the first day of the rest of our kids’ lives,” George Wythe Principal Kevin Olds said. “The rich traditions of George Wythe High School will not be lost — it will be built upon, it will be embraced, it will be nourished with structure, discipline and support along the way.”

For Judy Farmer Scott, a 1974 George Wythe graduate who attended the event

with her sister, Clara, the changes set to come were welcome, long overdue, and could bear fruit not just for its students but Richmond as a whole.

“They’re building state-of-the-art schools around the country, and George Wythe should have had one 30 years ago,” Ms. Scott said. “Regardless of the name, regardless of the innovations, hopefully it will be (an) enhancement for everyone in the whole community.”

George Wythe alumna Tisha Erby, a leader of the Wythe Can’t Wait group, which called for solutions to address the state of the school, shared Ms. Scott’s enthusiasm.

Wearing a yellow hard hat, red George Wythe Bulldogs shirt and cradling her daughter, Blessn, she was happy to learn about the forthcoming academic programs.

“This school is going to be for the arts, so we’re going to have a lot of art things — dance, theater,” Ms. Erby said. “It’s been a long time coming.”

City Council to create toothless commission

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The commission, once established, would gain sweeping authority to review everything involving the Department of Public Utilities—from billing issues that have plagued the department to the future of natural gas in a city that has endorsed eliminating the fossil fuel as a source of energy by 2050.

Essentially, it is designed to give citizens more of a voice in the department’s policies and planning processes, the ordinance indicates.

Despite the sweeping mandate, the commission would be largely toothless and underfunded.

The members would be volunteers, while the commission would not have a budget or independent staff to support its work. As designed, it would meet a minimum of three times a year and send any recommendations to the mayor and council to consider, but have no authority to affect operations or procedures.

According to information attached to

the ordinance, costs associated with the commission are expected to run $5,000 a year and involve 10 hours of time of the staff that reports to the council’s chief of staff. The ban on owning or possessing wild animals mostly focuses on big cats and reptiles and other dangerous wild animals, like wolves and bears.

Until now, the city code mostly focused on dogs and cats. The only significant animal ban has been the ownership of pigs, with some conditions imposed for keeping chickens.

The new law would ban private ownership of a wide array of animals, such as monkeys, raccoons, opossums, skunks, wolves and coyotes, as well as big cats, large reptiles, deer and other types of non-domesticated creatures.

However, the ordinance has been amended to allow for people to practice falconry, gain permits to keep poisonous snakes and buy parakeets and other animals that have “never known the wild” or been domestically bred.

It also has been amended to allow individuals and organizations with state and federal permits or a permit from the city Department of Animal Care and Control that is to enforce the ordinance to own, breed, purchase or sell a specific species.

Many of the amendments resulted from comments that representatives of the state and private organizations that support falconry and ownership of wild animals made challenging the language of the initial ordinance as overbroad and in conflict with federal and state laws.

Also, the council is anticipated to clear the way for another $100 million-plus development in South Side.

This one is planned to occupy 2 acres of the Manchester riverfront, south of the 14th Street Bridge, ensuring a continuation of the construction boom.

The plan from Hourigan Development calls for replacing two former Southern States’ grain silos with a 20-story, 290unit apartment building, a six-story office building and a possible hotel, according to city documents.

ATTENTION: Bon Secours may become out-of-network for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Medicare Advantage patients in Virginia

Bon Secours and Anthem (otherwise known as Elevance Health) have been negotiating more than nine months. By failing to reach an equitable agreement with us, Anthem may be putting at risk in-network access for Medicare Advantage patients who have trusted relationships with Bon Secours facilities and providers.

As health care providers serving this community for decades, we find this incredibly disheartening. Our focus is, and has always been, on providing quality, compassionate care for those we serve, and that commitment will not change.

If an agreement is not reached, our Medicare Advantage contract with Anthem in Virginia will terminate effective August 1 and Bon Secours providers will be considered out-of-network to patients who have Anthem Medicare Advantage health insurance.

If you are a Bon Secours patient with Anthem Medicare Advantage coverage, here is what you can do to make your voice heard on this issue:

1. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment opens October 15. Talk to your broker and understand your options to pick a plan that keeps your Bon Secours providers in-network. Bon Secours remains in-network with all other major Medicare Advantage health plans in Virginia.

2. Call Anthem at the number at the back of your insurance card and tell them how important it is for you to keep your uninterrupted in-network access to Bon Secours.

Bon Secours is committed to continue doing our part and work hard to reach a new agreement with Anthem on behalf of our patients and the communities we serve — so nothing comes between you and the caregivers you know and trust.

To learn more visit bonsecours.com/elevancehealth.

Jesse Jackson steps back from PUSH

By Todd Richmond and Kathleen Foody The Associated Press CHICAGO

The Rev. Jesse Jackson announced Saturday that he will step down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Chicago-based civil rights group he founded more than 50 years ago.

Rev. Jackson, 81, announced his resignation during a quiet farewell speech at the organization’s annual convention, where the group paid tribute to him with songs, kind words from other Black activists and politicians, and a video montage of Rev. Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns.

Gary Flowers of Richmond, who served as the Coalition’s national field director and director of programs from 1997 to 2007, described the convention of some 5,000 attendees as being filled with a roster of “who’s who,” including syndicated columnist and economist Julianne Malveaux and Marcia Fudge, secretary of the U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development.

In a statement on the White House website, President Biden wrote: “Throughout our decades of friendship and partnership, I’ve seen how Reverend Jackson has helped lead our nation forward through tumult and triumph. Whether on the campaign trail, on the march for equality, or in the room advocating for what is right and just, I’ve seen him as history will remember him: a man of God and of the people; determined, strategic, and unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our nation.

“Jill and I are grateful to Reverend Jackson for his lifetime of dedicated service and extend our appreciation to the entire Jackson family,” President Biden’s statement continues. “We look forward to working with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition as

he hands the torch to the next generation of leadership, just as we will continue to cherish the counsel and wisdom that we draw from him.”

Rev. Jackson, who has dealt with several health problems in recent years and uses a wheelchair, capped the proceedings with muted remarks. Flanked by his daughter, Santita Jackson, and his son, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, the once-fiery orator spoke so softly it was difficult to hear him.

“I am somebody,” he said.

“Green or yellow, brown, Black or white, we’re all perfect in God’s eyes. Everybody is somebody. Stop the violence. Save the children. Keep hope alive.”

The Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes, “a longtime student of Rev. Jackson and supporter” of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, will take over as the group’s

leader, the coalition said in a statement. Rev. Haynes is the pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, according to the church’s website.

Rev. Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago. He suffered a host of health setbacks in 2021, beginning with gallbladder surgery, a COVID-19 infection and a fall at Howard University that caused a head injury.

