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life, you don’t realize how things impact you,” he says. “In retrospect, it’s very clear to me why that happened to me.” Weight loss and keeping weight off are very different processes. One problem is that when you reach a maximum weight and it stays there long enough, the body perceives that weight as where you are supposed to be, Sicat says. The human body, conditioned by thousands of years of dealing with periods of starvation and famine, is trying to protect us; it doesn’t register what a good weight is for a particular person, Sicat says. “[It] doesn’t care if that was your normal adult weight, or if that is your healthy weight. Whatever it is, it just knows that you got somewhere, and it thinks that’s what you’re supposed to be,” he says. “So literally when you’re trying to lose weight below that weight, your body is defending that weight.” That’s why so many who lose weight gain it back — about 80% to 90% of people who lose substantial weight regain it in one or two years. There are other factors that impede weight maintenance, such as less positive feedback. When you’re losing weight rapidly, you feel and see the difference, as do people around you, who reward you with compliments. It becomes less noticeable over the long term. “No one is saying, ‘Oh, my gosh, you’ve been maintaining your weight,’ ” Sicat says. His approach is a team effort, to ensure that people looking to drop weight and then maintain that weight loss know it’s a long battle, a chronic disease that requires a multipronged approach addressing nutrition, physical activity, behavior and medication. Obesity also compounds the impact of COVID-19. Age and obesity are associated with poorer outcomes, leading to a greater likelihood that a COVID-19 infection will lead to hospitalization, being placed on a ventilator or death. It triples the risk of hospitalization, accounting for
a third of COVID-19 patients who required hospital treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, stress is a primary driver of obesity, according to Sicat. “Weight is impacted by a gazillion things, and stress is one of them, and it’s been a very stressful several years for people,” he says. A licensed obesity medicine specialist, the New Jersey native earned his medical degree and completed a residency in internal medicine in 2002 at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School, followed with a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. He was a cofounder of Virginia Endocrinology and Osteoporosis Center in 2004, then went into obesity medicine in 2011. “It’s been wonderful,” he says. “It’s such a gratifying, satisfying field to be in.”
THE KINDEST CUT For 38 years, Dr. Boyd H. Winslow was a go-to specialist for reconstructive pediatric urology. He could make a urethra using a graft taken from the lining of a mouth, or craft a new bladder for a child by transposing some colon and stomach tissue. “I did really big-deal things,” he says. “I love pediatric surgery because, if you think about a successful operation in a baby, think of the number of good years you’re giving them.” Over the decades, one procedure
showed up more frequently on his schedule, referrals to correct bad circumcisions on infants. For Winslow, it was a burden on his caseload, but for the families of these boys, it was an emotional, traumatic experience, something that he wanted to allay in some way. He put together a visual presentation, descriptions and photos that documented what he’d seen over 25 to 30 years and how he fixed the problem, then he made presentations to various health care facilities and practices. He had hoped that would result in some positive change, which it did, but in an unexpected way — a sentiment that he describes as, "Hey, he knows this, let's (refer patients) to him." Now, the semiretired Winslow has a part-time practice, Winslow Newborn Circumcisions. The practice of circumcision is ancient. The procedure is often performed in the first month after birth, frequently in the hospital within two days after delivery. About 60% of newborn boys in the United States are circumcised, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. It is an elective procedure. The driving force behind circumcision decisions are cultural, Winslow says. Many families of Jewish, Muslim or Christian backgrounds prefer to have the procedures performed on or as close as possible to the eighth
Dr. Jeffrey Sicat, a licensed obesity medicine specialist, says he takes a team approach in working with people to lose pounds and then maintain the weight loss.
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MENTAL H E A LT H
D E C A Y Physical and mental stress can take a toll on a dental health practitioner by Kari Smith | illustration by Carson McNamara
G
iven the number of people who say they either fear or loathe a visit to a dentist, it’s no surprise that mental health issues are common among dental professionals. The American Dental Association reported in 2021 that the percentage of dentists with a diagnosis of anxiety more than tripled as compared to numbers from 2003. Although statistics after COVID-19 restrictions were largely lifted are not readily available, the ADA also reported that in 2019, 11% of dentists were diagnosed with depression, and 6% of dentists surveyed had an anxiety disorder, while only 3.1% of the general population did. Four percent of dentists reported having panic disorders, while only 2.7% of the general population reported the same. These numbers may have risen even further since the added pressures placed on the industry by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 certainly didn’t help, but there are other reasons why dental professionals often contend with mental health issues, along with physical health challenges.
in the study population. And of those surveyed, 24.3% reported a general fear of going to the dentist. By comparison, 34.8% reported a fear of snakes. Such patients may be vocal about how unhappy they are to be at a dental office — even though their procedure is clearly necessary to maintain oral health and head off even worse problems in the future. As a business owner, it is difficult to hear some of your patients — your customers, in fact — tell you how much they hate being there. Fearful patients may be more common in hospital settings than in private practices, says Dr. Graham Forbes of Capital Dental Design, who worked two years in hospital dentistry. “I found a lot more fear there,” he says. “They get their care there, and they had no other choices (and) you seem to find that kind of phobia.” The best way to alleviate fears and phobias, he says, is to be a “super-empathetic” and to take time and make the first injections and get to the needed level of sedation.
