Richmond magazine - March 2022 by Richmond magazine

SPONSORED CONTENT

A RICHMOND MAGAZINE BOLD WOMAN OF 2020 & 2021

Supporting Needs of Female Business Owners & the Real Estate Community LEAH COLEMAN, OWNER REAL ESTATE COUTURE, AND OWNER, BOSS BABES RVA WITH A PASSION FOR REAL ESTATE AND

LEE SALTER CREATIVE FIRM

giving back, Leah Coleman has been able to

transfer those interests into her career as a Realtor, an entrepreneur, and a business leader. Coleman, who created her own investment company in 2018 called Real Estate Couture LLC, also works as a Realtor and is the new owner of Boss Babes RVA, an online networking group founded by Christine Greenberg with close to now 10,000 members. Coleman gives credit to the team of administrators & moderators who have helped Boss Babes engage with more than 97,000 comments in 2020, thousands more in 2021. BBRVA has become a real FORCE for good connections & helping others elevate. “We are kind of a little underground movement of our own,” Coleman says. While the group originally focused on business and professional questions and resources, Coleman and her fellow administrators recognized that there were other needs the group could meet, especially with the onset of the COVID19 pandemic. In a big step, they allowed people with personal needs to reach out as well. Through Coleman’s own businesses, she began helping more women with finding private & lending resources for real estate investments & encouraging renovation as a way to bring more inventory to the market, even helping with design, & resale/launching Airbnb's. She also has organized groups on

LeahColeman.fp.0222.indd 1

investment, on entrepreneurship, women of faith prayer meeting on Zoom weekly, & piloted several successful collaborations. Yedda Stancil, fellow entrepreneur & author, helped gather a group of business & career women weekly over the summer/fall 2021 for launching her book & course called 'Shut Up & Sit: Finding Silence & the Life Changing Magic that Comes with It." Then, along with fellow wellness focused Boss Babes- joined a global retreat effort in Africa in fall 2021. Formerly, she had piloted an entrepreneurial retreat in Belize, 2019, with Impact Junkies. Now, as things begin to open up again, Boss Babes has returned to its business focus, and Coleman hopes to strengthen the network even more with more in-person events and educational opportunities. “Rise and rebuild is our theme,” Coleman says. She looks forward to planning Boss Babes meet-and-greets with business owners/ corporations, as well as getaways delivering on EXPERIENCES & a varying conversation series. “We want to begin to work on shifting a networking culture into more of a collaboration culture,” she says. "We can help everyone see our city & their business pursuits with greater vision and potential, doing all we can to influence each member to play bigger in life and in their work." “We are kind of a little underground movement of our own.”

“We are kind of a little underground movement of our own.”

leah@dodsonprop.com 804-484-2018 leahcoleman.co bossbabesrva.com

1/21/22 8:21 AM

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BACK IN THE COUNT Richmond readies the Diamond District for redevelopment — and a new ballpark

MARCH

must revolve around a new baseball stahave been bouncing around City Hall since 2001. But this time there’s a differdium for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. “The standards for minor league baseence: Instead of playing defense, respondball stadiums and facilities, they have ing to private developers and outside prochanged. And for us to remain competitive posals to relocate the baseball stadium (Shockoe Bottom, Mayo Island, next to as a home for minor league baseball, the the Federal Reserve Bank downtown), Flying Squirrels — they need a new home.” After more than 20 years of debate city planners are now driving the process. and hand-wringing over replacing The On the heels of the bungled Navy Diamond, built in 1985 and home to the Hill project, the proposed $1.5 billion city center development led by the late Squirrels since 2010, city officials say they Thomas F. Farrell, former president and are finally ready. As an outgrowth of the CEO of Dominion Energy, the Diamond Richmond 300 master plan, in late December the city issued an initial “Request for District represents something of a deparInterest” from developers, responses to ture. Unlike Navy Hill, shepherded by which were due Feb. 15. An evaluation Farrell and the business community, the panel is in the process of poring over the city developed its vision for the 67 acres before seeking out private developers. submissions and will select a “short list” of “People have asked, ‘How is this difdevelopment teams that will be invited to ferent?’ ” says Maritza Mercado Pechin, submit more detailed proposals. The city deputy director in the city’s plans to announce the winning The city is evaluating Department of Planning and team by late spring or summer. proposals to replace The Diamond and redevelop Development Review. The It’s familiar territory. Plans 67 acres in and around answer is in the master plan. to rebuild the aging ballpark the ballpark.

ERIC FOSTER

hey gather under a tent in the parking lot, just beyond the outfield fences. On a chilly weekday morning in mid-January, development teams from across the country are here to get a tour of what Richmond Economic Development Director Leonard Sledge calls “the best redevelopment site along the Eastern Seaboard.” Roughly three dozen people are seated in folding chairs facing the grandstands of The Diamond on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, amid a sea of asphalt. Despite a biting wind, the mood is upbeat. The city has spent the past several years cobbling together parcels, demolishing and relocating city-owned buildings, and taking ownership of the baseball stadium in preparation for a major redevelopment. It now controls most of the 67 acres in and around The Diamond, save for 6.6 acres still owned by Virginia Commonwealth University. After months of planning, the city released its vision for the area in late December, dubbing the ballpark-anchored site as Richmond’s “Diamond District.” Plans call for mixed-use, mixed-income residential housing and retail, office buildings, and a hotel in what’s arguably Richmond’s most valuable piece of undeveloped property. It sits at a vital regional gateway just off Interstates 95 and 64, bordered by a thriving Scott’s Addition, the Museum District and the Fan, along with reemerging residential neighborhoods on the city’s North Side. “I just want to convey that Richmond is ripe for this development,” Sledge tells the assembled developers, making clear that whatever they dream up for the 67 acres as part of their initial proposals, it