Rev. Jackson has been a powerful advocate for civil rights and a strong voice in American politics for decades.

A protégé of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he broke with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1971 to form Operation PUSH, initially named People United to Save Humanity, on Chicago’s South Side. The organization was later renamed the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The group’s mission

ranges from promoting minority hiring in the corporate world to voter registration drives in communities of color.

Rev. Jackson has been a driving force in the modern Civil Rights Movement, pushing for voting rights and education.

Among other things, he joined George Floyd’s family at a memorial for the slain Black man and has participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to counter Black hesitancy about the drugs. Before Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Rev. Jackson had been the most successful Black presidential candidate. He won 13 primaries and caucuses in his push for the 1988 Democratic nomination, which went to Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis.

Rev. Jackson said in his remarks that he plans to continue working on social justice issues, including advocating for three survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre who this week saw a judge dismiss their lawsuit seeking reparations.

“We’re resigning, we’re not

retiring,” Rev. Jackson said.

Ron Daniels, who works with the National African-American Reparations Commission, a panel working for financial payments to Black people as compensation for slavery, told convention-goers that Rev. Jackson is a “synthesis” of Dr. King and another 1960s civil rights leader, Malcolm X.

“He is an authentic genius,” Mr. Daniel said. “(Jackson) had the unparalleled capacity to frame and articulate ... political strategy in a way common, ordinary people could understand it.”

Ms. Fudge thanked Rev. Jackson for paving the way for Black politicians like herself.

“Most people talk a good game but they have no courage,” she said. “But you never left us, no matter how hard (things became).”

Santita Jackson implored convention-goers to follow her father’s lead and continue to fight for equality.

“Rev. Jackson has run his leg,” she said. “What are you going to do?”

Photos by The Associated Press

The Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks to attendees at the inaugural Sunday Dinner event, hosted by the South Carolina Democratic Party’s Black Caucus on March 27, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. Rev. Jackson is stepping down from leading the Rainbow PUSH Coalition since 1971.

Jesse Jackson, center, founder of Rainbow PUSH, and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume, right, join hands as they arrive at Greenville County Square for a rally in a Dignity Day March on May 17, 2003, in Greenville, S.C.

Underfunding education can be undone

Like past state leaders, Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin loves to talk about the importance of education and the need for a quality public school system.

Paying for it is something else.

If you thought the state was shortchanging public schools, you were right.

A new report from the reliable and nonpartisan investigative arm of the General Assembly, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, has found Virginia is falling short in providing critical financial support for school operations.

Relying on outdated and inaccurate data and formulas, Virginia low-balls its contributions –leaving it to Richmond and other local governments to make up the difference, JLARC found after an 18-month study.

According to the JLARC study, Virginia’s 132 school divisions receive less K-12 funding than the 50-state average, the regional average and three of the five bordering states.

Virginia does better than North Carolina and Tennessee, but you know something is not kosher when Kentucky and West Virginia are more supportive than the Old Dominion.

According to JLARC, Virginia would need to boost spending by about $1,900 per student to match the national average.

State spending on education has been going up. About 31% of the state’s general fund goes to education. Of that, $10.5 billion a year represents the state’s direct contribution to public education.

The problem, according to JLARC, is that the spending just has not kept pace with the real costs that local governments have to deal with.

Based on three Virginia-specific spending benchmark models, JLARC stated, local schools are estimated to need 6% to over 30% more in funding. On average, 81% of school divisions receive a contribution from the state that falls below those benchmarks.

According to JLARC, in the 2020-21 fiscal year, the state’s complex Standards of Quality formula, the state only needed to invest $10.7 billion to provide every Virginia child with a quality education. But the real cost was $17.3 billion, based on local school budgets.

As it stands now, state funding represents about 39% of the total cost of public education, with local contributions representing about 52% of the cost and federal contributions making up the remaining 9%.

The state would need to invest an additional $3 billion or so a year to match the contributions to match the national average.

JLARC has a host of recommendations small and large, including fixing the SOQ formula, which could take a few years.

One big idea JLARC offered was to have Virginia move from a staff-focused formula to a student-focused formula. That is the way most of the 50 states determine how much to invest.

Short-term, JLARC calls for spending an additional $1 billion to make the initial improvements and recommends changes that could cost $2.5 billion over the long term.

Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney, who is eyeing a run for governor in 2025 after he leaves his city post at the end of next year, spoke out after the release of the report.

“Education is the great equalizer, which is why fully funding public education will build stronger students and a stronger Commonwealth. An investment in education is an investment in our future, which is why I have increased local funding to Richmond Public Schools by nearly 50 percent since I came into office.

“The Commonwealth has underfunded our public schools for decades, and our children bear the consequences of that inaction,” he continued. “To be the best state to live, work, and raise a family, Virginia must ensure our schools have the resources they need to provide our children with a world-class education — and that is simply not happening. With the added learning-loss crisis created by the pandemic, I am begging state leaders to work together to address this decades-long failure to fund the true cost of education.”

We agree. But that is easier said than done.

Gov. Youngkin has put his priority on cutting taxes, mostly for big businesses and wealthy people like himself.

Most Republicans in the legislature are supportive of his vision of how to use state tax revenue.

Most Democrats want to use a bigger portion of state revenue to better fund public schools and address needs in the state’s mental health system.

In November, the people will vote for representatives for the state House and Senate, who would decide whether to use tax dollars for bigger investments in public education or to provide tax cuts. Your vote could help determine how that issue is decided.

Living and learning as classrooms dominate the culture wars in America

School’s out for the summer, but the culture wars around education aren’t taking a break. This month, a pair of convenings again showed how the issue is breaking down.

Much of the media attention focused on the Moms for Liberty conference in Philadelphia over the July Fourth holiday weekend. The rightwing group has gained increased attention in recent months as it has led the effort to ban books they deem inappropriate, often dealing with topics of race, gender, sexuality or history.

But I was also interested in another gathering happening that same weekend down in Florida, arguably the epicenter of the education fight. Thousands of teachers were in Orlando for the National Education Association’s annual meeting. The group is the country’s largest teacher’s union and a powerful voting bloc: Three in four teachers are women, and 1 in 100 Americans is an NEA member.

The climate for educators

could not be more fraught.

“Parents’ rights” became a rallying cry during the pandemic, and Republicans, led by former President Donald Trump, have actively opposed teaching a fuller, more inclusive version of history that they say harms White children in particular. The GOP also is targeting LGBTQ+ youths, from

Errin Haines

classrooms to locker rooms, arguing that progressive policies have gone too far.