SMALL ERRORS – BIG CONSEQUENCES DENTOPHOBIA – IT’S A THING. Let’s face it – most people just dislike going to the dentist. The drills, the noise, the needles. A study from the Netherlands published in 2009 in the European Journal of Oral Sciences reported that dental phobia (an uncontrollable, irrational, lasting fear) was the most common type of phobia, affecting 3.7% of adults
Dr. Justin Scott of Baicy Dental in Henrico County shares some insight about other stressors in the industry: “Dentistry is both diagnostic and procedure-based, so you have to correctly diagnose the problem and effectively fix it,” he says, adding that unlike some medical professionals, dentists get only one chance to correctly perform a procedure, since teeth do not heal or
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PAY I N G T H E B I L L S Many dentists are often small business owners, responsible for the salaries of their practice’s employees, insurance and overhead. To make this happen, they must meet a certain level of income per day. It’s not just about providing quality care, it’s about doing it while keeping a roof overhead and the lights on. Because a dental office team is often small, the dentist who owns the business is also responsible for the care of this tight-knit work family, including workplace satisfaction, providing health insurance and other benefits. This turns the title of “dentist” in the smaller practices into a business administrator, human resources manager, accountant, clinician and more. COVID-19 has of course put a damper on the dental industry, Scott says. Although he feels more comfortable now that adequate PPE (personal protective equipment) and proper sterilization gen-
Drs. Justin Scott and Sarah Ann Baicy of Baicy Dental in Henrico County.
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erally keep staff and patients safe, there is still fear from many patients over perceived potential risk.
IT’S A HARD-KNOCK LIFE If you've never thought of dentistry as physically demanding work, think again. Because dentists and hygienists can only minimally adjust a patient’s positioning, their own bodies are often held in painful positions, for prolonged periods. Today’s dental chairs and operatory stools have undoubtedly improved positioning and ergonomics, but there can still be significant physical stress to the body for dental professionals. In 2021, the ADA surveyed 20,000 American dentists, finding that 84% of dentists reported pain while working — usually in the neck, shoulders and back. Another 14% reported that the pain was significant enough to interfere with their work. Forbes cites the use of loupes that force you to sit up and not hunch as much. But the loupes are heavy, sit on your face all day and can stress the neck. He’s now using a microscope alleviating the neck stress, and providing a more accurate view.
AND THERE’S MORE… Angela Smith, an instructor with Fortis College, has been a dental assistant educator for 14 years. She says that during her 10 years as a clinical dental assistant before shifting to education, she often saw the frustration of dealing with patients with negative ideas about dentistry. “In
addition to patients with phobias or who view dentistry simply as elective medicine, there are those who come only for emergency procedures and refuse to maintain routine oral health,” she says. “Even more frustrating were patients who would request cosmetic procedures such as tooth whitening but decline treatment for more urgent needs such as gum disease.” And the list of challenges goes on. Burnout is common, but after sinking many years of education into the field, it’s not always feasible to change — especially for those still paying off student loans.
M E N T A L H E A LT H SOLUTIONS Certain aspects of the dental industry will not change. Whether you’re a dentist or a hygienist, dental work often takes place in confined spaces that are usually windowless, and your area of focus is literally about the size of a tennis ball. William “Leigh” Smith Jr., a service technician in the dental industry for 25 years, has seen it all. “Doing dentistry is in a way just like working in a coal mine. Regardless of advancements in technology — instruments, lighting, digital charting and imaging — you can’t change the fact that miners, much like dentists, still descend into a dark shaft and do what they do.” What can be done to alleviate this stress? Scott says that in his experience, creating stress relief starts by maintaining
“ YOU HAVE TO BRING POSITIVE ENERGY TO THE OFFICE AND HAVE TEAM MEMBERS THAT BRING THAT SAME ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM.” —Dr. Justin Scott
COURTESY BAICY DENTAL
grow back like soft tissue. In addition, dental procedures call for miniscule incisions — often just millimeters — under magnification and viewed in a small mirror, inside a dark, moist space, and often upside down or at odd angles. The results of dentistry can be major for a patient’s overall aesthetic, since our smile is part of how we interact and communicate with others, and patients expect their dentist to maintain or correct their teeth to their aesthetic norm and to restore or maintain function.