/ 2022

Local_Opener+Shorts_rm_0322.indd 22

2/14/22 2:02 PM

LOCAL

Q&A

NEARING THE END? Two years into the pandemic, Dr. Danny Avula says there’s good reason to be optimistic

Richmond magazine: How has the pandemic

changed your daily job as a health care professional? Dr. Danny Avula: For those of us who work in public health, COVID-19 completely subsumed anything we did before. In 2020 and 2021, we were completely focused on COVID. As in many aspects of our lives, other priorities had to take the back burner. The health department still traces other communicable diseases. We still do restaurant inspections. But the degree to which we’ve been able to offer some services has been scaled down, as staff has been redirected to combating COVID. I think that soon we’ll be at a point where we’re able to prioritize those other aspects of our job again.

RM: What lessons have been learned in the medical community from the COVID-19 pandemic?

Avula: There are a bunch, and there are some

that will continue to emerge. Since 9/11, one of the roles that federal funding has given local health departments is the ability to distribute medical countermeasures — flu shots, pills, medication. We practice that every year with the flu, and that practice has certainly helped. One of the things that went extraordinarily well last year was vaccine distribution. What we didn’t anticipate was the impact

MARCH

Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s former vaccination coordinator, was recently appointed commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services.

social media would have on patient behavior and patient trust, especially in relation to the vaccine. Now we recognize that there are a lot of forces at play, and that social media is a powerful shaper of opinion on health issues. In the future, we have got to leverage our voice as a health department and use social media effectively. That can only be so successful — government social media platforms are not going to compete with a celebrity like Nicki Minaj. So we also have to have nurses and doctors engaging the public in a broader sense — doing interviews with media, using our own social media platforms, showing up to city councils. There are a lot of intentional efforts on social media to provide information that can lead people astray, and we need to counteract that intentionally. Another lesson is about the makeup of our workforce. Our workforce needs to reflect the communities we hope to serve. For almost a decade now, we’ve done a lot to expand our programming in that area, but COVID showed we still need to augment that part of our workforce.

RM: What specific recommendations would you make now to prevent infection?

Avula: The most important thing to understand

is that vaccination is the best way to protect ourselves. What we’ll see is that with each new variant, the ability to protect oneself varies. Even fully vaccinated people are getting omicron at a high rate, but vaccination [protects] you against severe

disease. That’s the main goal — keeping people out of the hospital and keeping them from dying. We also know that there are habits and behaviors we’ve learned over the last few years that we need to practice when there are high case rates in our community. Before COVID, people would go to work and school with head colds all the time. But COVID is a different breed, and if we have cold symptoms, we need to get tested for COVID, and quarantine if we are positive. And when we are at work, in school and in public settings, wearing a mask is a helpful addition to vaccination.

RM: The Spanish flu ended when a more contagious, less deadly variant became dominant. How does the emergence of omicron compare to that scenario? Avula: The Spanish flu spanned a couple of years, and over time the pandemic petered out. But the flu is still around, and it evolves each year. That’s why you need a new flu shot each year — each year brings a new mix of mutations. Because omicron is so contagious, the combination of immunity from the vaccine plus the immunity from this round of infection will start to limit the number of people susceptible to future disease. COVID isn’t going to go away. But it will become an endemic, not a pandemic. Between natural immunity and immunity from the vaccine, I think we’re getting really close to that point. —D. Hunter Reardon

ZAID HAMID

r. Danny Avula, who served as the state vaccination coordinator under former Gov. Ralph Northam, has had a busy couple of years. In addition to running the state’s efforts to vaccinate millions of Virginians during the COVID-19 pandemic, Avula also practices clinically as a pediatric hospitalist. Avula recently stepped down as state vaccination coordinator. In early February, he was appointed commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Avula spoke with Richmond magazine about his experiences and lessons learned over the last two years, and his qualified optimism that the end of the pandemic is within sight.

/ 2022

Local_Opener+Shorts_rm_0322.indd 26

2/11/22 4:53 PM

LOCAL

NEWS

District Court in 2015 by transgender high school student Gavin Grimm, who sued Gloucester County Schools for barring him from using the boys’ bathroom. The judge determined that the board’s action was unconstitutional because it violated transgender student Grimm’s Title IX rights, which prohibit sex-based discrimination. The ruling was upheld in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020, and in June of last year, the U.S. Supreme Court The ACLU has on its side state law and declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand. recent precedent established in a federal case. Both indicate the school division is But the battle is far from over. Legislalegally liable for its decision to not grant tion was introduced in the Virginia Gengender-affirming bathroom access, says eral Assembly earlier this year that would Eden Heilman, legal director of the ACLU reverse the 2020 law, which requires divisions to adopt policies outlined by of Virginia. the Virginia Department of Education. “There’s no ambiguity in the school VDOE guidelines require school staff to board’s vote,” Heilman says in a statement. “The board members knew [their] use the preferred names and pronouns of actions were discriminatory and outside transgender students and allow students the law, but they did it anyway.” to use bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity. The 2020 law, however, has been State Statute Lacks Clarity unevenly applied, requiring only that The basis of the ACLU lawsuit is state local school boards adopt policies that legislation that passed in 2020, which are “consistent with” the state’s model requires school divisions to adopt poliguidelines. Richmond and Chesterfield cies that protect the rights of transgenhave adopted policies closely der and nonbinary students. The Zweckbronners, resembling the state model, The legislation came on the from left to right: Harry, for example, while Henrico heels of a lawsuit filed in U.S. Bee, Grace and Ann

