Richmond Free Press March 7-9, 2024 edition

By George Copeland Jr.

For Edwina Richmond, Richmond Community Hospital has been a critical part of her life for years.

A retired college professor currently living in Henrico County — but with deep family ties to the city and its education — she was born 76 years ago at the hospital, which opened in 1932 to provide service for African-Americans unable to get care

The Associated Press WASHINGTON President Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, romped through more than a dozen states on Super Tuesday, all but cementing a November rematch and pushing the former president’s last major rival, Nikki Haley, out of the Republican race. Their victories from coast to coast, including the delegate-rich states of California and Texas, left little doubt about the trajectory of the race. Ms. Haley won Vermont, denying Mr. Trump a full sweep, but the former president carried other states that might have been favorable to her such as Virginia, Massachusetts and Maine, which have large

at whites-only hospitals.

Ms. Richmond remembered getting her tonsils removed at the hospital and recalled the integral role it played in the neighbor-

hood and the community’s welfare as she grew up before it moved to the city’s East End in 1980.

Ms. Richmond believes the hospital

is a landmark that should stand proud in Richmond forever, a testament to the work and sacrifice of those who built it and the benefits it provided people like her.

“It’s in our family and it’s

swaths of moderate voters like those who have backed her in previous primaries.

Hours after the last polls closed in Alaska, Ms. Haley scheduled a 10 a.m. speech in her home state of South Carolina to announce she was suspending her campaign. Three people with direct knowledge who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly confirmed Ms. Haley’s decision ahead of her announcement.

Related story on A2

The only contest President Biden lost Tuesday was the Democratic caucus in American Samoa, a tiny U.S. territory in the South Pacific Ocean. President

Biden was defeated by previously unknown candidate Jason Palmer, 51 votes to 40.

Not enough states will have voted until later this month for Mr. Trump or President Biden to formally become their parties’ presumptive nominees. But the primary’s biggest day made their rematch a near certainty. Both the 81-year-old President Biden and the 77-year-old Mr. Trump continue to dominate their parties despite facing questions about age and neither having broad popularity across the general electorate.

Ms. Haley watched the election results in private. Her campaign said in a statement that the results reflected there were

Va. lawmakers again decline to put restrictions on personal use of campaign accounts

By Sarah Rankin

“So

Mark D. Sickles said he “reluctantly” motioned to carry the bill over to next year. Lawmakers have routinely characterized the issue as something they want to tackle while deferring action on it. Gov. Youngkin has not weighed in publicly on the issue, with his office saying only

Absent devices bring on boredom, missed buses, and language barrier, say students

By Darlene M. Johnson

Meeting for the first time since the Huguenot High School graduation shooting trial ended last week, the Richmond School Board failed to discuss the trial, which resulted in Amari Pollard, 20, accepting a plea deal.

Mr. Pollard pleaded guilty to one charge of first degree murder and one charge of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the death of Shawn Jackson shortly after the Huguenot High School student accepted his diploma at the Altria Theater in June 2023. Mr. Pollard was sentenced to 43 years with 18 years suspended.

Instead, the board discussed a Care and Safety update that includes a cell phone pouch pilot program designed to reduce cell phone usage in RPS by locking students’ phones in so-called Yondr pouches each morning. Six schools volunteered to participate in the pilot, including Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Huguenot High School and John Marshall High School.

Early observations suggest that teachers and staff are reacting positively to the implementation.

In a staff survey with 232 responses, 58.6% of staff believe the program is successful, while 41.4% of staff believe the program

Shawn Jackson’s mother calls for community unity

By

Darlene M. Johnson

On Thursday, Feb. 29, day four of the Huguenot graduation shooting trial, Amari Pollard, 20, accepted a plea deal. Mr. Pollard pleaded guilty to one charge of first degree murder and one charge of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the death of Huguenot graduate Shawn Jackson. Mr. Pollard was not charged for the murder of Renzo Smith, Mr. Jackson’s stepfather, who was also killed during the shooting chaos. Mr. Pollard was sentenced to 43 years with 18 years suspended. After 25 years, Mr. Pollard will be eligible for release.

“This guilty plea is a step toward healing for Huguenot High School, Richmond Public Schools and the City of Richmond,” Mayor Levar M. Stoney said in a statement.

School Board member Jonathan Young, 4th District representative, echoed similar sentiments.

“An excruciating eight months for everyone at Huguenot finally has some resolution, even if still too many answers (are)

Ms.

Delegate Scott

Delegate

Former employee files lawsuit against City of Richmond

The City of Richmond’s former FOIA officer has filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the city alleging she was fired in retaliation for refusing to violate state law, according to various news reports.

The suit, filed by Connie Clay, alleges that city officials attempted to withhold information that should be public by delaying or ignoring requests, and sometimes quoting exorbitant fees to deter the requester.

It was part of an effort to keep public information secret and in violation of state law, per the lawsuit, said Ms. Clay, who reportedly was fired from her post as the city’s Freedom of Information Act officer and public information manager on Jan. 19 after six months in the role.

Ms. Clay alleges in the lawsuit that when she began the job, she was instructed to delay responses on all FOIA requests until the fifth day and then invoke the sevenday extension, regardless of whether more time was needed to respond or not.

She said she found multiple requests were months overdue, including one for the city’s casino proposals, that she was instructed not to respond to despite her finding no legal grounds to withhold the documents.

Ms. Clay outlined two instances in her brief term in which the City was sued over its failure to respond to FOIAs in a timely manner and only responded once a lawsuit was filed, Axios news reports. Ms. Clay alleged she was instructed to delete relevant and public information from records before turning them over to a reporter.

Plus, she cited one occurrence of FOIA-related records being deleted from her email and instances of the city’s FOIA email address simply not working.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act protects the public’s right to access many government records. Journalists, interest groups and others frequently use it to hold officials accountable for taxpayers’ dollars.

Public bodies have to comply with those requests within five business days or, if that’s not possible, ask for a seven-day extension. The government can charge “reasonable costs” to respond to a request.

“The city believes the claims are baseless and intends to defend the lawsuit in court,” Richmond City Attorney Laura Drewry said in a statement.