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accepted as a viable and effective method to treat cancer. It is a noninvasive option that precisely targets the tumor, sparing healthy surrounding tissue. Additional benefits include: no hospital stays, treatment in less than 30 minutes, minimal side effects and FDA-approval. We treat several types of cancer, including: Breast, Lung, Prostate, Head & Neck, Ocular, Gastrointestinal, Brain & Spine, and Pediatric tumors. For more information, please call 757-251-6800 or visit hamptonproton.org. Live YOUR life. Let US fight your cancer.
JAMES RIVER ORTHODONTICS Ranked the top 1% in the nation and a nine-time winner of Richmond Magazine Top Orthodontist, JRO provides the ultimate patient experience by putting their people and community first. With the latest technology, spacious office accommodations and excellent service, Dr. Scarborough and his team are going above and beyond to ensure patient comfort and peace of mind. JRO has added virtual appointments and consultations to accommodate your schedule and reduce in-office visits for busy families. While some things may have changed, giving patients the highest quality treatment and care remains the same. We look forward to seeing your smiles soon! Visit our website at jamesriverorthodontics.com to schedule your complimentary consultation today.
DR. JOSEPH TREGASKES Dr. Tregaskes would like to thank all those who have supported him for many years. Dr. Tregaskes is
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board-certified in the specialties of prosthodontics, craniofacial pain management, and dental sleep medicine. Diagnosis is key to establishing an effective treatment plan. He utilizes state-of-the-art diagnostic aids, when appropriate. Among these are CBCT, 3D imaging and printing, digital radiographs, joint vibration analysis, electrognathology, electromyography, pharyngometry, rhinometry, posture analysis and Tek Scan computer assisted bite analysis. Bio stimulation laser therapy is available to facilitate treatment along with many other modalities determined by the treatment plan. Whether you are suffering from head and neck pain, sleep apnea, or in need of complicated dental care, Dr. Tregaskes will be honored to help. jntdental.com or 804-282-0510
DR. KANYON KEENEY A board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Keeney’s practice concentrates on dental implant and bone-grafting surgery. He is a diplomate in the International Congress of Oral Implantology and is involved extensively in testing new grafting and implant products. He is sought after for his dynamic presentations — speaking at local, national, and international levels and is a spokesman for several of the leading dental implant companies. Dr. Keeney’s extensive background affords him the opportunity to treat patients of all levels of difficulty and compromised medical history. His state-of-the-art office is conveniently located in Short Pump. vadentalimplants.com
DRS. RICHARDSON, OVERSTREET, GLAZIER AND WHITE Dr. Chris Richardson, Dr. Ben Overstreet, Dr. Thomas Glazier, and Dr. John White specialize in the treatment of periodontal dental care. Their services include treatment of bone loss around teeth and dental implants due to disease, repair of soft tissue recession, regeneration of lost bone, replacement of teeth with dental implants and enhancing restorative care by creating a healthy foundation. In addition, they also commonly perform cosmetic procedures, including enhancing short teeth by recontouring a gummy smile and correcting long teeth by soft tissue grafting. All four doctors are active in local, regional, national and international organizations and serve on governing boards and executive councils within these groups. They are tremendously honored to partner with more than 300 area general dentists, and it is this approach to your care via collaborative teamwork that creates predictable and successful results. Their goal is excellence in periodontics, and they look forward to having the opportunity to provide your care. They welcome new patients to their practice. For more information, call 804-355-6593 or visit richmondperioonline.com.
RICHMOND VIRGINIA ORTHODONTICS Richmond Virginia Orthodontics has two convenient locations in the Richmond area where we will help you achieve the smile of your dreams! RVO has successfully treated the second highest number of patients with Invisalign in
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the country, making them the No.2 Invisalign provider in the nation. Our newest addition to the team, Dr. Joseph Jones, has been voted Richmond’s Top Dentist after less than a year. Patients love RVO’s fun, personal, and exciting atmosphere. RVO has the area’s only Invisalign Studio located inside Short Pump Town Center. The Invisalign Studio is a place where people can stop by anytime without an appointment to learn more about Invisalign treatment. Book your complimentary Invisalign consultation at RVO by visiting rvorthodontics.com.