In Hanover County, a battle over rights heads to court By Leah Small

race Zweckbronner, a 14-year-old transgender high school student in Hanover County, just wants to go to the restroom with her friends without feeling like a social pariah. Unfortunately, she can’t. So last December, she decided to do something about it. Zweckbronner is one of five students whose parents are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by the Virginia ACLU against the Hanover County School Board, which declined to adopt a state-mandated policy last fall allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identities. “I finally just had enough,” Zweckbronner says. “I was tired of having to go somewhere else and missing the social aspect of going to the bathroom with friends.” Being barred from facilities that align with her gender identity, she says, is a near-constant reminder that she isn’t accepted for who she truly is. “There’s so much I have to deal with on a daily basis,” she says. “Not being able to use the girls’ bathroom is just another nail in the coffin of people not supporting me.” What might seem like a trivial exercise to some — using the restroom — has become ground zero in an ideological battle over transgender student rights in public schools across Virginia. During a heated meeting in November, the Hanover School Board voted 4-3 against revising policies to protect gender-affirming bathroom access for students. More than 50 people spoke ahead of the vote, including several transgender students.

MARCH

JAY PAUL

FIGHTING FOR ACCESS

/ 2022

Local_News_rm_0322.indd 32

2/14/22 1:24 PM

LIVING

Cherry blossoms abloom fronting the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in West Potomac Park

distance is the trendy Duke’s Grocery, where the sockeye bowl is jammed with flavor. Although the seared diver scallops at Le Sel left me wanting to eat there every night, I found the vibrant Barcelona Wine Bar close by. The trendy spot was packed, but the manager Carlos found a spot for me at the chef’s table so I could see all the action. The potato tortilla and braised pork were amazing, but when Chef Ricky brought the Gambas Al Ajillo, it was, as he said, life-changing. The flavor-packed food and lively atmosphere were only topped by the friendly and attentive staff.

OLD AND NEW

A CAPITAL EXPERIENCE Spring is a fine time to explore Washington By Kari Smith

or Richmond residents, a trip to our nation’s capital is just a two-hour drive or ride on one of Amtrak’s trains away. Since Washington-area traffic can be awful, and driving and parking downtown can be cumbersome and expensive, taking the train is a convenient option: Historic Union Station will place you in the middle of the action.

TREAT YOURSELF For an upscale boutique hotel experience, the stylish Kimpton Banneker Hotel in Dupont Circle provides a walkable hub for many popular attractions. In addition to impeccable service and thoughtful amenities such as a fitness center and shuttle service, the hotel boasts an impressive breakfast and dinner menu in its

MARCH

ground-floor French bistro, Le Sel. Or take in impressive city views while enjoying the open-air rooftop bar, Lady Bird. For an alternative breakfast experience, try my favorite — the Avocado Smash — at the Scott Circle location of Bluestone Lane, just steps from the hotel’s front door. My top lunch spot within walking

SIGHTS TO SEE Be sure to check the hours of your favorite attraction or museum before going, as pandemic-related changes have closed the doors of some museums several days a week. Some of my picks include the Smithsonian’s National Museum

Quayola concert at Artechouse

COURTESY OF WASHINGTON.ORG; BOTTOM: TOM MESIC

TRAVEL

This trip marked my first visit to the National Archives Building, where I viewed the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Washington Artechouse will thrill the artist in you with innovative technology-driven art, and the Smithsonian’s “Futures,” in the Arts and Industries Building, is a fascinating place for dreamers to peek into the future (on display until July 6)

/ 2022

living_travel_0322.indd 56

2/11/22 11:11 AM

A Mountain of Fun at the Most Complete Club in the Mid-Atlantic 45 golf holes, 22 tennis courts 26 ski slopes, 3 pools, full spa, 8 restaurants, private lake & more!

Providing IT consulting services to small and mid-size businesses since 1989. Specializing in integrating Macs, PCs, and mobile devices into your business. Driving business success and growth through innovative technology solutions.

Call us today at 804-672-7272 for an on-site consultation for your home or business.

The most complete club in Virginia!

intergreen Resort has 45 golf holes, 22 tennis courts been heralded as one of 26 ski slopes, 3 pools, full spa, the most complete resorts in restaurants, private lake, the8 U.S. – And More! • Tennis Magazine

www.crullertech.com

‘#1 Resort for Families’

Cruller.1\3b.0116.indd 1

12/10/15 3:58 PM

S O U T H E R N T E C H N O LO GY TOTAL OFFICE AUTOMATION

WE CAN • Pay off your Existing LEasE • uPgradE your CoPiEr • and rEduCE Cost • WE GUARANTEE IT!

804.752.6154 SERVING RICHMOND SINCE 1992

southerntech.1\3b.0313.indd 1

Wintergreen Resort • Washington Posthas been heralded asSki one of the most ‘Best Resort’ comprehensive season • Conde Nastfour Traveler resort communities in the U.S., ‘Top 50 Golf Resorts in the World’ especially for its Members. While Membershipininthe theWintergreen Wintergreen Membership Club let’s you make most Club lets you make thethe most of of your Wintergreen experience your Wintergreen experience, you withhave exclusive yeardon’t to be a benefits, property owner round recreation, and enticing to enjoy the exclusive benefits, member events. year-round recreational offerings, exciting member events, guest and In the heart the Blueand Ridge extended familyofprivileges a Mountains, the Wintergreen mountain more. Club provides the setting with family Into theconnect heart of the Blue Ridge and friends for generations. Mountains, Wintergreen ResortWe invite you to enjoy taste of provides the setting to aconnect what being a member with family and new friends is for all about. Call 877.245.1770 generations. We invite you to to book Sample visit foryour yourself and Membership sample what Experience today. being a Member is all about. Call 877.245.1770 to book your Sample Membership Experience today. 877.245.1770 877-245-1770 wintergreenresort.com wintergreenresort.com

2/18/13 4:33 PM Wintergreen.SECOND.13v.0322.indd 1

2/15/22 7:20 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Thank you to our Sponsors:

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Meet with hundreds of experts in landscaping, remodeling, kitchen & bath, home décor, flooring and more. Stroll through the feature garden presented by Schultz Lawnscapes. Shop The Marketplace for a variety of items, from tasty treats to unique home décor. See new and innovative products for your home. And more.