And headed into the NEA conference, the Supreme Court handed down a pair of rulings on student loan debt and affirmative action that could affect many of the group’s 3 million members. According to the NEA, nearly half of their educators have student loans, and more than half of them still carry a balance averaging nearly $60,000. The future of college campuses — potentially affecting both students and professors — also hangs in the balance.

Education is perennially a top issue for voters, but headed into 2024, I’m already watching to see how this political priority will play out differently over the next

year. I spoke with NEA President Becky Pringle, a former middle school science teacher, mother and grandmother, about the stakes of our current moment and how she’s thinking about her role in a consequential election year.

“Public education is the foundation of our democracy,” Ms. Pringle said. “Any attempt to destroy it or diminish it or dismantle it or do anything that discourages people about the promise of it … that’s unacceptable.”

Florida already was on the calendar for the NEA long before Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was running for president on the heels of a resounding reelection victory. As governor, he has led a legislative agenda targeting LGBTQ+ rights, access to abortion and the teaching of history.

As a result, groups such as the NAACP issued travel advisories warning people not to go to Florida. Still, Ms. Pringle told me the moment felt urgent for her members in the state and across the country.

“Florida was on our list to go to, but then, you know, Ron DeSantis, and the confluence of issues, laws that were passed, rhetoric, attacks, all of the things that started happening

Where are we?

As children, when my siblings and I did something good, my mother never failed to compliment us. On the other hand, when we did something bad, she never failed to chastise us by providing a bit of corrective action!

Whichever we were to face, my mother did it with love. At times she would add, “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you!” We found that hard to believe; however, we tried our best to do better or make improvements the next time.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our Supreme Court and our politicians did the same thing— make things better?

Some people like to talk about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream. They talk about equality, but somehow forget that our nation has never been equal for many of us. So, just declaring equality does not make it so. Forward positive movement makes it so.

Donald Trump, the twice impeached, several times indicted, once convicted, many times exerciser of super bad behavior, made the phrase “Make America Great Again” famous.

My friend, Dick Gregory, always responded with, “You act like America has already been

great for some of us!”

Sure, there was a time when many of us thought taking something to the Supreme Court would provide justice for our righteous causes. No longer are we under that illusion. Our only consolation is that we have three of the four women on the

United States Supreme Court willing to make America great for all of us. We’re grateful for Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan. But for all their powerful voices seeking justice for all, we need more!

We need a new Civil and Human Rights Movement because those rights we once thought we had are slipping away faster than we’re moving forward in basic rights. The hatred we are experiencing is coming from so many directions. It’s sad to say that too much hate and the blocking of our moving forward are coming from within.

One glaring example of blocking our forward movement is Clarence Thomas. His hatred for us is so glaring that he not only takes advantage of affirmative action for himself, but he votes to deny it for those who’ve come after him.

Let me be clear. I am not suggesting that attending Harvard University is any better for a Black student than at-

tending Howard University or any of our fine predominantly and historically Black colleges and universities. Learning to appreciate diversity in this country is not exclusively for Black people. That is the way it is treated, however. So many items that people other than white people have created are used by them, and some, presumably, are used by the Thomas family.

Examples include the blood bank, improved ironing board, home security system, yield traffic light, refrigerated truck, automatic elevator doors, tissue holder, automatic gear shift helping people to drive uphill, clothes dryer, golf tees, lawnmower, and too many things to mention here, but I am sure you get the idea.

My point for mentioning these products that benefit all people is that many of those who invented them didn’t say, “We are inventing these things for ourselves, and for nobody else.” No doubt, they were happy to benefit everybody. Just look at where we are now. Just look at where our Supreme Court is. They seem to be happy to take us back to a day when we had no rights and now they’re taking away others we once had!

The writer is president of The Dick Gregory Society and president emerita of the National Congress of Black Women.

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last year, we had to look at that and make some decisions,” said Ms. Pringle, the first Black woman to lead the NEA in two decades. “It was very personal for me, in addition to all of our delegates being safe … I was concerned. We talked about whether or not we would go or we wouldn’t go, either in protest or not, just going into the belly of the beast.”

After meeting with educators in Florida after last year’s midterm election, Ms. Pringle said the message was clear: “Don’t leave us. We’re here, our kids are here, educators are here, and we need our union to stand with us, because the attacks won’t stop.”

The writer is editor-atlarge at the 19th. To read her entire commentary, visit https://19thnews.org/author/ errin-haines/

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Faye Williams

Learn, lead and lift

HBCUs will continue to thrive amid diversity debate

After several weeks of national debate, there is broader understanding of the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action and the redefined legal framework that governs diversity initiatives in higher education. The decision reaffirms the importance diversity plays in fostering inclusive learning environments. Admissions policies must strike a balance between meritocracy and equal access, ensuring that all students — regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances — have an equitable opportunity to pursue higher education. This aspect of the decision is not in question.

However, much of the unease with the decision is that it pre-supposes a colorblind society and that all its citizens have equal access to an education at all levels of the American education system. Unfortunately, this simply is not the case. The ruling potentially sows the seeds for a more segregated higher education system and one in which fewer Black Americans will receive a college education. Further, and equally troubling, is the possible decline in Black student enrollment at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The ruling potentially rolls back decades of progress toward diversity within our higher education system, with potentially far-reaching impacts on HBCUs, as well as PWIs.

The potential decline in Black student enrollment at PWIs is borne out by the results of California’s 1996 California State System ban

on affirmative action enrollment initiatives. “As of 2020, Black student enrollment in California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) remains lower than their share of high school graduates in California. The gap is greater at CSU where they were 8% of the freshman class in 1997 but have fallen almost in half to 4%. At the same time, the number of Black high school graduates has increased from about 21,000 in 1997 to 25,000 in 2018.”

Darrell K. Williams

There is great potential for this same dynamic to occur on a national scale, leaving an unacceptable swath of Black students in danger of experiencing more restricted access to higher education.

Among possible positive impacts is increased enrollment at HBCUs. Yet, challenges to both capacity and funding persist. According to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Goldman Sachs Research, “Although HBCUs make up only 3% of the country’s colleges and universities, they enroll 10% of all AfricanAmerican students and produce almost 13% of all African-American graduates,” meaning the overwhelming majority of Black students graduate from PWIs. It is unlikely that HBCUs can absorb the scores of Black students possibly turned away from PWIs, if indeed California is a test case.

HBCUs will also require additional funding. The same Goldman Sachs report concluded that

“Public HBCUs reported 54% less in assets per student than public non-HBCUs in 2021, highlighting an ongoing disparity in endowment sizes. Private HBCUs had 79% less in assets per student compared to private non-HBCUs. Failure to proactively address this sizeable gap will render many HBCUs unable to respond to the increased demand for enrollment. Impacted HBCUs will need additional funding for more faculty, staff, and administrators, and enhancements to residential and academic infrastructure.