50 years after Va.’s first heart transplant, legislature honors Black donor who never gave consent

By Taya Coates Capital News Service

The first human-to-human heart transplant in the South occurred without donor consent from the injured Black man nor his family to help a white businessman live.

Doctors in 1968 determined Bruce Tucker would not survive a severe head injury.

The medical team led by Dr. Richard Lower and Dr. David Hume of the Medical College of Virginia did not consult Mr. Tucker’s family before the heart transplant, according to Senate Joint Resolution 16. The heart was not the only organ removed without consent.

The state legislature, 56 years later, was called on to address multiple instances of unethical use of Black bodies by medical institutions in Virginia.

The resolution unanimously passed the Senate and House. Virginia State Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-38th District, filed the resolution last year, but the Republican-led House Rules Committee never advanced it.

The resolution “was not given a true hearing in the House of Delegates last year,” Sen. Boysko said. “The people who are leading today have a different perspective and a commitment to trying to make Virginia an equitable and safe place for everyone.”

Gayle Turner, a family representative of the Tucker family, described her sec-

ond cousin as a “hidden figure in medical science.”

“He worked at the same place for more than 20 years … and he had filed for civil service in World War II,” Ms. Turner said. “He was willing to fight for his country and he loved his country and family.”

Mr. Tucker’s brother, William Tucker, filed a lawsuit against the surgeons in 1968. The case ended in 1972 with a ruling in favor of the doctors, according to court documents.

Phillip Thompson, former Loudoun County NAACP president, was “astounded” by Mr. Tucker’s story and brought the issue to Sen. Boysko last year, he said to Senate committee members.

The Tucker family expressed appreciation to Sen. Boysko and Mr. Thompson.

“We are pleased that Virginia is poised to recognize, realize and apologize for past wrongs to assure they never happen again,” the Tucker family stated in an email. “We pray that the full House affirms this resolution.”

“The Organ Thieves: The True Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South” by journalist Chip Jones, details the events and larger systemic issues that were at play in Mr. Tucker’s case.

“Without ‘The Organ Thieves’ and

without asking for the apology, I’m not sure if VCU would have apologized, because the way they apologized was so shallow and hollow,” Ms. Turner said.

VCU released a public apology statement in September 2022 and sent a letter to the Tucker family in September 2023.

The university selected “The Organ Thieves” as its Common Book in 2022. The book was required reading for all first-year students and was discussed at events open to the community.

Mr. Jones discovered the story while working at the Richmond Academy of Medicine, the state’s oldest and largest medical society. He was informed of plans for an event in 2018 to honor the 50th anniversary of the state’s first human heart transplant.

“As a former reporter, my antenna kind of went up,” Mr. Jones said.

The most important aspect of his work was the possibility of closure for Mr. Tucker’s family, according to Mr. Jones.

“Bruce was a good man, a good person,” Ms. Turner said. “He deserved better.”

The Tucker family hopes the legislation will motivate VCU to lead by example on the nationwide issue of providing justice for the medical misuse of Black bodies.

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

Trump leans in on immigration, crime during campaign stop in Richmond

By Charlie Paulen

The Virginia Mercury

Former President Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Richmond on Saturday ahead of Super Tuesday, a day of primary voting that is expected to seal his bid to be the Republican nominee for president in November.

“With your help, we will win big on Super Tuesday,” Mr. Trump told the crowd of a few thousand at the Richmond Convention Center. “This November, Virginia is going to tell crooked Joe Biden, you’re fired, you’re fired, get out of here, get out of the White House.”

Calling himself a “political dissident” Saturday evening, Mr. Trump’s speech in Richmond largely focused on immigration and crime. He specifically cited the recent death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old University of Georgia nursing student whom authorities say was beaten to death by a Venezuelan migrant, and the shooting death of a 2-year-old in Montgomery County, Md. Law enforcement has arrested five suspects in the latter case, one of whom is a Salvador national who was slated for deportation

last year but was later released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We now have a new category of crime, you know what it’s called? It’s called migrant crime. And this category is turning out to be worse than any crime we’ve ever had in

Children

Those

our country,” Mr. Trump said. “I was going to call it Biden migrant crime. But if you do that it’s too long. It doesn’t work.”

Mr. Trump pledged that if elected, he would “terminate every open border policy of the Biden administration” on his first day in office.

“We will begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” he said. “We have no choice. This is not sustainable by any country.”

Immigration, he warned the audience, was also affecting schools: “In New York, they have pupils from foreign countries, from countries where they don’t even know what the language is. We have nobody that even teaches it,” Mr. Trump said. “These are languages that nobody ever heard of. They’re sitting in the school chairs of people, of kids, that were there,

and those kids aren’t able to go to school any longer. There’s no place they can go. They’re taking the school, and they don’t speak a word of English.”

Richmond resident Joe Wilson, 27, who said he attended the rally not to support Trump but to witness the movement behind him, said “it’s kind of fascinating the amount of pandemonium he can cause. I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

To read this entire article, please visit https://bit.ly/3P9QcDc

Courtesy of Bon Secours

Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Richmond on March 2 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center ahead of Virginia’s presidential primary, taking his aim at the November election and President Biden. The rally marked Trump’s second stop after speaking in North Carolina earlier in the day. The former president vowed to “make a big play for Virginia” come November.

Photos by Brian Palmer/Richmond Free Press

Ms. Clay

Mr. Tucker

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From international airports to your local diner, today and years into the future, Dominion Energy is proud to provide the energy that keeps Virginia going.

Community shows up for former hospital

Continued from A1

rally calling for the hospital’s preservation. Virginia Union University plans to destroy it as part of a new housing project.

The rally, organized by Viola Baskerville and other Richmond residents, saw about 75 people gather on the front lawn of the former hospital, which sits on Overbrook Road, to advocate for its importance through testimony and oral history.

While time and neglect have marred the hospital’s exterior, with spots of mold on brown brick walls and its stone front steps cracked and broken, attendees brought welcome kinship and warmth to the site as they discussed the building’s past and its potential future.