Visit www.RichmondHomeAndGarden.com for more information.

March 4-6, 2022

Exhibitor List Exhibitor 13TEN Renovations '58 Foundations A Shade Above A-1 Concrete Leveling Ace Handyman Services Active Medicare Solutions ADT Security Services Advanced Window Tint AffordAPro Window and Pressure Cleaning LLC Aid Our Veterans Aikey Kitchen and Bath Aikey's Home Improvements, LLC. Air Solutions Air-Pro Mechanical Allied Powers Alpha and Omega Remodeling Llc American Service Company RVA American Siding Inc. Apple Door Systems, Inc Ashley Elevator/Area Access Atkinson Insurance Agency Atlantic House Plans LLC Atlantic Marketing of Maryland Bath Fitter Bee's Treasure Trove Beltone Hearing Aids Better Garden Tools Blue Sky Blinds, Shades & Shutters Brown & Company Built to Last

RichmondHomeAndGarden.com RichmondHomeAndGarden.com

Homeshow_0322.indd 4

Richmond Raceway Complex

Booth 340 940 934 746 318 1231 533 322 725 1018 737 421 222 431 732 310 1237 609 507 916 330 647 303 544 1236 936 1022 129 1020 427

Bush Construction Co. C&M Trends Capital Remodeling Capital Repair Services Carefree Boat Club Castle "The Window People" Central VA Football Officials Assocoiation Champion Windows, Siding & Patio Room Chim Chimney Chimney Cleaning Chocolate Moonshine City of Richmond Department of Utilities CJ's Garage Doors Classic Granite and Marble Cleanvent Dryer Exhaust Specialist Click Heat DBA WonderPax Closet Factory - Richmond VA Closets of Virginia Colonial 1st Mortgage Colonial Floors of VA Convert Solar Covenant Solar and Roofing Cross Timbers Roofing Cutco Cutlery Dark Run Jerky Deck Creations of Richmond, LLC Dripping Springs Ollas Dryer Vent Safety Dumpster Wagon Dynamark Security of Richmond, Inc. East Coast Honey Edward Jones

522 834 133 218 749 736 1239 627 323 1039 143 613 939 243 1246 114 820 731 549 727 915 219 532 1026 418 710 633 227 927 1034 738

* Exhibitor List Subject to Change Visit RichmondHomeAndGarden.com for most up to date list.

2/14/22 2:22 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Electrical & Lighting Solutions, Inc Empwr Solar Exterior Source First Painting, LLC Five Star Bath Solutions Five Star Pickles & Sausage Flags Over America Floor Coverings International Forever Sticky Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmond Garage Experts of Richmond Hearth & Home Shoppe Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Home Depot Home Paramount Pest Control Corp. Homefix Custom Remodeling Human Touch Incredible HVAC Instant Shine Cleaners Invisible Fence Brand of Greater San Antonio Ion Solar J & M Electrical Services JDS Bath Jeanine Michele Enterprises JES Foundation Repair Johnny On The Spot Services, LLC JOY Filled Foods, LLC Kingsmill Realty Kitchen Craft Kitchen Doctors Kitchen Tune-Up Kitchen Wise of Charlottesville KSCanuck LLC LeafFilter North LLC LeafGuard Life Time Solutions Lot Scapes LuckyDog Electrical Service Maid Right of Richmond Mia Bella's - Calvary Hill LLC Mija's Designs Milligan Custom Cabinetry Miracle Method Surface Refinishing Mosquito Authority Mr. Fix-It Nature Hill NV Neat Sweep Ltd. NHance of Richmond Ogburn Construction Inc Old Dominion Floor Company One Day Bath Origami Owl Pampered Chef Paradise Grills Paragon Construction Co. LLC Pella Window & Door Co. Pet Stop of Virginia Pottery Barn POWERHOME SOLAR

917 921 327 913 619 449 342 600 641 347 530 816 113 642 743 745 1125 941 904 606 332 422 236 127 733 637 1043 908 848 119 319 907 1042 142 329 123 513 814 528 1041 1049MP 407 518 138 116, 116* 931 131 712 906 802 812 1048MP 429 527 910 821 846 601 611

* Exhibitor List Subject to Change Visit RichmondHomeAndGarden.com for most up to date list.