RIVER RUN DENTAL River Run Dental is excited to celebrate their 15th practice anniversary this summer. They now have three practice locations across the Richmond metro area and their doctors have been voted Richmond’s Top Dentists since 2012. River Run is well known for their elevated patient experience which includes complimentary comfort services at every appointment and patient-focused treatment. River Run Dental is a general dentistry practice serving children, teens, and adults and is accepting new patients at all three locations. Visit riverrundentalspa.com to book a visit.
VIRGINIA FAMILY DENTISTRY Virginia Family Dentistry has been providing dental care to the Richmond area for 46 years. Our doctor-owned practice includes 15 locations and 60 general dentists and dental specialists. Virginia Family Dentistry dental specialists include orthodontists, periodontists,
prosthodontists, endodontists and pediatric dentists. We’ve grown throughout the years to accommodate the needs of our patients. Virginia Family Dentistry aims to provide lifelong patients with the most comprehensive dental care possible — all in one practice. We’re a family of more than 400 dental professionals and staff members who serve generations of entire families throughout Central Virginia. It’s as simple as that. Visit vadentist.com.
VIRGINIA ORAL & FACIAL SURGERY For over 39 years, the VOFS goal has always been simple — to bring excellence in oral and maxillofacial surgery to the greater Richmond community. Drs. Keeney, Harris, Dymon, Wlodawsky, Watson, Agnihotri, Wheeler, Phelps, Herrera and Gardner are dedicated to patient safety, predictable outcomes and great communication. Procedures range from dental implants to facelifts, wisdom teeth to bone grafts, and everything in between. All of the doctors here are committed to their profession and truly love what they do. Visit oralfacialsurgery.com.
Medical SHELTERING ARMS INSTITUTE – A COLLABORATION WITH VCU HEALTH Sheltering Arms and VCU Health have taken the best of themselves to create something new — a physical rehabilitation hospital unlike any other in the world. We’re reinventing rehabilitation for life beyond limits by combining the best technology,
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SHELTERING ARMS PHYSICAL REHABILITATION CENTERS Are you in pain? Have you had surgery? Do you want to get back in the game? Sheltering Arms is the No.1 choice for physical rehabilitation in central Virginia (in Virginia Living Top Hospitals, OurHealth Richmond, and Richmond magazine Top Docs). From a pulled muscle to back pain, concussion to stroke, and any other illness or injury, we can help you get your life back. Sheltering Arms’ expert clinicians utilize advanced technology including robotic exoskeletons and anti-gravity treadmills to treat a wide variety of orthopedic and neurological conditions. We offer a complete range of outpatient physical rehabilitation and wellness services at many locations to conveniently serve you. To learn more, visit ShelteringArms.com, call 804764-1000, or visit us on Facebook.
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Abdullah had contacted Oyeneyin a few months earlier a er noticing previous videos he had filmed around campus. They were goofy and popular, and he figured doing something together would bring a li le levity amid the pandemic. But he had no idea it would go “viral-viral.” The video, posted on Twi er, wound up on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” the same day. To date, it has been viewed 5.6 million times. “He knew that the old guy crossing over the young guy would be something that old people would like, and that everybody older would believe it,” Abdullah says, marveling at Oyeneyin’s social media skills. “He knew it.” Abdullah, 53, is one of the youngest university presidents in the country. Academically, he’s a wunderkind: a civil engineer who has published two dozen papers on the effects of earthquakes and extreme weather on tall buildings. He was all of 24 when he graduated with his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1994. “Who the heck knows that now?” he says in his campus office in early May, more than a year a er the video went viral. “I’m the guy who was in the crossover video. If you search my name, the top five things that pop up [on Google], that’s who I am now.”