Within this national discussion, we must reject the temptation of a false either-or narrative. We need both better support to HBCUs and maintenance of a process that ensures Black students are admitted into PWIs at levels near or greater than before the Supreme Court decision.

America must continue to insist upon diversity as an inseparable part of the comprehensive learning experience. College is where networking begins and where many of the relationships vital to our democracy are built. It’s where students from varying backgrounds are introduced to broader social and political perspectives, which form the foundation of civil discourse. College is more than an academic endeavor. At Hampton University, we call it providing an “Education for Life.” There are roughly 4,000 Title IV degree-granting institutions in America, and just over 100 are HBCUs. America needs both strong HBCUs and large numbers of Black students graduating from PWIs.

To some, diversity within the concept of an HBCU is an oxymoron. History tells us that

Detroit’s bankruptcy architect says filing 10 years ago was best fix for broken city

By Corey Williams

The Associated Press DETROIT

Detroit’s newly hired emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, stood before reporters in March 2013 and issued a warning to city creditors, unions, vendors and others: “Don’t make me go to bankruptcy court. You won’t enjoy it.”

On July 18, 2013, the restructuring expert did just that, making Detroit the largest city in the U.S. to file for bankruptcy.

What followed was months of negotiations, federal court hearings and an unlikely coming together of foundations to keep city-owned artwork from being sold to help pay off the debt.

the auto industry and other manufacturers had severely slashed Detroit’s tax base. Many neighborhoods were rife with vacant and burned out houses. Empty lots became dumping grounds for trash, used tires and even boats.

Poverty, unemployment and crime rates were among the highest in the nation.

Mr. Orr

The city’s budget deficit was north of $300 million. In the months before the bankruptcy, statebacked bond money helped the city meet payroll for its 10,000 employees. In the bankruptcy filing, Mr. Orr cited debt of $18 billion or more.

Massive population loss that began in the 1950s and a decades long downturn in the auto industry and other manufacturers severely slashed Detroit’s tax base. Many neighborhoods were rife with vacant and burned out houses. Empty lots became dumping grounds for trash, used tires and even boats.

The Associated Press

offices at Jones Day.

HBCUs are the blueprint for serving students, faculty, and staff from a spectrum of colors, creeds, and classes. From 1878 to 1923, Hampton opened its doors to over 1,300 Indigenous peoples from over 65 different tribes, marking one of our institution’s first major expressions of diversity and inclusion. With over 40,000 recorded alumni across America and around the world, Hampton has long celebrated the contributions of students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, cultivating an environment that nurtures individual growth, cultural exchange, and intellectual rigor. With much of the teeth of affirmative programs shelved as a national imperative, responsibility now rests with individual institutions to ensure that diversity persists.

As higher education continues to evolve, HBCUs must remain an important pathway to equality. At the heart of any HBCU experience is the celebration of cultural identity, a “liftas-we-climb” spirit, an ethos of service, and a commitment to excellence. However, HBCUs are only part of the overall landscape of a brilliant higher education system. There must remain equal access to an education at all of America’s colleges and universities.

As for us, Hampton University hereby reaffirms its commitment to remaining part of our nation’s higher education solution. Excellence is here. It has been since 1868, and will always be.

The writer is a three-star retired Army general and the 13th president of Hampton University.

Threats of a strike heating up even before UAW begins negotiations with automakers “Bankruptcy is a miserable process,” Mr. Orr, 65, told The Associated Press earlier this month, ahead of the 10th anniversary of the filing. “It puts everybody outside of their ordinary course, their common spaces.”

Detroit was determined by a state-appointed review team to be in severe financial distress in 2012. Soon after, then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder hired Mr. Orr — an attorney with the international law firm Jones Day — to take on the heavy lift of fixing a broken city.

Massive population loss that began in the 1950s and a decades long downturn in

“This is a problem that’s been evolving for 50-plus years,” then-Gov. Snyder, a Republican, said during Mr. Orr’s introduction. “This is a problem that now has reached a true crisis point.”

In 2013, underfunded obligations for pensions were about $3.5 billion. It was $5.7 billion for retiree health coverage.

Mr. Orr said the city once had 20,000 workers and 10,000 retirees who were owed pensions. By the time of the bankruptcy filing, those numbers were flipped with 20,000 retirees expecting pension payments.

“You can’t see those inverse yield curves and come away with a conclusion that this is going to end up well,” he said.

On top of that, the city had very few assets that could be sold to pay its debt. He listed

city-owned paintings and sculptures at the Detroit Institute of Arts, parking lots and Detroit’s water department. He warned then that the artwork could go on the auction block to help satisfy the city’s staggering debt.

“It wasn’t a threat,” he says now. “It was just: ‘Look, I’ve got a crisis. I need the money.’ We were getting overtures, both domestic and overseas, to buy some of the art.”

Deep-pocketed foundations and the state stepped up and raised $800 million in what came to be known as the “Grand Bargain,” softening cuts to city pensions and placing the artwork in a charitable trust.

Without a consensual resolution with creditors, unions and others to solve the debt, “bankruptcy was the only vehicle that could achieve the outcome,” said Mr. Orr, who is now partner-in-charge for U.S.

Detroit exited bankruptcy in December 2014 with about $7 billion in debt restructured or wiped out. The city now boasts balanced budgets, improved services and a blight reduction effort that has led to the demolition of more than 24,000 vacant houses.

Prior to taking on Detroit’s troubles, Mr. Orr advised automaker Chrysler (now Stellantis) and National Century Financial Enterprises in their bankruptcies. He considers his experience in Detroit as among his top accomplishments.

“Probably, for me, (it was) the most personally satisfying because it was for people as opposed to corporations or businesses,” Mr. Orr said. “It ranks, certainly, among the highest of all the things I’ve fortunately been involved in.”

When two people with Sickle Cell Trait have a child, there is a 1 in 4 chance with each pregnancy, that the child will have a painful life threatening disease called Sickle Cell Disease.

Stories by Fred Jeter

VSU’s Alexis McNair earns new title

Alexis McNair sparkles in the classroom, on the volleyball court and even at The Diamond on Arthur Ashe Boulevard.

The Virginia State University junior and Patrick Henry High of Ashland alumnus has been named the CIAA’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year for her varied talents. Academically, she has a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in mass communications with a minor in sports management.

As an high-flying outside hitter on the Trojans volleyball squad, she recorded 136 kills, 41 digs, 20 blocks and 10 service aces this past season. She also is President of VSU’s Student Athletes Advisory Committee. You might even spot her at a Richmond Flying Squirrels game or activity at or near The Diamond. She is a summer intern with the local pro team as an event coordinator.

7 women of color seen on soccer stage

The United States Women’s National Soccer team has history, recent momentum, and racial diversity on its side heading into this year’s World Cup.