Homeshow_0322.indd 5

Pressure Works Pro Renovations Profashion Pro-Seal Services Refresh Cabinets, LLC Renewal by Andersen - Richmond Window Roadshow Promotions LLC Roof Maxx of Richmond RVA Choice Kitchen & Bath RVA Pro Painters S&S Electrical Scentsy Scholars Edge Painting SchultzLawnscapes Scott Ellis Painting Shade & Louver ShelfGenie Shenandoah Primitives Shutter Company SlopePro, LLC Smallwood Renovations, LLC SmartWire 360 Smith Strong, PLC Somers Gutter Services LLC Spire Pest Control Springdale Water Gardens Inc Streamline Insurance Solutions Sundecks of Richmond Sunspace of Richmond Superior Sleep Tastefully Simple The Design Guy The Drying Company The Flag Lady The Franchise Consulting Company The Neighborhood Harvest The Village Shed Store TheTriadAer.com TNR Group Top Purple/Ring Cleaner Total Remodeling Systems Traeger Grills Trinity Renovations Inc./Legacy Amish Furniture Tupperware U.S. Jaclean, Inc. University Painters VA811 Vacation Village Resorts Vector Security Virginia Exterior Products Corporation Virginia Outdoor Lighting Virginia Paving and Seal Coating Virginia Power Solutions Virginia Railing and Gates Wealth Innovations LLC White Glove Plumbing-Heating-Air Window Depot USA of Richmond Woodfin Heating, Inc. Zone Garage of Central Va.

935 228 543 822 829 237, 929 442 943 307 441 842 705 810 1019 933 211 626 920 621 643 539 944 723 645 140 112 945 706 415 519 1040 305 337 1045MP 942 828 841 231 136 1001 844 230 311 1036 537 721 141 711 137 306 930 430 649 838 722 240 437 500 331

RichmondHomeAndGarden.com

2/14/22 2:22 PM

TRAVELER RICHMONDMAG.COM

FEA_LonnieListonSmith_rp0322.indd 67

2/14/22 3:33 PM

C Smith, a Richmond native, is credited with establishing a vast and influential area of the jazz landscape, one defined by a fluidity of sound and an uplifting spiritualism. As he sat at that Rhodes piano in LA, his career was zooming skyward. Stints with great jazz players were already in his rearview mirror. But that particular moment found Smith drifting in a sonic direction that would soon reach across the globe and that has since spanned generations of musicians who have followed in his footsteps. “Seems like all the songs I did — ‘Give

MARCH

all it the Big Bang of the cosmic sound. In 1970, at the storied Record Plant recording studio in Los Angeles, Lonnie Liston Smith Jr. first sat at a Fender Rhodes electric piano. While he waited for the other players to unpack at a recording session for the Pharoah Sanders album “Thembi,” Smith familiarized himself with the Rhodes. Then, as he began to play, history happened. “Everybody ran over,” Smith recalls, “Pharoah, the engineer, everyone said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, I’m just writing this song. It’s the first time I’ve played the Fender Rhodes.’ They said, ‘We’ve got to record this right now. What are you going to call it?’ I was studying astral projection, and it sounded like we were floating, so I said, ‘Let’s call it “Astral Traveling.” ’ ” Peace a Chance’ and ‘Expansions’ — people say they need that now,” Smith says. “They definitely need ‘Visions of a New World’ because I think this is the first time in the history of mankind when the whole world is shut down at the same time.”

A MUSICAL UPBRINGING Smith, 81, who now lives in Twin Hickory in Short Pump with his wife, Louise, grew up in Church Hill, surrounded by musicianship to a rare degree. His father, Lonnie Sr., sang with the nationally known gospel group The Harmonizing Four, rub-

bing elbows with some of the genre’s biggest names. “All the gospel groups used to come by the house,” the younger Smith remembers. “Sam Cooke when he was with the Soul Stirrers, the Dixie Hummingbirds, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She was crazy about my father and the Harmonizing Four. … She moved to Richmond, and I used to listen to her play guitar and said, ‘Wow, this is different.’ ” Smith says his father was always on the lookout for new sounds, and not just within the world of gospel. “He loved all

/ 2022

FEA_LonnieListonSmith_rp0322.indd 68

2/14/22 3:36 PM

times you reach [inside the piano] to the strings. Trying all kinds of things.” Given Smith’s adventurous approach, both with Sanders and soon after with Argentine saxophonist Gato Barbieri, it seemed preordained that he would link up with Miles Davis in the early 1970s. Recording for Davis’ albums “On the Corner” and “Big Fun” demanded Smith make new strides in his development as an artist, some of which were spurred by the legendary trumpeter’s signature directness. “Can I take it home and practice?” Smith asked upon being assigned to play an unfamiliar Yamaha electric organ. Davis’ reply: “No.” Then there’s the time Smith learned at the last minute that he’d be one of three keyboardists playing simultaneously. Davis’ words of encouragement: “What the f--- are you waiting for?” “That’s how Miles made you strong,” Smith says. “He’d get upset if you weren’t creating every day or every night you were performing with him.” One crucial leap forward during Smith’s time with Davis resulted not from the bandleader’s gruff motivational style, but from Smith’s application of the tools Davis was using. “He had all these pedals hooked up on the floor on his trumpet,” 70

MARCH

he recalls. “ I said, ‘Now, if I hook these pedals up to the Fender Rhodes, I wonder what would happen?’ And it worked.” “It’s not often that you get to be innovative and popular and uplifting all at the same time,” Branch says of Smith. “He may be the definitive musician to combine those three things.”

WORLDWIDE SUCCESS Smith recorded his 1973 debut, “Astral Traveling,” at the encouragement of Bob

“I had to try to FIGURE OUT ways to get more

SOUND. So I’m using my 10 FINGERS, but then sometimes you might use your

FOREARM.”