“We are the community of conscience,” said Ms. Baskerville, who stressed that a compromise could and should be found in VUU’s project for the site.

“We are slowly gathering information, gathering people who are interested in this building, making sure that it is not demolished but that there is a path forward with rehabilitation and adaptive reuse,” she said.

The rally was the latest community response to VUU’s plans, announced in early February, to demolish the hospital as part of a $42 million project created in partnership with the New Yorkbased Steinbridge Group to build up to 200 general-use housing units across 2 acres on the north side of the college’s campus.

Concern and criticisms raised about the project have led some local officials and organizations to also voice their opposition to the hospital’s demolition and offer alternativesolutions, including the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia and the Richmond Crusade for Voters.

Rally attendees, including concerned residents, community advocates, local political figures and experts in the historical, cultural and medical importance of the hospital, were more than eager to explain why the building should stay.

Their stories were recorded by freelance videographers. Those present were encouraged to provide donations to support the organizers’ efforts and to come forward with ideas for how the building could be used in the future.

“Richmond Community Hospital left you with the feeling that you belong and that you were loved because you were well-cared for,” said VUU alumna Mary DePillars, who served on the Richmond Community Hospital Foundation’s board. “It’s incumbent on all of us to stand up and speak up.”

Some speakers, such as Ms. Baskerville and Richmond School Board member Kenya Gibson, questioned the lack of care for the hospital and other Black community touchstones in the city while other Richmond institutions and buildings faced little trouble getting attention and resources.

“We must build monuments that tell our shared history,” Ms. Gibson said. “A history that reaches across racial and economic barriers, a history that tells us that we have a right to live in our chosen communities.”

Many others, such as Ms. Richmond, Dr. Leonard Edloe, a theologian and retired pharmacist, Muriel Miller Branch, an author and former librarian, shared their long-standing connections to the building where they were born, received necessary medical care or developed in their own medical careers.

“I thank you all for the stories of how we put our pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters together to build this place,” said Dr. Edloe, who was born in the hospital, had two surgeries there and served as a physician and later member of its board when it moved.

“This place is historic and it’s sacred, so just keep on push-

Shawn Jackson’s mother calls for community unity

Continued from A1

unresolved,” Mr. Young stated in an email. “I pray for better days for Huguenot, everyone there certainly deserves it.”

Moving forward, Mr. Young stresses the need to “augment what merits a threat assessment team review, adopt a zero excuses approach to weapons and double enrollment opportunities in our alternative school.”

With something as “horrific” as the shooting, Kenya Gibson, 3rd District representative, does not believe any outcome will “ever feel like justice.”

“My hope (is) we all come together to stop anything like this from ever happening again,” Mrs. Gibson stated in an email. Board chair and 5th District representative Stephanie Rizzi did not respond to a request for comment.

Colette McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney and prosecutor in the case, also weighed in on Mr. Pollard’s sentencing.

Mrs. McEachin attributes the crime to multiple issues, including Mr. Pollard feeling threatened by social media posts and Instagram messages and videos. Mr. Pollard also was able to easily access and conceal a gun, ultimately exercising “lifechangingly bad judgment,” Mrs. McEachin stated in an email.

The sentence was fair for the crime committed, she stated. Because Mr. Pollard pleaded guilty, he waived the right to an appeal, Mrs. McEachin explained.

Tameeka Jackson-Smith, mother of Mr. Jackson and widow of Mr. Smith, played a crucial role in Mr. Pollard receiving a plea deal.

“(Mr. Pollard) received the plea deal only because I agreed to it,” Mrs. Jackson-Smith, 40, stated in an email. “I agreed to it because even through my pain, I see two families hurting.”

Mrs. Jackson-Smith believes justice was served for her son. She hopes the sentence will deter others from committing similar crimes in the future.

“This is a pain I don’t wish on no one,” Mrs. Jackson-Smith stated. “Sadly, it seems Richmond is seeing far too much crime and it takes a village to stop this, and work together.”

To prevent further shooting tragedies, Mrs. Jackson-Smith suggests that the community band together. She urges parents to “be in your children’s business” and talk to each other. More activities are also needed for the youths, she stated.

“When I was growing up, we had so much to do,” Mrs. Jackson-Smith stated. “We had PAL, we had summer programs, we played sports, we had recreational centers that had cooking classes, dance classes, etc., for free. Now, everything is a fee and so expensive, most kids are left to just run the streets. We need unity!”

ing,” he said.

Other attendees simply celebrated the sight of so many people assembling in defense of the hospital and its value to Richmond. Many there committed themselves to advocating for the building in whatever ways they could.

“It’s a blessing to see so many people that care about the community,” said Wilhelmina Nobles, a 96-year-old resident who attended the rally with her great-niece, Chantelle Taylor.

It’s unclear if VUU will change its plans to remove the hospital in the wake of the community pushback.

Cleve V. Tinsley IV, faculty director for VUU’s Center for African American History and Culture, attended the rally, which was approved by the college. He appeared to be inspired by the testimonies and is perhaps ready to help preserve that part of the hospital’s history.

“Hearing from local Richmonders has meant a lot for us,” Dr. Tinsley said. “We’re here to form partnerships with other community and cultural institutions and also partners interested in making sure these stories are told correctly.”

However, Dr. Tinsley also was clear that how the hospital itself would be handled was something that VUU’s executive and administrative leaders ultimately must address.

Rally-goers, for their part, were much more confident that ensuring a better future for the hospital was possible, and ultimately left in higher spirits.

“I’m so glad that people have shown concern about preserving history,” Ms. Richmond said. “This is just the beginning of the response to the community coming out to support the hospital, and we hope to see more and more people come out.”

City school board hears pros and cons about cell phone pilot program

Continued from A1

is unsuccessful. Of the 232 responses, 42.7% of staff believe the pouch program should continue, 21.1% believe it should not continue and 36.2% believe it should be continued with updated procedures.

Benefits of the pouches mentioned by staff include less classroom disruptions and more student engagement. Other benefits mentioned include improved grades, more socializing and less recorded fights.

Students have a different perspective of the pouches, however.