The once every four years event is July 20 through Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

History: Uncle Sam is seeking its third straight Cup after prevailing in 2015 and 2019.

Momentum: The U.S. has won nine straight international matches in preparation for the Cup, including eight against Cup qualifiers.

Diversity: The roster features seven women of color, including Trinity Rodman, the gifted daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman.

Rodman scored a bracket (soccer lingo for two goals) in the U.S.’s recent 2-0 international friendly match over Wales on July 9.

Rodman’s talent and family name has lifted her to the forefront

U.S. rules the world

Here is the U.S. Women’s World Cup pool-play schedule. The Round of 16 begins Aug. 5. July 21 – vs. Vietnam 9 p.m. Eastern, Fox TV, Auckland, NZ July 26 – vs. The Netherlands, 9 p.m., Fox, Wellington, NZ Aug. 1 – vs. Portugal, 3 a.m., Fox, Auckland

on the patch and beyond it.

Already she has endorsements from Red Bull, Oakley and Adidas and has appeared in TV commercials for Verizon and Rexona.

She also has authored a children’s book called “Wake up and Kick it.” Meet the USWNT women of color:

•Rodman, forward, age 21, No. 20, from Laguna Niguel, Calif.

•Alana Cook, defense, age 26, No. 12, Far Hills, N.J.

•Crystal Dunn, defense, age 25, No. 19, Rockville Centre, N.Y.

•Naomi Girma, defense, age 23, No. 4, San Jose, Calif.

•Lynn Williams, forward, age 30, No. 6, Fresno, Calif.

Alyssa Thompson, forward, age 18, No. 7, Studio City, Calif.

•Sophia Smith, forward, age 23, No. 11, Windsor, Colo.

Nicknamed the “Stars and Stripes,” the USWNT is the most successful program in the history of women’s soccer.

They have won the 1991, ’99, 2015 and ’19 World Cups, the 1996, 2004, ’08 and ’12 Summer Olympics and nine CONCACAF Gold Cups.

The USWNT was formed in 1985 and in 1986 Kim Crabbe became the squad’s first Black athlete.

From Reston, Va., Crabbe led George Mason University to the 1985 NCAA title before joining the national team and playing until 1988.

Britton Wilson’s pro move paying off

It didn’t take long for former Richmonder Britton Wilson to establish herself on the professional track circuit. Having recently turned pro following a stellar career at the University of Arkansas, she came up big at the USA Nationals earlier this month in Eugene, Ore.

Wilson turned pro in June following the NCAA championships.

Sydnet McLaughlin-Levrone won the event in 48.74, nearly breaking the U.S. record of 48.70 set by Sanya RichardsRoss in 2012. Germany’s Marita Koch set the world mark of 47.60 in 1985.

Wilson, who ran locally for

Foxx and friends

Christopher Eubanks’ tennis courts star power

His good friend, Jamie Foxx, isn’t calling him “Who Banks?” anymore.

Christopher Eubanks has gone from an unknown to being on the cusp of a leading man on the international tennis circuit.

The 6-foot-7, 27-year-old former Georgia Tech star caught the tennis world’s attention last week by rocketing, to the surprise of most, to the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

In his first crack at the main draw, the Atlanta native defeated local favorite Cameron Norrie and then fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas before falling in five thrilling sets to No. 3 Daniil Medvedes in the quarters.

The effort was worth $444,000 and enabled Eubanks to move to No. 31 on the global rankings.

Now about that “Whobanks?”

That’s what Foxx, the famous actor, good-naturedly dubbed his not-ready-forprime time buddy at a tournament two years ago in Miami.

Foxx even challenged Eubanks to a contest, to see if he could return one of Eubank’s laser-beam 150-mile per hour

serves.

The challenge went viral on Instagram. As expected, Eubanks’ serves blew Foxx away.

Eubanks was hot going into the Wimbledon draw. In late June he had won the Mallorca (Spain) Open for his first ATP singles title. His world ranking was below 100 previously.

A year earlier, fearing his tennis career was hitting a wall, he auditioned as a commentator for The Tennis Channel.

Now it’s the commentators talking about him.

Following his heroics on Wimbledon’s famed Court One, and on U.S. national TV/ESPN, Eubanks was in hot demand on television talk shows.

The day after his quarterfinal defeat, he was interviewed on NBC’s “Today” show and CNN’s “Morning Show.”

His message: “It’s (tennis tour) not nearly as glamourous as it seems,” noting his lowly ranking previously.

“There are lots of tough times … going up and down, up and down.”

Mills Godwin High and the Central Virginia Track Club with Gene Scott, was second in 49.79 with Talitha Diggs third.

All three qualify for the World Championships July 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary. The 2024 Summer Olympics will be in Paris.

Since winning the 400 hurdles and running a leg on the gold medal 4 x 400 relay at the Tokyo Olympics, McLaughlin has married former University of Virginia football player Andre Levrone.

McLaughlin-Levrone did not run the 400 hurdles in Eugene but would be eligible for the event in Budapest as defending world champ in that event.

Chesterfield’s Johnson and Simmons sign with USL

The Richmond Kickers have a saying that “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.”

That applies to recent signees Nicholas Simmonds, 16, and Landon Johnson, 17, from Chesterfield County.

The talented duo has inked United Soccer League (USL) Academy contracts for the remainder of the current season. Simmonds and Johnson will train and practice with the pro Kickers but will not necessarily play in USL-League One games – though that remains a possibility.

Both are rising high school juniors, Simmonds at James River and Johnson at Matoaca. Each has polished their game, coming up with the powerful Richmond United travel program.

In fact, United has become something of a pseudo farm system for the Kickers in recent years.

With success, there is no time to rest on his laurels. Next up is the U.S. Open at Flushing, N.Y., starting Aug. 28. One thing for sure … no one will be calling him “Who Banks?” anymore.

The only Black man to win Wimbledon was native Richmonder Arthur Ashe, who defeated Jimmy Connors in the 1975 final. That same year Billie Jean King took top women’s’ honors, ousting Aussie Evonne Goolagong Cawley for the crown.

Woolfolk picks baseball over football

Jay Woolfolk has decided to move forward with baseball and leave football in his rearview mirror.

The University of Virginia junior and former Benedictine star will continue to pitch for the Cavaliers but will no longer compete for the quarterback spot.

Used mostly as late-game relief, Woolfolk posted a 2.91 earned run average with a team-best nine saves this past season, helping U.Va. to the College

World Series.

Following the college season, he came up big for Team USA in games against China and Japan. He will not play in a college league this summer.

“No, I’m going to take some time off and just throw some live BP (batting practice) to friends in the cage,” he said during a workout at American Family Fitness-Swift Creek.