Founded in 1882, Virginia State University is the state’s oldest public historically Black college and university (HBCU), the first in the South to be established as a collegiate university for African Americans a er the Civil War. It has one of the best agricultural programs in the state, a respected business school and an educational training program that partners with public school systems across the region. Academically, it’s ranked among the top 30 HBCUs in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. But it’s o en overlooked. Tucked away deep in southern Chesterfield County, in the village of E rick bordering Petersburg, VSU is located on a picturesque suburban campus just off U.S. Route 1 in Colonial Heights. It doesn’t garner much media coverage and lacks the name recognition of Central Virginia’s bigger schools — Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond. The region’s other prominent HBCU — Virginia Union University — is arguably be er known thanks to its location on Richmond’s North Side. When the spotlight does shine on VSU, it’s o en for the wrong reasons. Abdullah was named the university’s 14th president in 2015 a er the ouster of his predecessor, Keith T. Miller. In 2014, an unexpected enrollment decline of roughly 500 students set off a chain reaction: Money coming in from tuition and fees dropped by more than $4 million,
thanks in part to tightening eligibility requirements for federal student loans, which led to losses in boarding revenue. The shortfall forced the closure of two residence halls, reductions in staff and faculty, and other budget cuts. Students protested on campus, and former president Miller was forced to resign in December 2014. Pamela V. Hammond, former provost at Hampton University, took over the following January while the university conducted a national search to find new leadership. Wayne Turnage, deputy mayor of health and human services in Washington, D.C., was appointed to the Board of Visitors in 2015. At the time, he says, the university was coming off “a string of bad press.” In addition to the financial struggles, two students drowned in 2013 during a hazing ritual that involved crossing the rough waters of the Appoma ox River, which borders the campus to the south. There was a student-on-student stabbing that October, and another VSU student had been fatally shot in the back just off campus in E rick. “He had a pretty big wall to climb,” Turnage says of Abdullah. “The school had a really, really rough path. There was not consistent, steady leadership.” Seven years later, the university is on a different path, Turnage says. VSU’s year-end financial reserves have more than tripled under Abdullah, growing from roughly $17 million to $60 million. The endowment has grown from $40 million to $80 million, thanks mostly to a $30 million gi in 2020 from philanthropist MacKenzie Sco , ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. With an infusion of state funding, VSU has more construction taking place on campus than at any point in its 140-year history, including a new 30,000-square-foot admissions building, a research and cooperative extension facility, new turf and other improvements at Rogers Stadium, and the crown jewel: a new $120 million Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons, which will span 174,000 square feet and include a theater, exhibition space and a swimming pool along with academic classrooms. Abdullah, who initiated an update to the university’s master plan in 2017, is steering Virginia State in a new direction, says Joyce Henderson, executive director of VSU’s real estate foundation, which owns the University Apartments in E rick near Chesterfield Avenue. He wants to expand the university’s footprint in E rick and its academic reputation in the region, a racting more local students who might not have otherwise considered a ending Virginia State, including white and Hispanic students. “With him at the helm, there’s no reason the vision won’t be realized — you know, the vision of continued growth,” Henderson says.
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president for research at Florida A&M University. “Higher administration was not at all anything I was interested in,” he recalls. But the school’s vice president of research asked him to step in, so he gave it shot. In the new role he quickly realized that he could have a “larger impact on students, and student opportunities.” Abdullah found his calling. He was promoted to dean at Florida A&M’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture in 2008. In March 2011, he became provost and vice president of academic affairs at Florida Memorial University, and then provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 2013. Having spent his entire teaching and administrative career at HBCUs, he gained a clearer understanding of the critical role that Black colleges play in offering educational opportunities to students who o en have few options. “When I looked at the real strengths of Virginia State, I tried to figure out, ‘Well, how do we capitalize on those strengths?’ ” he says, pointing out the school’s affordability (with in-state tuition of just over $9,000, VSU is ranked the “most affordable” four-year college in Virginia by website University HQ). “But there was this larger thing happening, where there were many Virginians and many folks in this country who were really just locked out of higher education. … What could we do to tear down those barriers?” It’s not so much a question as a mission, one that is deeply ingrained at Virginia State, dating back to its original charter in 1882. There was no college in the former Confederate states that provided African Americans with a liberal arts education before the Virginia General Assembly established the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute in the tiny village of E rick. The all-Black college was born out of political opportunism, says Luscious Edwards, VSU’s longtime historian. A er the Civil War, the state’s growing debt obligations had ballooned to $46 million, which had led to budget cuts and dwindling resources for public education. The debt led to the rise of a radical political movement, the Readjuster Party, which gained majorities in the General Assembly in 1879 and won the governor’s office in 1881. The Readjusters forged a broad, biracial coalition of working men and African Americans who struck a deal, Edwards says. Black voters would support the Readjusters in exchange for a new college. But there was a catch, and it was revolutionary at the time: Unlike most other Black colleges in Virginia and across the U.S., which taught African Americans industrial and agricultural trades in the years a er slavery, the new university would include a liberal arts program. It would be coed, the entire faculty
would be African American, along with most members of the Board of Visitors, the school’s governing body. “Black people knew what a college was and what you did with it. You needed people who could write books and lecture and do research and these kinds of things,” Edwards says. “Black people needed more than teachers and people who could be blacksmiths.”