In just over 1,300 responses, 81.4% of students believe the program is unsuccessful, while 18.6% believe it is successful. Most students believe the program should be discontinued (83.5%), with the remaining students believing the program should continue with or without adjustments to the procedures.

The student survey also revealed that students are missing buses while trying to open the pouches at the end of the day, that they are bored during lunchtime without entertainment and that they cannot use Google Translate to navigate language barriers, among many other grievances mentioned.

Student representative Tianna Goins, a sophomore at Huguenot High School, said she and her peers dislike the pouches, saying they are “contradicting” and cause

anxiety among students who don’t have ready access to their cell phones, particularly amid a climate of ongoing school violence. There needs to be more respect for student property, Ms. Goins said.

Ms. Goins explained the ways students are showing their objection to the program: destroying the pouches, keeping calculators in the pouches and hiding phones where they cannot be found by staff. She said that students should be allowed to have their phones at the end of classes as opposed to at the end of the school day, and harsher punishments could be implemented for students who still break the rules.

Length of time to enter school buildings was a repeated concern throughout the meeting.

Ms. Goins noted the lengthy wait students have when arriving at school due to routine bag searches. Ms. Goins suggested mesh or clear bags to speed up the process.

When discussing metal detectors in schools, Shavonda Dixon, 9th District representative, mentioned the amount of time it takes for students to go through the detectors. Because bag searches are the most time consuming, Ms. Dixon suggested clear bags for students to decrease the amount of time it takes.

Mariah White, 2nd District representative, also advocated for the use of clear bags for students throughout the meeting.

The care and safety presentation suggested the use of metal detectors in elementary schools following a Feb. 20 incident at Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School when a student brought a loaded gun to school.

Ms. Dixon questioned what warranted going straight to metal detectors in elementary schools as an option and if this idea was “jumping the gun.” Data on the effects of metal detectors in elementary schools and other alternatives should be explored before implementing the detectors, Ms. Dixon said.

Dawn Page, 8th District representative, believes the decision to have metal detectors in elementary schools should not be “reactionary.” In agreement with Ms. Dixon, Mrs. Page “strongly supports” exploring other options before “we just jump in and make a decision that will have lasting effects on our young people.”

Cheryl Burke, 7th District representative, questioned how parents are being held accountable for the guns children bring to school.

Stephanie Rizzi, board chair and 5th District representative, suggested that more research should be done. Peer-reviewed research would help to see the effects of metal detectors in elementary schools and how they help, she said. She added that peer-reviewed research would show that the negatives outweigh the positives.

Va. lawmakers again decline to put restrictions on personal use of campaign accounts

Continued from A1

that he would review any legislation that reached his desk.

The defeated bill, sponsored by Sen. Boysko, would bar candidates from converting campaign contributions “to personal use,” defined as spending on a “commitment, obligation, or expense” that would “exist irrespective of the person’s seeking, holding, or maintaining public office.”

Currently lawmakers are only barred from converting campaign funds to personal use once they close out their accounts. A

2016 Associated Press review of the state’s campaign finance system found some

lawmakers frequently using campaign accounts to pay for pricey meals and hotels as well as personal expenses. The bill includes a list of prohibited expenses such as mortgages, rent, clothing, non-campaign vehicles, country club memberships or vacations. Allowable expenses include child care costs incurred as a direct result of running for or holding public office.

Under the measure, the State Board of Elections would investigate complaints and in some circumstances have the option to assess a civil penalty. In a previous hearing, Republican Delegate Paul Milde, a newly elected

House member, said it was “beyond” him why the bill was in trouble.

“The only rationale I could see for some of us resisting this after 10 years is because they ... want to have the flexibility to buy things that really aren’t campaign-related things. And I just can’t believe we can’t get together on this,” he said.

Sen. Boysko, whose bill cleared the Senate by a 35 to 4 vote, was not immediately available for comment.

The legislation’s defeat comes as lawmakers have been advancing two pathways to commissioning reviews of their compensation and whether it should be increased.

Biden and Trump dominate Super Tuesday races, move closer to a November rematch

Continued from A1

many Republicans “who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump.”

“Unity is not achieved by simply claiming ‘we’re united,’” spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said.

“They call it Super Tuesday for a reason,” Mr. Trump told a raucous crowd at a victory party. He went on to attack Biden over the U.S.-Mexico border and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. After beginning the night with victories in Virginia and North Carolina, he wrapped Super Tuesday by winning contests in Alaska and Utah.

Mr. Biden didn’t give a speech but instead issued a statement warning that Tuesday’s results had left Americans with a clear choice and touting his own accomplishments after beating Mr. Trump.

“If Donald Trump returns to the White House, all of this progress is at risk,” President Biden said. “He is driven by grievance and grift, focused on his own revenge and retribution, not the American people.”

While much of the focus was on the

presidential race, there also were important down-ballot contests. The governor’s race took shape in North Carolina, where Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein will face off in a state that both parties are fiercely contesting ahead of November. In California, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey, a former Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player, advanced to the general election race to fill the Senate seat long held by the late Dianne Feinstein. Despite President Biden’s and Mr. Trump’s domination of their parties, polls make it clear that the broader electorate does not want this year’s general election to be identical to the 2020 race. A new APNORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds a majority of Americans don’t think either President Biden or Trump has

the necessary mental acuity for the job.

“Both of them failed, in my opinion, to unify this country,” said Brian Hadley, 66, of Raleigh, N.C.

The final days before Tuesday demonstrated the unique nature of this year’s campaign. Rather than barnstorming the states holding primaries, President Biden and Mr. Trump held rival events last week along the U.S.-Mexico border, each seeking to gain an advantage in the increasingly fraught immigration debate.

After the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 on Monday to restore Mr. Trump to primary ballots following attempts to ban him for his role in helping spark the U.S. Capitol riot, Mr. Trump pointed to the 91 criminal counts against him to accuse Biden of weaponizing the courts.

“Fight your fight yourself,” Mr. Trump said. “Don’t use prosecutors and judges to go after your opponent.”