Had he decided to stick with football, he

would have contended for the starting QB job this fall. He had backed up Brennan Armstrong the past two seasons.

Woolfolk will be eligible for the Major League Baseball draft at the end of the 2024 season.

In related family new, his sister Mia – rising senior at Manchester High – has been named Class 6 All-State in softball for a second straight season. Mia was also first team All-State in basketball this past winter.

By signing Academy contracts, the teenage midfielders will still maintain college eligibility when the time comes. Simmonds and Johnson each have family connections with the Kickers.

Johnson’s older brother, Ty, played with the Kickers in 2021 with an Academy contract. He is now playing soccer for the University of North Carolina.

Simmonds father, Greg, played with the Kickers in 2003. His sister, Kameron, will represent Jamaica in the upcoming Women’s World Cup.

Trinity Rodman

Crystal Dunn

Lynn Williams

Sophia Smith

Alana Cook

Alyssa Thompson

Naomi Girma

Britton Wilson

Sydnet McLaughlin-Levrone

Christopher Eubanks

Landon Johnson, left, and Nicholas Simmonds are new signees with the Richmond Kickers.

Alexis McNair

Lifelong Richmonder Robert Sneed is constantly in pursuit of the present.

He says that living in the moment is the best thing his parents, Sonny and Mary Lee, taught him.

“My dad would try to help me navigate the anxiety I would be experiencing around something that happened yesterday or an event that was looming ahead in the future,” Mr. Sneed shared in a recent email. “My dad could see how being present in the moment would help minimize the anxiety and he would often remind me to think about the present moment. I really did not fully appreciate the concept until much later.

“My mom was very patient, kind and authentic,” he added. “Amazing gifts from amazing people.”

Mr. Sneed has “long been a fan” of the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung and in 1988 he began his own journey of self-discovery in a more serious way.

In 1994, Nancy Milner founded Chrysalis with a vision to be a space where the Richmond community could seek transformative psychological and spiritual growth that was informed by, but not necessarily tied to, religion. Mr. Sneed’s involvement, though peripheral, began right at the start when he organized a group of contractors to build a labyrinth at the corners of Loxley and Westmoreland avenues.

The Innerwork Center’s (formerly the Chrysalis Institute) website describes the labyrinth, an ancient mystical tool, as “a walking meditation used by many cultures and traditions around the world. Unlike a maze, there is only a single, clear path in and out. Walking through a labyrinth has come to symbolize the spiritual journey.”

The Innerwork Center’s mission remains the same as when it was the Chrysalis Institute: Providing programs that inspire curiosity and cultivate mindfulness.

“I really love The Innerwork Center and what we offer the Richmond commnity,” Mr.

Personality: Robert Sneed

Spotlight on The Innerwork Center’s board president

Sneed said. “I’ve personally experienced transformation. I want others to experience the same.”

On July 1, he became the nonprofit’s board president and says that outreach will be his No. 1 goal. He wants to share the center’s mission and programs with every community in Richmond, and plans to do so by communicating what it offers and how it can make a difference in people’s everyday lives.

As the name of the center suggests, the real work done “begins within and ripples out.”

“Our impact often occurs on a level that is not easily defined because inner work looks different for everyone,” Mr. Sneed said, explaining the benefits of mindfulness. “When we focus our attention on the present moment, we enhance our ability to gain clarity, act with intention, reduce stress and embrace life more fully.”

One thing Mr. Sneed is working on for himself is embracing his eventual retirement from the nursery business he started 46 years ago.

“It is proving very difficult to shift gears into retirement,” Mr. Sneed confessed.

He says he’s looking forward to “being in” retirement and he sees that as continuing to do things such as contributing to The Innerwork Center, but being able to stop to truly appreciate the beauty of the contribution and the loving community that exists there — something he encourages everyone to come and experience for themselves.

“The Innerwork Center is for all who desire to know self, peace, joy and love.”

Meet a Richmonder who believes in the power of positive transformation and this week’s

Personality, Robert Sneed:

Volunteer position: President of The Innerwork Center board

of directors.

Occupation: Owner of Sneed’s Nursery.

Date and place of birth: April 18 in Richmond.

Where I live now: Richmond.

Education: Some college and a lifetime of experience.

Family: Wife, Diane, daughter, Vanessa, and two grandsons, Jake and Tyler.

The Innerwork Center is:

A unique beacon offering the Richmond community tools for a rich non-religious spiritual journey.

Mission: We are a catalyst for well-being through programs that inspire curiosity, cultivate mindfulness, and awaken the spirit.

Backstory of name: The original name of The Innerwork Center was Chrysalis. Chrysalis in biological terms defines the state of growth/transition from pupa to butterfly. The butterfly offers a beautiful image of transformation. The Innerwork

Center sustains the reference to transformation by suggesting that all work on oneself “Begins Within” and ripples out.

No. 1 goal or project: Work with our board and staff to continue building strategies to communicate/ share our mission with the Richmond community.

Strategy for achieving goals: Continue to offer public programs that contribute to cultivating a life of meaning. Increase our outreach programs to public school teachers, health care providers, and first responders. Expand our reach to all communities within the Richmond area. Spread the word!

No. 1 challenge facing The Innerwork Center: As a nonprofit, we are working to increase our budget to expand our reach throughout the community in order to adequately share our mission of inspiring curiosity, cultivating mindfulness, and awakening the spirit.

The Innerwork Center and racial equity: We are actively working to establish a Culture of Belonging — a culture where everyone feels welcome to be their true selves. That only happens with explicit effort from all of our stakeholders. We value each other’s diverse experiences, our common humanity, and our interconnectedness.

Ways The Innerwork Center helps heal race-based stress and trauma: If hurt people hurt people, imagine what people on a healing journey can do.

Inner work is a tool that can address race-based trauma from the perspective of BIPOC, for example our monthly program: Coming Home — a Community for Black and Brown People. It

also can be from the perspective of waking up to your whiteness, for example our class of the same name. We offer many options on The Innerwork of Race on our website https://innerworkcenter. org/innerworkofrace

Richmond and compassion: You’ll often hear us say at The Innerwork Center that we are working toward a wiser and more compassionate RVA — but what does that mean exactly? When we talk about compassion, what we mean is seeing the suffering of others and wanting to alleviate that suffering. Sometimes it’s our own suffering that we work to alleviate. Compassion is a source of resilience and when we’re able to feel connection amidst suffering, it can be a life preserver that keeps us afloat.

How The Innerwork Center, truth, and reconciliation work together: We can increase our wisdom through strengthening our ability to take perspective — seeing the big picture, looking beyond the current moment, considering our deeper values, and understanding the viewpoints of others. With this type of inner work, we grow wiser!