That history of Black empowerment is embedded in the stories of alumni such as Starrie and Deloris Jordan, who met on campus in the 1960s. Starrie, from Hopewell, was the grandson of a sharecropper; Deloris grew up on one of the few Black-owned farms in Sussex County. They both graduated from Virginia State University — Starrie earned a degree in industrial arts, and Deloris became a teacher with an elementary special ed degree. “We were in the heat of the whole Civil Rights movement,” Deloris says. “My class was rambunctious, they really got into the marching and protesting, taking over the president’s office.” But it was also a nurturing environment: “We had good, caring professors who wanted us to succeed and did everything in their power to make sure that we got what we needed,” she says. She met Starrie while working at the lab elementary school on campus. They married in March 1966. Today, they live on Oakland Avenue in Ettrick, a few blocks from campus. Both are members of the alumni association, and they find themselves on campus at least once a week, o en in the dining hall, talking and cha ing with students. They think highly of Abdullah, who is always willing to stop and talk. Starrie recalls that shortly a er Abdullah took over, he and Deloris cornered him in the dining hall one Sunday a ernoon and asked him to take care of the broken alumni fountain. Students had been pu ing detergent in the water feature to make bubbles, Starrie says, which mucked up the pumps. It had been out of commission for several months. It was a small thing, but significant in what it represented. That continuum of history, the critical role VSU plays in bridging generations, building the Black middle class, nurturing and educating those searching for a way out. In 2016, though, Abdullah didn’t know about the fountain. “He said, ‘Where is the fountain?’ He had never seen it working, so he didn’t know where it was,” Deloris recalls. She and Starrie took him for a walk down University Avenue, to Foster Hall, where it sits out front. Within a month, Abdullah had the fountain up and running. “It’s been working ever since,” she says. R
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‘HONORABLE PRINCESS’
Amira Alsharif was born in Sudan, the African nation just south of Egypt. She speaks English and Arabic. Her first name, Amira, means “princess,” while her last name, Alsharif, translates as “honor.” She owns and runs two companies. She started Royal Medical Transportation with her husband, Tarig Ahmed, in 2011. They got to know many of their developmentally disabled clients as they shuttled them between homes, group homes and medical facilities. They realized how much demand there was for this clientele for social services and daytime activities. “I felt some kind of attachment toward most of our clients, to the point that they wouldn’t get in the vehicle unless I was driving that day,” she says. “This led me to think about establishing [another] business offering the same kind of service only better.” And so, in 2013, her second company became a reality. Future Alliance provides activities, training, and classes for people who are developmentally dis-
abled. She is the CEO and has a staff of nine people. “This segment of society has the right to live their life like everybody else,” she says. “They have special needs.” So Future Alliance crafts a plan for each person, including social skills, basic life skills training, items to learn, activities and areas to improve upon. Friends ask Alsharif how she manages two businesses while going to school for her master’s degree, all while raising four children. “It’s all about commitment and the will that you have to achieve something,” she says. “My husband is my helping hand, after God. He always supports me while I go to school and run my businesses at the same time. He helps with the kids. I go to school at night. He makes it easy for me and encourages me to pursue my education.” She met her husband, who is also Sudanese, in New Jersey while she was visiting her brother. They got married and then moved to Albany, New York, where Tarig had lived previously. They moved to Richmond in 2010. “I really like the diversity in Richmond,” Alsharif says. “Like in my neighborhood, we have Chinese, Indians, South Americans and Americans, too. When the kids play outside, you see the greatness in this place … the diversity and how people can come from any part of the world and be a part of this country and live in peace.”
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SERVING HIS ADOPTED COUNTRY
Maj. Djakaria Konate retired from the U.S. Army in 2019 after 26 years of active service. He was born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire on the West Coast of Africa, a former French colony. Konate grew up speaking French and Mandingo, a language of the Mandinka or Mandingo people, an ethnic group spread across Western Africa. He started learning English in middle school but didn’t become fluent until he came to New York City as an exchange student in 1989. He attended New York City College of Technology, taking English as a Second Language (ESL) classes as well as requirements for his associate degree. He juggled a variety of jobs to pay his way through school: hotel housekeeping, messenger and cab driver. One day on campus, Konate met an army recruiter who explained that the U.S. Army could pay for school, provide a salary and a path to eventually obtain U.S. citizenship. Konate thought it was win-win situation. “I can serve my host country, I can go to school for free and I love traveling,” he says. Djakaria enlisted, and after he finished that semester, he left New York City to attend basic training in Missouri in January 1993. He’s been stationed in Missouri, Texas, Colorado, South Korea and North Carolina, and at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California’s portion of the Mojave Desert. In 2012, he was deployed to Afghanistan. Eventually, he settled down and established his family near Fort Lee. He continued taking classes in the evenings while serving and raising five children with his wife, who is also from Côte d’Ivoire. New missions or new training sessions interrupted his studies. “It took me almost five years just to get an associate degree because I was constantly moving,” he says. Once he completed his associate degree, he started taking science classes at Virginia Commonwealth University and participated in the Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP), which allows active-duty soldiers to finish nursing school while retaining their rank, grade and military benefits.