President Biden delivers the State of the Union address Thursday, then will campaign in the key swing states of Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Mr. Jackson

Mr. Pollard

Ms. Haley

Mary DePillars

Dr. Leonard Edloe

Jackson Ward’s restaurant scene helps spur

city’s business growth

By Jennifer Robinson

Richmond has long been a hub for black capitalism — especially in Jackson Ward, once referred to as the Harlem of the South. According to a recent report from Yelp, the online publisher of crowd-sourced business reviews, black business openings in Richmond grew 66% in 2023. Yelp also found that black business openings in Richmond outpace the national black business opening rate of 24% and the national average of 20%.

Further establishing Richmond as a stronghold for black businesses, money management company NerdWallet ranks Richmond in the top 10 U.S. cities for black businesses to

Experience (RBRE), an organization dedicated to the support of Richmond’s black culinary scene to counter the economic disparity in the minority-owned business community.

Ms. Bowen sees black entrepreneurship as an opportunity for reclamation and relevance. Her organization encourages Richmond residents and tourists to get a “taste” of the diverse culinary traditions and rich stories of the African Diaspora by dining at restaurants within RBRE’s local network.

join the lineup of Black-owned businesses in this historic neighborhood, past and present, makes me feel like a part of history. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue the work of my ancestors in this great community,” said owner Brandi Battle.

The high rates of black entrepreneurship in Richmond are no surprise to organizations such as the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Jackson Ward Foundation, BLK RVA, and the Metropolitan Business League, which provide resources to black business owners in Richmond.

thrive. The company attributes Richmond’s healthy economy and the many established black businesses as success factors. However, black-owned restauranteurs cite pride in Jackson Ward’s history and legacy of black entrepreneurship as a driving force.

“Jackson Ward is attractive to black business owners because of its historical significance as a center of African American culture,” says Shemicia Bowen, managing partner and co-founder of Richmond Black Restaurant

“Black entrepreneurship is imperative to the economics of the region. It fills our soul with hope and promise. The Jackson Ward community has a sense of pride and empowerment for sustainable businesses in their neighborhood,” Ms. Bowen adds.

A newcomer to the Jackson Ward restaurant scene is The Hive Market and The Hive Bar and Grill, which opened in February in the former and wellknown Saison restaurant space. The Hive serves entrees such as Thai-barbecue lamb chops and Peruvian half chicken, along with signature cocktails such as The Bee’s Sting, made with Jack Daniels, ginger ale, spicy agave, and local honey.

“I am so honored to open a business in Jackson Ward. To

Tameka Jefferson, Richmond Region Tourism Community Relations Manager and BLK RVA Lead, advises black business owners to be intentional about connecting with these organizations to expand their networks. She stresses that entrepreneurial success means tapping into these organizations for access to networking, education, promotion and capital.

“These businesses are an integral part of our history, present, and future, and make our region an exciting place to live and visit,” Ms. Jefferson said. “There’s a strong sense of community and an even more robust network here.”

That strong sense of community is why Curry’s Caribbean Restaurant and Bar opened in Jackson Ward. Shane Roberts-Thomas, the owner of Southern Kitchen, offered unused restaurant space she had acquired to Curry’s owner Sylvia Coppin-Smith. That was just the encouragement Ms. Coppin-Smith needed to leap into entrepreneurship. Ms. Roberts-Thomas also helped her navigate other complexities of opening a restaurant.

“I’m intrigued with the history of Jackson Ward,” said Ms. Coppin-Smith, who became a Richmond resident less than

20 years ago. “It was such a good offer for the space that my husband and I decided we had to take the risk. I’m glad we did it.”

Curry’s serves what Ms. Coppin-Smith describes as a Southern Caribbean fusion of Trinidadian, Guyanese, and Jamaican food like curry, roti, bake n’ saltfish, fried plantain, and jerk chicken. She says that without encouragement from Ms. Roberts-Thomas, she wouldn’t have even considered opening a restaurant.

For Brandon Jackson, owner and executive chef of Cheddar Jackson, the decision to open his cafe in Jackson Ward during the pandemic was more about the physical space he needed than Jackson Ward’s black entrepreneurship legacy. He recognized that food is entertainment in Richmond and sought a particular aesthetic for his cafe to solidify the cafe’s brand.

However, his family taught him about his Jackson Ward

roots and “Chitlin’ Circuit” stars such as Billie Holiday, B.B. King, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, and James Brown when choosing the site for Cheddar Jackson.

“I learned that my greatgrandfather had a taxi service in Jackson Ward. He drove the Chitlin’ Circuit stars from the bus station to the former Eggelston Hotel, the Hippodrome Theater for their performances, and the various black-owned restaurants in Jackson Ward during segregation,” he says.

“I grew up in North Side, so I didn’t know much about Jackson Ward or my family’s history here.”

Mr. Jackson describes his restaurant as a low-volume shop focused on quality rather than quantity. Cheddar Jackson’s menu consists of soups and sandwiches such as the “Smoked Robinson” described as a “quiet storm” of country ham and smoked gouda— perhaps a nod to his greatgrandfather and the Chitlin’

Circuit. His deep-dish pastries are currently some of the most popular menu items, and he plans to introduce savory puff pastries soon.

New restaurants continue to open in and around Jackson Ward. Its proximity to Downtown Richmond and the convention center provides the restaurant scene visitors and tourists seek. The Lindsey Group, owners of Lillie Pearl, ML Steak, Buttermilk and Honey, and several other restaurants around the city, soon will host a ribbon-cutting near Jackson Ward for its new venture. Described as a social restaurant and lounge, The Foundation will serve small plates and craft cocktails with live entertainment.

To support local blackowned restaurants, RBRE offers an annual weeklong culinary journey to celebrate African-American heritage, culture, and flavors. This year’s events will be March 10 through March 17.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Brandi Battle recently opened her restaurant, The Hive, at left, at the corner of Marshall and Adams streets in Jackson Ward.

H“There’s

was discounted right here in this room.

I see those people. I think about all of the people who never got their rights heard by people sitting in these seats centuries ago.”