The Innerwork Center is for:

All who desire to know self, peace, joy and love

Upcoming events: MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction (MBSR) for the BIPOC Community on Thursday, Sept. 21-Nov. 16. Retreat Nov. 4.

The Innerwork Center partners with: We show up for/with/ to so many beautiful individuals and organizations in this work. Reach out to our executive director, Rachel Douglas, or our marketing and community engagement director, Felisha Jones, with your ideas for collaboration! hello@innerworkcenter.org

How I quiet my mind during challenging times: Along the

way of the mindfulness journey, you will hear about being a “witness” to life’s events. It is in that “space” that you are both present and unattached at the same time. It can be as simple as counting to ten to create that space between your conscious and unconscious behavior.

How I start the day: A friend told me she started every day with curiosity. I really thought that was unusual but decided to try it. I try to start the day by being open to that which is and will be.

The three words that best describe me: Tenacious, introverted, contrarian.

If I had 10 extra minutes in the day: I probably would not notice.

Best late-night snack: Smoked salted almonds.

ThemusicIlistentomost:Grateful Dead and Jam Band Rock.

A quote that inspires me: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” — Lao Tzu

At the top of my “to-do” list: Get rid of my to do list (not original but fun to contemplate).

Book that influenced me the most: “The Red BooK” by C. G. Jung. In its very unique way it reinforces the possibility for each of us to experience the journey to knowing the divine love within.

What I’m reading now: “The Broken Mirror “by James Hollis. Mr. Hollis is very experienced at “translating” C. G. Jung into language that conveys the heart of Jung’s message and relates to the real world. It is a collection of essays written by Hollis using real-life examples that help unwrap the intricate concepts that Jung’s work uncovered. For example Chapter 2. “The Zen Paradox: What you have Become is now Your Chief Problem.” It helps us see the ongoing necessity to Begin Within, again and again, when trying to unravel the Mystery of our Being. Next goal: Finding BEING in retirement.

Maggie Walker’s 159th birthday comes to life

By Debora Timms

Richmond community members enjoyed a glimpse into the past during celebrations for Maggie L. Walker’s 159th Birthday at Third Street Bethel AME Church and her national historic site in Jackson Ward on July 15. The day involved a wreath ceremony, arts and crafts, the chance to tour the Maggie Walker House, a film about her life and a re-enactment of Ms. Walker’s historic 1901 speech by the Rev. Veronica Carter.

The church worked with the National Park Service, the City of Richmond and the Black History Museum to plan events over three days. Julia Turner, one of the co-chairs involved in organizing Saturday’s festivities, said a highlight of this year’s celebrations was the emphasis placed on involving youths with craft activities that engaged them in the celebration.

“For some, this was the first time they had an opportunity to tour Maggie Walker House,” Ms. Turner said in an email. “I was

quite amazed in showing the film how many people, although they’d heard of her, did not know her story.”

Mrs. Walker was born in Richmond in 1864. She was an entrepreneur and a civic leader who went on to become the first Black woman to establish and serve as president of a bank in the United States.

Her 1901 speech to the Independent Order of St. Luke was the start of making her dream of a Black bank, the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank, a reality. Not only was this moment captured by Rev. Carter’s re-enactment, the penny banks that were decorated during the arts and crafts portion of the program recreated an initiative of Mrs. Walker to encourage deposits by children and teach them about savings and the importance of thrift.

The St. Luke Penny Savings Bank opened its doors in 1903. In the 1930s it merged with two other banks to form Consolidated Bank and Trust Company and Mrs. Walker served as the combined banks board chair until her death from diabetic gangrene

Hip-hop comes to the Hippodrome

Celebrating art form’s 50 years as a ‘culture-defining superpower’

By George Copeland Jr.

Local rapper Ant the Symbol remembers when he first connected to the sound of hip-hop. He was 2 years old when he heard “Bonita Applebaum,” a song by New York-based rap group A Tribe Called Quest.

“The fact that I remember that far back and still love that song, this far down the line, is an indication that this love for hip-hop was pretty much ingrained in me from the moment I was lucid,” the rapper, whose given name is Anthony Gillison, said.

Born and raised in Richmond, Mr. Gillison attended Virginia Wesleyan University. After balancing music and work in the theater, he later began producing rap artists.

Since then, Mr. Gillison has built an 18-year career in hip-hop that includes several albums of his own music, as well as with legendary rap crew Public Enemy’s Chuck D of Public Enemy.

Mr. Gillison will further tap into his years in the industry during the RVA Rapper’s Delight event 6:30 p.m., Aug. 11 at the Hippodrome Theater in Jackson Ward. The event, named after one the first rap songs recorded by The Sugarhill Gang in 1979, will feature local rappers Nickelus F., Radio B. Cane, Noah-O and others.

“One thing that I wanted to do is really spotlight Richmond hip-hop,” Mr. Gillison said.

“Over the years it’s become such a great movement; there’s a lot more unity now than I’ve ever seen.”

The event also will showcase hip-hop.C.I., Royal Sound Crew and Richmond’s pioneering radio station WKIE, one of the first radio stations to consistently play hip-hop.

DJ Mike Street, the event’s host, believes Richmond’s role in the genre has long been under the radar, as other parts of Virginia have had greater attention through artists such as Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, the Neptunes and Pusha T, who hail from or grew up in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

As a result, Mr. Street wants to ensure pioneers aren’t forgotten and that new artists are able to appreciate the legacy built by others.

“Whether it was MC Rockwale or Royal Sound, it’s been here the whole time,” Mr. Street said. (Daniyel Willis, also known as MC Rockwale, recorded “Cooley-Tee,” which is acknowledged as the first recorded rap song with radio airplay within Richmond’s hiphop community), according to Soundcloud.

It’s been a big party for hip-hop this year, with concerts, parties, film screenings and over events celebrating the anniversary of the genre nationwide.

Three weeks ago rapper, producer and music mogul, Jermaine Dupri led a celebration of 50 years of hip-hop at the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans.

A week earlier, The 2023 BET Awards celebrated 50 years of hip-hop with tributes to the genre’s earliest voices, late legends, and new talent during a show packed with spectacular performances that consistently felt like a party.

And two days ago, The New York Times, which describes hip-hop’s evolution as a “new art form to a culture-defining superpower,” featured interviews with 50 of the genre’s most influential voices such as Kool Moe Dee, Eve, Ice Cube, LL Cool J and Cardi B.

Hip-hop’s 50th anniversary comes as recent album releases have been less lucrative and new singles struggle to reach the top of the Billboard charts for the first time in years.

Matthew Oware, Ph.D., a professor of sociology and anthropology at the University of Richmond, studies gender,

race and social consciousness in rap, and teaches a course, “The Sociology of Hip-Hop.”

