Valentine’s day dance benefits Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project

James Galloway Contributing Writer

The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project held their first-ever fundraising event of its kind Tuesday with “FREAK LOVE,” a dance party featuring several DJs in Balliceaux’s dance hall on Lombardy Street.

Angelica De Jesus, a pre-med senior at VCU and one of five organizers of the event, said last year the project raised $19,000 for low-income women in need and, expecting more than a hundred people in attendance, hoped to see the dance raise a considerable amount of money.

“We wanted people to come out and have fun on Valentine’s Day,” said Janissa Hamilton, who helped organize the fundraiser. “We felt like it was an appropriate holiday for people to help each other.” eyed couples young and old gently revolved together around a cluster of glimmering disco balls.

Hamilton said women who need money for abortions, transportation to clinics or other assistance relating to reproductive health usually go directly to their website seeking assistance.

Hamilton said some states provide help to low-income women who need abortions, but more states do not provide help.

Fagan and Kirby were seen, during Houston’s final strains (“Didn’t we almost have it all / the night we held on till the morning / you know you’ll never love that way again”), to reduce the distance between them from four feet to about two feet.

But as suddenly as the moment had arrived, it was gone. The DJ reinstated All-Ages Skate and Kirby was “sideswiped” by what she would later describe as “an 8-year-old.”

A twinge of regret, as the music returned to Boyz II Men, was palpable. The moment was over.

“Please do not carry children while on skates,” boomed the formless voice of the DJ, echoing in the rafters.

THE LOVEMOBILE PT. III / L’ADIEu

At the persistent encouragement of CT chaperones, Fagan and Kirby would rack up 18 total revolutions at Henrico Roller Dome before the night of their young lives began to draw to a close.

“I have a bedtime, yo,” Kirby said.

A hushed 20-minute journey back to the heart of Richmond followed, subdued either by the heady afterglow of a beautiful evening or, perhaps, motion sickness. Outside Fagan’s apartment, the Lovemobile pulled to a final stop; its engine hummed softly, its rear door swung ajar.

“Welp,” Kirby said. “It’s nice to be back where it doesn’t smell like fear.”

“Yeah,” Fagan said. “It was fun.”

“Thanks for being such a good sport,” Kirby said.

“Yeah,” Fagan said. “Thanks for … the great meal.”

“Yeah,” Kirby said. “I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you around. Bye,” Fagan said.

“Oh, it’s locked. Ah, okay. Bye,” he added. CT

“A lot of states do provide that, but there are about 32 states that don’t,” she said, “and Virginia is one of them.”

The project’s main source of donations, she said, are random donations of about $25 at a time.

De Jesus said the organization is able to provide about $1,000 per month to women without access to transportation or the means to pay for visits to a clinic. Hamilton said their monthly payout is normally dispersed between up to 10 to 12 people.

“It’s a lot of different people,” she added.

“It’s a smaller organization than (the

National Abortion Federation),” said Rose Gamble, who works at a women’s health clinic and helped organize the fundraiser. She said sometimes RRFP will refer people to NAF who can not afford women’s health services.

Hamilton stipulated that because RRFP is local, they are able to provide more specialized services to women such as transportation.

“Just getting women to and from the clinics can be a big deal,” she said. CT

For help, or to donate, visit the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project’s website at rrfp.net.