In addition to Speaker Scott’s ascension, Democrats claimed full control of the statehouse after they flipped the House of Delegates in last year’s elections. When the current session of the legislature convened in January, a record 24 Black members assumed seats in the House — 23 Democrats and one Republican.

Several come from the Richmond area, including veteran Delegate Delores L. McQuinn and four newcomers, Rae C. Cousins and Michael J. Jones of Richmond, Debra D. Gardner of Chesterfield and Destiny Levere Bolling of Henrico.

In Hampton Roads, Democrat Michael B. Feggans upset Republican incumbent Karen S. Greenhalgh to win the 97th House District seat, while Democrat Nadarus E. Clark defeated Republican Michael Dillender to win the 84th House District seat.

In the Fredericksburg area, Democrat Joshua G. Cole defeated Republican Lee Peters to win the 65th House District seat.

In addition, a record eight Black senators were seated in the 40-member chamber — seven Democrats and one Republican.

The Republican is J.D. “Danny” Diggs, the former sheriff of York County and Poquoson, who represents the 24th Senate District, which includes Williamsburg, Newport News and York County.

On the Democratic side, Sens. Lamont Bagby of Richmond, Mamie E. Locke of Hampton, L. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth and Aaron R. Rouse of Virginia Beach were joined by newcomers Lashrecse Aird of Petersburg, Angelia Williams Graves of Norfolk and Jennifer D. Carroll Foy of Prince William County.

The Black members of the House of Delegates include Republican A.C. Cordoza, 86th District and the following Democrats: Adele McClure, 2nd District; Charniele Herring, 9th District; Karen A. Keys-Gamarra, 7th District; Rozia A. “J.R.” Henson Jr., 19th District; MichelleAnn Maldonado, 20th District; Candi P.M. King, 23rd District; Luke E. Torian, 24th District; Briana D. Sewell, 25th District; Katrina E. Callsen, 54th District and Joshua G. Cole, 65th District. Also, Debra D. Gardner, 76th District; Michael J. Jones, 77th District; Rae C. Cousins, 79th District; Destiny Levere Bolling, 80th District; Delores L. McQuinn, 81st District; Nadarius E. Clark, 84th District; Marcia “Cia” Price, 85th District; Jeion A. Ward, 87th District; Don L. Scott Jr., 88th District; C.E. “Cliff” Hayes Jr., 91st District; Bonita

The

Coming home

A hipper, more vibrant Richmond is sweet surprise for former New Yorker

By Jennifer Robinson

Byrd Park was the place to be on warm Sunday afternoons in the 1980s. I was in high school and all of young, black Richmond gathered there. Picture the scene from Will Smith’s 1991 hit, “Summertime.”

“Everybody came lookin’ real fine. Fresh from the barber shop or fly from the beauty salon.”

It was a big, old-school outdoor party. Muscle cars, two-tone Firebird Trans Ams, and Camaros lined the lake with car doors and trunks flung open in a contest to see who had the baddest sound system.

Songs by R&B groups such as Zapp & Roger, The S.O.S. Band, and The Gap Band filled the park until dusk. Kids from then Jefferson-HuguenotWythe and Marshall-Walker high schools were always there. With feelings of isolation at my predominately white high school in Henrico County, I never wanted to miss Byrd Park on Sundays. My school was just over 10 years into desegregation then, and I found it difficult to thrive.

Although Brown v. Board of Education was decided in 1954, many school systems in the Richmond area remained segregated long after. During the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, state and local legislative bodies passed Massive Resistance laws, which cut state funding to schools that attempted to desegregate. It wasn’t until 1970 that public schools were finally desegregated through court-ordered busing.

Some of my teachers must have been stragglers from the segregation era because the racism was so blatant at Hermitage High School. I recall leaving one teacher’s American history class thinking the South had won the Civil War, conflicting with the reality that the Union won. I endured three years of being ignored in my homeroom teacher’s class, where I was the only Black student. I’m not sure what angered me more, the blatant racism or how normalized it was. I just wanted out. I couldn’t wait to get away from the prickly tinge of racism, and I never wanted to return. I left after my high school graduation and never looked back.

In the decades I’ve been away from Richmond, I traveled and lived in three major U.S. cities. I’ve finally returned home to Richmond, much to the surprise of friends and family. Quite frankly, it surprised me, too. I’d been in New York the past 25 years—the longest I’ve lived in any place. But it was time to come home. The lower cost of living, slower pace, an aging parent, and preparing for retirement were all a

part of my decision to leave the conveniences of a big city behind. Despite its racist past, Richmond is my home. I’m bursting with pride that my hometown, the Capital of the Confederacy, has removed the massive structures along Monument Avenue that paid homage to Confederates. Nothing can replace the memories of shopping at Thalhimer’s or Miller & Rhoads in Downtown, where Santaland completely enchanted me as a child. I’ll never forget seeing the Jackson 5 in concert or the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the nowdefunct Richmond Coliseum. However, I see Richmond changing and experiencing population growth, attracting new residents and tourism. I also see a diversity I’ve never seen here. Where I once heard the distinct Richmond-style Southern accent, I now hear an undetectable manner of speaking from store clerks and neighbors, signaling Richmond is no longer a city of locals. Sadly, it doesn’t quite strike the familiarity of my hometown, but I suppose that comes with change.

My first Uber driver since returning was a Dominican

guy with a Spanish accent and Bachata music blaring from his car speakers. I felt like I was back in New York! Since then, I’ve had Uber drivers who hail from many countries. Meeting people from other places has been my biggest surprise and pleasure since returning to Richmond.

I’ve always found that racial and cultural diversity drive growth and revitalization. Millennials, the next generation of leaders, are claiming Richmond. They’re flocking to places like Manchester from

other parts of the country to enjoy Richmond’s lower cost of living and higher quality of life. It’s one of the city’s fastest-growing neighborhoods, and I love Manchester’s artsy vibe. I ventured there during one of my walks along the James River. I stumbled upon the Art Works gallery on Hull Street and had lunch at The Hatch. I felt like a tourist. I was born in South Side, so it was common for my parents to drive through Manchester to cross the Mayo Bridge. It was such a scary place as a child.