Dr. Oware believes the genre has grown in meaningful ways, with artists such as Lizzo, Lil Nas X and others joining longtime figures such as Mary J. Blige, known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, and Missy Elliott in challenging and expanding who can be a celebrated part of hip-hop. In Dr. Oware’s view, this change is meaningful for a genre that has its roots in the marginalized groups. Amid a growing interest in an effort to examine the genre, critically and academically, hip-hop has clearly evolved from its origins into a unique form, he said.

“I think the 50th anniversary looks quite different than what it was at the 20th Anniversary … and what it was at the 30th anniversary,” Dr. Oware said. “That is part of the growth of the genre — understanding that it’s expanding, that it’s growing, that it’s changing, and that it’s looking inward by having new voices.”

This evolution and expansion of the genre also is illuminated by Missy Elliott’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year in May, becoming the first

female hip- hop artist to receive this honor.

Rapper’s Delight’s organizers also want to build on the ideas and interest around Rapper’s Delight and hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in general. For example, Mr. Street plans to present a more in-depth tribute to Richmond’s long history in the genre, and Mr. Gillison hopes to see more celebrations featuring breakdancing, emceeing and graffiti art.

“We don’t want anybody to feel that their side of hip-hop is being left out and in fact, it doesn’t even have to be for an anniversary,” Mr. Gillison said. “This is definitely something I’d like to do again before another quarter of a century passes.”

Tickets for RVA Rapper’s Delight are $30-$35. For more information, please visit shockoerecords.com.

in 1934 at the age of 70.

During her life, Mrs. Walker engaged herself in civic issues as well. She co-founded the Richmond chapter of the NAACP and the Council of Colored Women. She also helped organize the 1904 boycott of Virginia Passenger and Power Company over its policy of segregated seating. In addition to the bank, she was involved in organizing a newspaper, the St. Luke Herald, and a department store, encouraging investment and collective action within Richmond’s African- American community.

Ms. Turner said when it came to the community working together, Mrs. Walker “not only talked the talk, but walked the walk” and that message is still a vital one today.

“It is important for this community to understand the message of unity,” she added. “We as a people must make the difference in our communities. We must be united.

“I think the church will always be involved in this celebration of Mrs. Maggie!”

Dr. Oware

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Community members celebrated the 159th birthday of Maggie L. Walker last weekend in Jackson Ward at 110½ E. Leigh St. Activities included a re-enactment by the Rev. Veronica Carter of Maggie L. Walker at Third Street Bethel AME Church. Janine Boyd and Kimora Boyd were among those who placed white silk roses on a wreath to commemorate Mrs. Walker’s legacy.

Revered dentist, Dr. James ‘Mac’ McCain Jr., dies at 85

Dr. James “Mac” McCain Jr. was often described as the “philanthropist” dentist.

During his more than 40 years of practice in Church Hill, he gained a reputation for taking on patients who could not afford his services.

“He would work out a payment plan, even take vegetables or other alternative payments from people who couldn’t afford to get a tooth pulled or pay for dentures,” said his eldest daughter, Dr. Lisa E. McCain-Johnson. “He didn’t want to see people in pain.”

After closing his practice, he was one of the dentists who voluntarily provided free care through the Richmond City Health Department’s now defunct dental bus.

Dr. McCain also participated in mission trips to provide free dental care, including visits to Haiti after disasters, and trips to Kenya and Tanzania, said his youngest daughter, Karen McCain Borno, a Verizon attorney.

“He was very generous,” Ms. Borno said. “He believed in the Golden Rule and was always thinking of his fellow man. It was not a preachy type of thing, but very organic with him.

It was not contrived.”

He also was “humble, optimistic, forwardthinking and a provider,” said his son, Capt. John A. McCain of the Richmond Fire Department.

Dr. McCain’s dedication to maintaining smiles for thousands of people in Richmond and elsewhere is being remembered following his death on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

His children said he had just returned from a celebratory weeklong family vacation with them in Hilton Head, S.C., and collapsed while doing yard work at his Henrico County home. He was 85.

Dr. McCain grew up in Rural Hall, N.C., near Winston-Salem, and came to Richmond to earn a degree in science at Virginia Union University.

Along with earning a degree in chemistry, he also met his future wife on the campus, Mary Brown, who later was a Richmond Public Schools teacher and English teaching specialist for more than 30

Celebrating city’s Muslim Americans

Mayor Levar M. Stoney, shown Monday at City Hall, shows his proclamation declaring July as Muslim American Heritage Month in Richmond while members of the area’s Islamic community applaud what representatives described as a “tremendous honor.” Richmond is the first city in the state and one of the few in the nation to proclaim the month in recognition of Muslims and their contributions. Among those who joined the mayor is Richmond state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, immediate left of Mayor Stoney. Sen. Hashmi is the first Muslim member of the Virginia General Assembly’s upper chamber.

Sharon Baptist Church

years. They were married 40 years before her death in 2004.

After he earned his dental degree at Howard University in Washington, the couple returned to Richmond where he first became an associate at a dental practice in Church Hill.

In 1972, he opened his practice in a medical office building at 1122 N. 25th St.

Dr. McCain gave up the practice around 2010, his children, said, but continued to be active through his volunteer service and in working with other dentists.

He worked a few more years in the practice of Dr. Ronald Cade, who said the elderly dentist “was a mentor to me and a lot of other people.

“He was one of the humblest men,” Dr. Cade continued, “but he always did things the right way. He was a really good person, the kind of person you want to have in your life professionally and personally.”

Dr. McCain also would fill in for Dr. Melanie L. Boone and other dentists when they needed to take time off, Ms. Borno said.

Respected locally and around the state, he was a past president of the Peter B. Ramsey Dental Society of Richmond and Petersburg and the Old Dominion Dental Society.

Active socially, he was a past president of the Richmond Chapter of the National Association of Guardsmen. He also belonged to The Thebans and Club 533.

Along with his three children, survivors include a sister, Catherine M. Hart, and eight grandchildren.

Dr. McCain’s funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, July 22, at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 215 Wilkinson Road in Henrico County.

On Friday, July 21, Dr. McCain’s family will host a celebration of life in his honor from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Scott’s Funeral Home Chapel, 116 E. Brookland Park Blvd.

Final tributes for August Moon announced

Funeral arrangements are now complete for Richmond entertainer and political advocate August Moon, who died at age 85 on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.

Family and friends will pay final tributes to Mr. Moon at noon Saturday, July 29, at St. Paul’s Baptist Church South, 700 E. Belt Blvd., across from Southside Plaza, Mimms Funeral Home has announced.

Prior to the service, a viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the funeral home 1827 Hull St. The family will host a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening, the funeral home stated.

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Photo by Gianni R. Snidle