Thiele, the producer and Flying Dutchman label owner who recorded countless jazz greats, including John Coltrane. Audiences responded quickly, and within months, Smith left Davis’ ensemble to form his own. While he saw similar success with his second effort, “Cosmic Funk,” his third album, “Expansions,” launched his career as bandleader into the stratosphere. “That just took off worldwide,” Smith says. The music database Discogs lists 33 pressings of “Expansions,” including multiple editions from 1975, the year it was released, manufactured as far away as Germany, France and South Africa. “Bob Thiele was dealing with RCA Records, and they started scrambling,” Smith says. “They had to go back and reprint thousands and thousands.” Smith’s breakthrough LP landed at No. 10 on Billboard’s year-end jazz albums chart for 1975. “Back in the days when he released the ‘Expansions’ album, there was no genre called smooth jazz,” says Branch, a founder of the Richmond Jazz Society. “He would be the bridge between smooth jazz and spiritual jazz, because his music is very smooth and very appealing and very soothing, not as abrasive as some of the other spiritual jazz or some of the avant-garde jazz.” The title track of “Expansions” is a jazzfunk touchstone, featuring a buoyant blend of treated keyboard sounds and fusion elements, with vocals from Smith’s brother Donald entreating listeners “to understand we all must live in peace.” “My father and my mother were very spiritual,” Smith says. “I was expanding on making it more universal, that gospel and that spirituality that I received from them. Let’s take it to the whole world and expand their minds, so we can have a vision of the new world, everyone living in peace and harmony.” Those themes remained at the forefront of Smith’s music, from a string of late-1970s albums on Columbia Records to an early-1980s run on Bob Thiele’s newly formed Doctor Jazz imprint. A key col-

FROM LEFT: COURTESY LONNIE LISTON SMITH; ZAID HAMID, PIANO COURTESY THE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER AT GLEN ALLEN

Musician Pharoah Sanders (left) and Smith in France, 1977

/ 2022

FEA_LonnieListonSmith_rp0322.indd 70

2/14/22 3:39 PM

RICHMONDMAG.COM

FEA_LonnieListonSmith_rp0322.indd 71

2/14/22 3:39 PM

Musical partner and friend Marcus Miller (left) listens as Smith plays the keys of the cosmos.

laborator during this period was two-time Grammy winner Marcus Miller. The iconic bassist and composer was just 16 when he was introduced to Smith, yet Miller quickly earned Smith’s confidence, and some of Miller’s earliest compositions found a home on Smith’s Columbia-era albums. “He provided me with that stage as a writer,” Miller says, “and he would let me arrange the band and tell them what I thought they should play, which was kind of crazy, because I’m this little 16-, 17-yearold kid instructing the older guys. But he got a kick out of it.” Identifying and empowering promising young players is among the highest callings a masterful jazz musician can answer. Miller draws a direct line from Smith’s support to that of Miles Davis, with whom Miller would also go on to collaborate. “Once [Smith] figured out that I had some talent,” Miller recalls, “he’s like, ‘C’mon, do your thing.’ And I’m doing the same thing with young guys in my group. I don’t know if Miles had a mentor, or if it just came from him, but that’s a tradition that’s being passed down through generations.”

There may be no better lens through which to view Smith’s lasting impact than that of Devonne Harris, who plays keys for Richmond group Butcher Brown and produces beats as DJ Harrison. “Here’s a guy who took his dream and his vision and actually made it happen,” Harris says. “For a lot of creatives who are here in Richmond, that’s definitely influential.” Harris grew up surrounded by Smith’s music — “My dad had a lot of his records,” he says — and he sought out those same albums upon starting his own collection. He’s since continued down Smith’s trailblazing path by customizing the sound of his keys. “He creates his own textures,” Harris says. “I’ve definitely picked up on that from him.” Smith returned to Richmond from New York in 1988, seeing in his hometown qual72

MARCH

ities that local artists such as Harris continue to benefit from: a location that’s convenient for East Coast touring and easy access to air travel. Ironically, Smith was in Atlanta being interviewed for radio when Butcher Brown first crossed his radar a handful of years ago. “The interviewer said, ‘Man, have you heard this group from Richmond, Butcher Brown? Let me play this record for you,’ ” he recalls. Smith made contact via the group’s drummer, Corey Fonville, and he arranged to visit the Butcher Brown home studio. “We jammed a little bit, we hung out, he played the Rhodes and started playing some of his hits,” Fonville recalls. “It was a very special moment.”

“Having him over at the house was like our own private master class,” Harris says. “It was great. It was almost like he wanted to come into our world. Obviously, we know so much about his world.” As a beatmaker, Harris understands another important facet of Smith’s legacy: hip-hop sampling. Smith’s compositions have been sampled heavily, perhaps most notably on Jay-Z’s “Dead Presidents,” a song that incorporates the lilting piano from Smith’s “A Garden of Peace.” Smith’s 1977 “Live” album was crucial to Harris’ early exploration of sampling, and repurposing Smith’s music is one way to acknowledge that influence. “He’s one of the artists that understands that sam-

COURTESY LONNIE LISTON SMITH

LEGACY AND INFLUENCE

/ 2022

FEA_LonnieListonSmith_rp0322.indd 72

2/14/22 3:40 PM

Feature_ViolentCrime_0322.indd 75

2/15/22 3:45 PM

Bakeries_0322.indd 80

2/15/22 3:58 PM

CAMP GUIDE

Summer and Day Camps A sampling of camps in and around Virginia * = Day camp or day-camp option offered To see an extended version of this list, visit richmondmag.com/camps.