Since then, he has continued to juggle his military and family responsibilities while completing his academic degrees. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Hampton University and a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management from Trident University. While in the military, he worked as a combat medic, surgical nurse and respiratory therapist for nearly 12 years, helping wounded soldiers. “Even though I’ve been in this country forever, I still have that French accent,” he says. “I’m Black. I never changed my name. I had to work twice as hard, discipline myself twice as hard, walk on eggshells to make sure I kept everything in line. I always look towards the end of the tunnel, not the journey in between. I have a goal that I want to achieve.”
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[From left]: Black Lodge's Damn Fine Cosmo, The Jungle Room's MillionDollar Mai Tai and shooters from Little Nickel
PHOTO BY ADAM EWING
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editor’s letter
F
or the past few months, I’ve been exploring the idea of life outside and the many ways in which we’ve responded to the heightened realization that our outdoor spaces, no matter the size, add great value to our overall quality of life. It reminded me of my parents’ decision to replace their back driveway and our backyard with a swimming pool. It was an unusual move at the time, but my dad loved to swim, and he was rarely able to make it to a public pool. The pool improved his quality of life — he loved a good nighttime swim — and ours. My sisters, our friends and I spent countless hours in and around that pool. The idea of viewing your outdoor living space as a room is not new — many landscape designers and gardeners have embraced the concept for years. Writer Taylor Peterson spoke with outdoor pros Jeff Cartwright, Greg Koehler and Mark McAuliffe about what they see trending in outdoor design for summer 2022 on Page 24. One of the most glamorous Mediterranean Revival homes in Richmond is tucked high in the Windsor Farms hills. The house, which looks like it belongs in Hollywood, was designed for seamless indoor/outdoor living in 1925. Paula Peters Chambers takes us on a tour of the newly reappointed mansion, beginning on Page 30. Mingling with the guests While looking through the many wonderful garden images submitted for this issue, it struck me that at Roshan each of them has a distinct personality, whether they feature a porch, a patio, rambling woods, a pool area Quarterman’s garden party or a formal garden. Kim Catley presents a peek at six great private gardens designed or restored by six local landscape designers beginning on Page 40. For additional inspiration to take your summer entertaining up a notch, we share insight into the Persian culture of hospitality, recipes and a mehmooni (party) in a country garden, beginning on Page 46; a classic parterre garden in the West End, on Page 26; a curated collection of unique outdoor furniture in The Goods, on Page 17; and a fabulous infinity pool overlooking the James River, on Page 64.
HAPPY READING!
Susan W. Morgan Find us at R•Home magazine on Facebook and @rhomemag on Instagram.
CHECK OUT R•HOME ON CBS 6 DURING ‘VIRGINIA THIS MORNING’! Tune in for our home and garden tips on the following Wednesdays: July 6, July 20, Aug. 3, Aug. 17
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ONLINE, ALL THE TIME
Find beautiful photos of local homes, expert design tips and advice, and much more at rhomemag.com.
From top: Kate Thompson; Quarterman Photography
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events
Home and Garden Events Explore historic neighborhoods, galleries and museum exhibitions By Valerie D. Parker
the To u r o r 's n r e v Go c e in P a la s b u r g am W il li
July 30 Plant It Now! Fall Vegetable Gardening Horticulturist Michelle Chatham describes how to plan a fall garden, which plants work best, organic gardening and growing vegetables year-round. Masks are strongly encouraged. Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon. $33 members, $39 nonmembers. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. lewisginter.org.