The contrast between what once was an abandoned industrial wasteland transformed into a hip, new neighborhood seemingly occurred in the blink of an eye. My grandfather, Arthur T. Robinson, ran a commercial dry cleaning and laundry business on Hull Street that he started in 1933, aptly called Southside Cleaners. He and his business are gone, but I wonder what he’d think about Manchester and its exploding foodie and vibrant art scenes. Although I cherish my childhood memories of growing up

in Richmond, I haven’t felt overly nostalgic since moving back. Instead, I’m in awe of the city’s transformation. I left a city that felt stifling and small with a racist past and a determination to cling to an it’s-the-way-we’ve-alwaysdone-it mentality that thwarted its growth. I’ve returned to a revitalized Richmond that rivals any city of its size, attracting new people and changing in ways I never thought possible.

Ms. Robinson is a contributing writer for the Richmond Free Press.

• (“Commission”) for revision of a rate adjustment clause, designated Rider E, for recovery of costs incurred to comply with state and federal environmental regulations.

• Dominion requests approval for recovery in Rider E of a total revenue requirement of $71,992,470. According to Dominion, this amount would decrease the bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per month by $0.68, compared to the current Rider E.

• Further information about this case is available on the Commission website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information

Dominion recognizes African-American leaders, students

Free Press staff report

Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and the Library of Virginia recently recognized four Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honorees and Student Creative Expressions Contest finalists during its annual program that recognizes notable African-American business and community leaders.

“We are proud to honor changemakers whose efforts have strengthened their communities for generations to come,” said Bill Murray, senior vice president for corporate affairs and communications at Dominion Energy. “The Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honorees serve as role models for helping every community to thrive.”

Members of the armed forces, engineers, medical professionals, community leaders, educators, writers, judges and elected officials have been celebrated throughout the program’s history.

“The Library of Virginia is proud to recognize African-Americans who have made significant contributions in their respective fields and in the lives of citizens of the Commonwealth,” said Librarian of Virginia Dennis T. Clark. “This year’s honorees offer powerful success stories that reflect rich legacies of excellence.”

The 2024 honorees:

• Capt. Janet H. Days, Navy commanding officer, Norfolk

• Sheriff R. Tyrone Foster, Bristol

• Dr. Erma L. Freeman, dentist, Mecklenburg

• Gregory L. Robinson, NASA project director, Manassas

The leaders were celebrated at a reception and private dinner

Thursday, Feb. 22, in Richmond. Each honoree was provided the opportunity to choose a nonprofit to receive a $5,000 grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation.

Along with the event, the Library of Virginia will host a traveling exhibition featuring each of the honorees and their biographical information. The exhibition will be on display at various community, business and educational institutions

throughout the year so that Virginians can learn about these leaders and their contributions to the Commonwealth. Also as part of the initiative, Virginia high school students participate in a creative contest to honor outstanding African-Americans and share stories they feel may be missing from the mainstream narrative.

The winner of the student creative contest was Katelyn Luu from Cosby High School in Chesterfield County. Katelyn wrote about Undine Smith Moore, known as the “Dean of Black Women Composers.” In honor of her essay, Katelyn’s school received $2,000.

The 2024 Student Creative Expressions Contest finalists include:

• Bezawit Abate, Potomac Senior High School, Prince William County

• Justin Kidd Jones, Richmond Community High School, Richmond

• Angelina Nair, Grafton High School, York County

Each student received an Apple MacBook Air laptop and funds for their respective schools.

Wealth disparities by race grew during the pandemic, despite income gains, report shows

The Associated Press NEW YORK

A strong performance in financial markets, particularly an outsize gain for the stock market in 2021, helped entrench existing trends of wealth inequality during the pandemic, new data released this week show.

According to a report from the New York Federal Reserve Bank, the real net worth of white individuals outgrew that of Black and Hispanic individuals by 30 percentage points and 9 percentage points respectively, from the first quarter of 2019 through the second quarter of 2023.

The period featured a remarkable level of government financial support and, after the initial shock of the pandemic, a surprisingly strong job market. The unemployment rate for Black Americans in particular is now at 5.3%, near a record low, compared to an overall unemployment rate of 3.7%. Earnings for the typical Black full-time worker are up 7.1% since before the pandemic.

Closing the wealth gap is more difficult because a significantly larger number of white households traditionally have money in stocks and mutual funds. A separate Fed survey shows that as of 2022, about 65.6% of white households

had investments in stocks, compared with 28.3% for Hispanic households and 39.2% for Black households.

“The study really shows the difference between making gains when it comes to income, and closing that gap, versus when it comes to wealth,” said Janelle Jones, vice president of policy and advocacy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

While government support such as increased unemployment benefits and stimulus checks helped stave off a COVID-induced recession, financial asset prices rose so significantly with the reopening of the economy through 2021 that racial wealth disparities increased. And while those market-linked assets did fall in 2022 when the Federal Reserve rapidly increased interest rates, “those declines did not fully offset the earlier rises,” according to the New York Fed.

“Much of the divergence in net worth by race and ethnicity since 2019 can be attributed to divergence in the real values of financial asset holdings,” wrote the report’s authors — including the fact that Black households have more wealth concentrated in pensions than in stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs.

More than 50% of Black financial wealth is

invested in pensions, the New York Fed found. Less than 20% of Black wealth is stored in private businesses, corporate equities and mutual funds. In contrast, less than 30% of white financial wealth is invested in pensions, with about 50% invested in businesses, equities and mutual funds. “Black workers are still more likely to be unionized, which may play a part in the pension story,” Ms. Jones said. “But how folks are exposed to the ability to invest in the stock market — whether or not it’s something they grow up doing — we know that’s different for white families than for people of color.” Black family members are less likely to get an inheritance, she said.

During the pandemic, the real value of Blackheld financial assets dropped in 2022 to below its 2019 level and continued to decline steadily, while the real value of Hispanic-held financial assets dipped below its 2019 level in 2022 and stagnated. Neither group’s real financial assets have recovered to their 2019 values.