*Brilliant Summer at St. Catherine’s Hundreds of coed offerings include Young Explorers, Design Your Day Camps, Special Interest Camps and more. Age 3 to rising 12th graders. 6001 Grove Ave., 804-288-2804 or st.catherines.org. *Camp Blue Sky Day Camp programs for schoolaged children (grades K-5) with STEM activities, outdoor exploration, field trips and more. Five area locations, 804-747-5900 or leafspringschool. com/programs. *Camp Ganim Day camp for ages 2-5. Offers opportunities to interact with nature, plus swimming, music and art. 5403 Monument Ave., 804-285-6500 or weinsteinjcc.org. *Camp Hilbert From the morning flagpole assembly to canoeing on beautiful Lake Rosalie, campers (grades K-8) enjoy a range of activities. 2240 Maidens Road, Goochland, 804-545-8650 or weinsteinjcc.org. *Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Camps focused on nature, history, therapeutic recreation and traditional camps for ages 5 to 15. 804-7481623 or chesterfield.gov/parks. *Collegiate Summer Quest More than 175 camps, from sports to academic enrichment, for 3-yearolds to adults. 103 N. Mooreland Road, 804-7419714 or collegiate-va.org. *Cub Scout Day Camp For boy and girl Cub Scouts and their siblings in grades one through five. Activities include archery, BB-gun range, fishing and more. Multiple locations in the RichmondPetersburg area. 804-355-4306 or hovc.org. *Great Summer Escape Day camps for rising first graders to age 12 at multiple Richmond community center locations. 804-646-5733 or rva.gov/parks-recreation. *Hanover County Parks and Recreation Camps for elementary- and middle-school-age children. 804-365-7150 or hanoverparksrec.com. *Henrico County Recreation and Parks

Various programs, including performing arts, visual arts, nature and sports camps. 804-501-7275 or henrico.us/rec.

*Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Various programs including

sports, performing and visual arts, and nature. 804-646-5733 or rva.gov/parks-recreation. *St. Christopher’s Summer Programs An extensive variety of half-day and full-day, specialty, athletic, academic and day camps for boys and girls ages 3-18. 711 St. Christopher’s Road, 804-282-3185, ext. 5327, or stchristophers.com. *Saint Gertrude High School Programs for girls who will be entering fourth to ninth grades. Activities include volleyball, basketball and more. 12829 River Road, 804-708-9500 or saintgertrude.org. *Specialty Camps Offered from June 21-Aug. 26 for grades K-8, these include sports, art, science and leadership. 5403 Monument Ave., 804-545-8658 or weinsteinjcc.org. *The Steward Summer Experience Over 80 camps for grades JK-12, including sports, arts and innovation. 11600 Gayton Road, 804-740-3394 or stewardschool.org/summer.

*Trinity Episcopal School’s Summer Discovery Program Sports, music, art, academic and college-

MARCH

prep camps for all ages. 3850 Pittaway Drive, 804-272-5864 or trinityes.org/summer. *YMCA Camp Thunderbird Activities such as music, zip line, mountain biking and more. The EveryBuddy program is available for children with special needs. Ages 8-17. 9300 Shawonodasee Road, Chesterfield, 804-748-6714 or ymcarichmond.org/locations/camp-thunderbird. *YMCA of Greater Richmond Various branch locations offer day, specialty and sports camps and summer child care for toddlers to teens. 804-6499622 or ymcarichmond.org/camp.

RELIGIOUS

*Camp Hanover Day and overnight sessions for elementary, middle and high school youth. Christian focus. 3163 Parsleys Mill Road, Mechanicsville, 804-779-2811 or camphanover.org. *CharacterWorks Day camps in musical theater for ages 6-13; separate program for ages 14-19. 804-306-9159 or cworkstheater.org. *Good Shepherd Episcopal School Fun, educational camps in hiking, computers and everything in between. Reserve spots early. 4207 Forest Hill Ave., 804-231-1452 or gses.org. Oak Hill Christian Service Camp A fun, safe experience for campers from kindergarten to college. 8451 Oak Hill Camp Road, Mechanicsville, 804-779-3050 or oakhillcamp.org. Westview on the James Methodist overnight summer camps for ages 7-15, and Adventure Trek programs for ages 13-16. 1231 Westview Road, Goochland, 804-457-4210 or westviewonthejames.org.

SPECIAL INTERESTS

*ArtHaus Summer Camps [Tentative] Ages 4-16. Explore clay, paint, mixed media and more. 1811 Huguenot Road, Suite 303, Midlothian, 804-8974278 or arthausrichmond.com. *ArtVenture Summer Camp Visual Arts Center of Richmond classes for ages 5-14. 1812 W. Main St., 804-353-0094 or visarts.org. *Camp Ashland Hands-on history program for grades two to six. 804-368-7314 or ashlandmuseum.org. *Camp Half-Blood At this camp for rising second to fifth graders, kids become heroes as they go on quests and battle foes. Based on the Percy Jackson YA novels, immersive lessons range from swordplay to ancient Greek crafts. Weeklong sessions run June 27-July 22. Forest Hill Park, W. 42nd Street and New Kent Avenue. 929-829-4732 or camphalfbloodbklyn.com/foresthillpark. Camp Invention One-week elementary enrichment program inspired by the inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame for kindergartners through sixth graders. Multiple locations, 800-968-4332 or invent.org/camp. *The Carmel School Summer programs for pre-K through middle school students. Session topics include reading comprehension, STEAM-related instruction, art and more. Ruther Glen, 804-4483288 or thecarmelschool.org. CENTERS Summer Programs at VSU Offers a variety of enrichment programs in literacy, STEM and

education for students in grades 1-12. 804-7218817 or vsucenters.org.

*Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia Summer Camps Offers the Diggin in History Archaeology Camp for ages 8-13 at Historic Trinity Church, Heritage Crafts and Games Camp for ages 8-13 and Historic Crafts and Trades Camp for children ages 8-13 at Castlewood. 804-751-4946 or chesterfieldhistory.com. *Club SciKidz/Tech Scientific STEM-related camps in science and technology and the arts for prekindergartners through eighth graders. Locations in Chesterfield and Henrico, 804-5484787 or clubscikidzrva.com. *CodeVA’s Eureka Workshop Offers arts-integrated summer camps, a robotics team and other out-ofschool programs. 300 E. Broad St., 804-727-9817 or codevirginia.org. *Critter Camp Rising first through ninth graders who love animals will find many programs to choose from at the Richmond SPCA. 2519 Hermitage Road, 804-521-1327 or richmondspca. org/camp. *CSz Comedy Camps for Kidz Half- and full-day camps on improvisation and collaboration, basic acting, and sketches for rising fifth to 12th graders. 8906 W. Broad St., 804-266-9377 or cszrichmond. com/comedy-camps.

*The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen

Youth summer camps and art programs allow children’s curiosity to flourish as they create art in a variety of media. Summer and private classes are also available. 2880 Mountain Road, 804-2612787 or artsglenallen.com. *Doodle Dynamo A place where kids imagine, design and create, offering various art-themed camps for rising first through eighth graders. Millwood School, 15100 Millwood School Lane, 804-256-3545 or doodledynamo.com. *Encore Studio Instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and acro, among other activities. Ages 3-18. Weeklong camps, eight-week instructional sessions and weekly workshops. 15584 Westchester Commons Way, 804-794-2646 or encorestudio.com. *GreenSpring Summer Music Institutes Three weeks of programming, including one week of online sessions. Instruction in a variety of instruments for ages 8-22 at all skill levels. 4101 Grove Ave., 804-353-7001 or greenspringmusic.org/summer-1. Guardian Christian Academy Weekly themes include sports and reading. 6851 Courthouse Road, 804-715-3210 or gcakids.com.

*Kids’ and Teens’ Camps at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Cross-cultural learning, fun and

creative projects, and more. Five-day camps are offered weekly, June 27-Aug. 19, for ages 5-17. 200 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, 804-340-1405 or vmfa.museum. *Knights of Summer Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School summer camps for age 3 through 5th grade include STEAM skills, crafts, sports, cooking and more. 2501 Academy Road, Powhatan, 804-598-4211 or bshknights.org. *Latin Ballet of Virginia Four Arts in Education Summer Day Camps help students connect dance forms to language and culture. The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Road, 804356-3876 or latinballet.com/camp. *Marianne Kelley’s School of Dance Camps with dancing instruction for ages 3 and up. 1807 Huguenot Road, Suite 115, 804-292-5917 or mksdance.com. *Maymont Summer Camps Outdoor adventures, games, crafts and more for preschool to middle school kids. 2201 Shields Lake Drive, 804-3587168 or maymont.org/summer-camps.

/ 2022

Camps_list_rm_0322.indd 98

2/15/22 1:18 PM

company’s roasting equipment and its wholesale clients. “I’ve been thinking about my own cafe or shop or roastery forever, but I helped build that business, and I don’t want to compete with Lamplighter,” Smith says. “I love them — they brought me into all of this. It was the only thing I can envision to keep us here and in the industry. The relationship has really been beneficial for everyone to focus on one thing.” The feeling of loyalty to one another and to the business — particularly in an industry where turnover rates are high — paired with the idea of building a future from a place that provided a foundation was echoed both by Smith’s fellow workers and Lamplighter’s owners. Lamplighter co-owner Noelle Forest describes it as a rebirth. “When this opportunity came up to transition, that part of it was along the lines of what we would Afterglow’s like to see happen anyway,” dark roast blend she says, noting that this shift will help test the business model. “Instead of building things back to the way they were, how can we pivot and reshape?” Lamplighter now operates solely out of its original Addison Street location. Forest says of streamlining the business,

“I’m excited about collabora“It’s where it all started, and having (Above, from left): Maves tive coffee sourcing and buying,” that be the one place that has roasting coffee Smith says. “Everybody has to stayed with us is amazing, and we beans, Delacruz packaging want to see that location bloom in figure this out with me — consenbeans, Smith the future.” sus-building, the best and hardest with a freshbrewed latte Forest says that when she startpart about a cooperative venture. ed Lamplighter in 2009 with a small I like the freedom to be able to experiment and be creative; it’s a really and scrappy squad, the intention wasn’t freeing concept.” for massive expansion but to build a coffee Each partner at Afterglow will own community. However, she adds, over time an equal share of the company and the company grew into more of a traditional business — three cafes and almost receive the same pay. They will work four 80 employees — a shift that was not necdays a week, five if needed. There will be essarily aligned with their ethos. no clocking in and out, and no set time requirements. Currently in a phase of “dreaming and scheming,” plotting renovations and dis“We all trust each other, we’re all workcussing long-term goals for Lamplighter, ing towards the same goals,” Smith says. Forest is excited to do less and see how, The aim is for everyone not only to in turn, that could lead to more. No longer have their basic needs met, but also to be roasting, Lamplighter will source its able to thrive. And while the empowerment and ability to shape their own beans directly from Afterglow, and Lampfutures may sound like an idyllic way of lighter’s namesake coffee blend will only working, they believe it can and should be available directly at its Fan shop. be the way it always is. “It’s the same coffee we want, roasted “For us, this is how we would like to how we want, by people we know and trust on the same see the world operate more,” Forest says. equipment,” Forest says. “All “People should have a say over how that the same great things from work gets done. While they may not have that team, but now [we] been shareholders in Lamplighter, they can focus solely on this.” absolutely created value and created a lot Smith and his Afterof what it was, so for them to then be able glow co-owners are lookto transition to taking ownership of that ing forward to exploring [roasting] operation felt like, for me, a what’s possible. great next step.” R RICHMONDMAG.COM

Eat&Drink_Opener_0322.indd 103

103

2/14/22 1:34 PM