Summer Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg Housed together are the
July–August Palace Exploration Tour Explore the Governor's Palace at your own pace and directed by your own interests. Staff is available to answer any questions as you wander through the residence of seven royal governors. Open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $46.99 adults, $25.99 children ages 6 to 12. Colonial Williamsburg, 101 Visitor Center Drive, Williamsburg. colonialwilliamsburg.org
July 9 Murals of Jackson Ward Walking Tour Visit murals, revitalized buildings and historic homes of the “Harlem of the South” that tell the history of Jackson Ward. Saturday, 10-11:30 a.m. $20 adults, $10 Valentine members, free admission for children under 18. Meet at 325 N. Second St. thevalentine.org
Through July 10 “Folk Art Treasures of India” exhibit at the Gumenick Family Gallery” Artist Pallavi Sadekar’s paintings portray the ethnicity and traditions of India’s native people in an attempt to keep dwindling folk-art forms alive for future generations. Free. The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Road, Glen Allen. artsglenallen.com
Through July 10 “Stitching Around” exhibit at The Glass Door Gallery This collection of fiber art by Kalia L.H. Calhoun represents her exploration of both
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spherical and flat fiber surfaces that include crochet, beaded and embroidery techniques. Free. The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Road, Glen Allen. artsglenallen.com
July 17 Origin Stories: Court End Walking Tour Explore one of Richmond’s oldest neighborhoods, Court End, home to The Valentine. Discover stories of surviving architectural gems. Saturday, 2-3:30 p.m. $20 adult, $10 Valentine members, free admission for children under 18. Meet at The Valentine, 1015 E. Clay St. thevalentine.org
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum. Several ticket options for multiple Colonial Williamsburg tours and performances include single-day tickets, $46.99 adults, $25.99 children ages 6 to 12; and art museum single-day tickets, $14.99 adults, $8.99 children ages 6 to 12. Art museum hours: Daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Colonial Williamsburg, 101 Visitor Center Drive, Williamsburg. colonialwilliamsburg.org
Summer Hollywood Cemetery Tour Tour Hollywood Cemetery, one of the most visited cemeteries in the country, second to Arlington National Cemetery. Local and national notables are buried amid a stunning landscape. Free. Hollywood Cemetery, 412 S. Cherry St. hollywoodcemetery.org
Explore Hollywood Cemetery, designed by architect John Notman of Philadelphia in 1847. The 135-acre garden cemetery is also a registered arboretum.
From left: courtesy Colonial Williamsburg; courtesy Richmond Region Tourism
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The privacy of this pool and patio designed by Jeff Cartwright is l enhanced by natura plantings and trees.
R•Home: What can homeowners do to extend their outdoor season?
Koehler: Good light-
ing will always extend your outdoor season. In the winter, heaters are one of the fastestgrowing trends. Allseason porches are also becoming a thing.
it, but they make chillers for pools as well as heaters. When it’s super hot, you can chill the pool to bring the temperature down and make it more enjoyable.
Greg Koehler, outdoordreams.com
McAuliffe: We’ve seen
R•Home: How can homeowners remain connected to nature through their outdoor design?
Koehler: You want to
dwell on memories and use it as an opportunity to put some nice trees they might have seen somewhere on a vacation or lilac shrubs from their grandmother’s house.
a lot of outdoor chimneys and fireplaces. As far as getting some sort of roof, we’ve definitely seen that in pergolas.
Cartwright: A lot of
people don't think about
have some integrated landscaping — not just landscaping around the border, but landscaping that kind of intertwines the space. If you use native plants in your landscaping, you're going to naturally employ wildlife.
McAuliffe: For vegetable gardening, people definitely took a greater interest in creating spaces where they can produce from their garden. Cartwright: Nostalgia
kind of comes in. They’ll
Koehler, the According to Greg clients outdoor kitchens his l equipped request are very wel , — with grills, smokers rs, beer griddles, refrigerato re. taps and mo
Courtesy Outdoor Dreams
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MANTEL: A glass sculpture by Richmond glass artist Kiara Pelissier climbs the wall over the mantelpiece.
feel like home. She began with the upstairs bedrooms, the family room and the mudroom, essential for a household with school-age children and two dogs. As the family settled in, Moncol and Glotzl advanced through the house over the next two years, changing paint, wallpaper and window treatments to suit their tastes, while finding the right furniture and decor to create an atmosphere both glamorous and welcoming. The same approach was taken with
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ART ROOM: May and Siddalee’s art room retains the original wallpaper and carpeting, which Robin loved for its quirkiness.
PORTRAITS: Britt Van Deusen's portraits of May and Siddalee informed the bright color palette in the foyer.
the outdoor spaces, where the echoes of the original Gillette garden are found in a sunken brick gathering place, now referred to as the “Cigar-den” by Larry Moncol and friends who gather around a fire pit there, stogies in hand. The Moncols added a pergola-topped dining area and had a replica striped awning made for the pool-adjacent patio, creating another gathering spot. The point, Moncol says, is to enjoy everything the house and property have to
PINK ROOM: Robin Moncol says she kept this little parlor pink, because it's "kitschy and fun," then leaned in by adding "funky" pink chairs.
offer. “I needed the house to feel fun, with nothing off-limits,” she says. “We have a perfect flow of how the rooms go together but have their own unique character. All the spaces are relaxed, but they are special and full of love and fun. “Each space feels like an adventure, like you’re going on vacation,” she adds. “It’s easy to live here, and I don’t take any of it for granted. This house feels like an invitation to a party. We intend to enjoy it.”
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