Owning a business is another component of financial wealth, and separate data show Blackowned businesses had a tougher time during the pandemic. While less than 10% of all U.S. business

owners are Black, Black-owned businesses were also more concentrated in industries hardest hit when COVID first spread, according to Economic Policy Institute analysis of government data. In April of 2020, more than 40% of Black business owners reported they were not working, compared with only 17% of white business owners.

The industries with the largest total job losses early in the pandemic were also sectors where more Black-owned businesses are concentrated — accommodation, food services, retail, health care, and social assistance. About 28% of Blackowned businesses are found in these industries, compared with just under 20% of white-owned businesses, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Still, Treasury Deputy Secretary Walley Adeyemo said economic conditions are improving for Black households, citing rising employment and wages for Black Americans since before the pandemic, and an increase in Black business ownership and participation in the stock market.

Mr. Adeyemo suggested that some “policy prescriptions” might be needed to even out the distribution of financial wealth in the U.S.

“The gap between Black and white wealth in America is still too great,” he said.

Ms. Jones

Sheriff Foster Capt. Days Dr. Freeman Mr. Robinson

Tonsils, talent and newborns

Richmond Community Hospital holds a special place in the hearts of many, including Edwina Richmond, a retired college professor with deep family ties to the city. Born at the hospital 76 years ago, Ms. Richmond has fond memories of the care she received there, from getting her tonsils removed to witnessing the hospital’s integral role in the neighborhood’s welfare, Richmond Free Press reporter George Copeland Jr. reports in this week’s edition.

For Ms. Richmond and many others, the hospital is more than just a building — it is a symbol of resilience, community and history. As plans to demolish the hospital for a new housing project loom, voices are rising in support of its preservation. The rally held on Sunday afternoon was a testament to the impact the hospital has had on countless lives over the years.

Virginia Union University’s decision to destroy the hospital has sparked outrage and calls for action. The hospital’s legacy must not be erased, but rather celebrated and preserved for future generations to appreciate. It is a landmark that holds the stories of those who built it and the countless individuals who benefited from its services.

As Ms. Richmond eloquently put it, “It’s in our family and it’s very important to me. It’s crucial to preserve this history.” The community’s show of support for the former hospital speaks volumes about the significance of this historic institution. Let us come together to ensure that the former Richmond Community Hospital remains a proud symbol of our past and a beacon of hope for the future.

The rally, organized by Viola Baskerville and other Richmond residents, saw about 75 people gather on the front lawn of the hospital, which sits on Overbrook Road, to advocate for its importance through testimony and oral history, Mr. Copeland further notes in his report.

Indeed, several individuals and representatives of various organizations have written letters to the Free Press bemoaning the hospital’s destruction since we first reported VUU’s plans nearly a month ago. One of the more recent statements in opposition to the hospital’s demise came earlier this week from a key gatekeeper of the city’s Black history.

“On behalf of our board chair, Dr. Monroe Harris, Jr., and executive director, Shakia Gullette Warren regarding the planned demolition of Richmond Community Hospital, The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia is committed to telling, interpreting, and preserving stories that inspire by commemorating the rich historical tapestry of the African-American community throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia,” reads the statement emailed to our newsroom.

“The historic Richmond Community Hospital site on Overbrook Road represents an important part of that history, as it was the first Black-owned and operated hospital in Richmond to serve Black people. The hospital also enabled many African-American physicians and medical professionals in the region to make an indelible mark on healthcare, and their contributions helped lay the foundation for the work and achievements of many Black medical professionals across our nation today. BHMVA denounces the destruction of any such historical sites, which demonstrate the rich culture and moving histories of Black Virginians.

“It is our hope that those in leadership at Virginia Union University will continue to engage with its trusted and valued community partners in a meaningful way to ensure that the legacy of the site is not only honored but preserved for generations to come.”

We could not have stated this any better. We encourage VUU to rethink its position and begin to listen in earnest to a community that long has supported it and its students.

Let’s go!

Despite calls for his resignation, Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras appears to remain upbeat based on his cheerful RPS Direct newsletters. Mr. Kamras begins his most recent communique by reminding readers that “BOTH John Marshall HS basketball teams play for the state championship Thursday, March 7 at the Siegel Center! The young women play at 12:30 pm and the young men follow at 2:30 pm.”

Mr. Kamras encourages everyone to purchase their tickets online to cheer on the Justices, and adds “While I have your attention about JM, did you know they earned full accreditation last year from the VDOE? They’re an athletic and academic powerhouse!”

Now that IS good news!

Oh, baby!

Please join us in congratulating Mayor Levar Stoney and Brandy Washington Stoney on the birth of their daughter, Sunday Washington Stoney. Can’t you just see the city’s first couple beaming?

“Brandy and I are excited to share that we welcomed our daughter into the world this past weekend,” the mayor said in an announcement earlier this week. “We feel very blessed and are overwhelmed with love for our baby girl!

“Lastly, we would like to thank the incredible teams at the Virginia Women’s Center and St. Mary’s Hospital for their exceptional support and care.”

Woodpecker in North Side

“We’re building an America where we recognize the inherent dignity of every single person, and where every American has the chance to live a life of purpose and meaning. This is my vision for the future.” — President Biden, 2024 State of Black America

Before he was elected president of the United States, Joe Biden made history by becoming the first majorparty general election candidate to develop an agenda for Black America: Lift Every Voice.

On his first day in office, he made history again by signing Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, which declared “Equal opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy, and our diversity is one of our country’s greatest strengths.” Acknowledging “the unbearable human costs of systemic racism,” the order made an unprecedented commitment to tackle inequality: “Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government.”

More than three years into his presidency, as he asks voters to elect him to another term, the National Urban League developed

a special section of the 2024 State of Black America®, “Evaluation for Progress: Report on the BidenHarris Administration.”

In doing so, we honor the legacy of the man who originated The State of Black America, Vernon Jordan, who passed away three years ago this week. The 1976 report was a scathing response to President Gerald Ford’s State of

The Union Address, which failed to make a single mention of the plight of African-Americans.

“The slow but steady decline in racial cooperation and in the black condition became, in 1975, a headlong rush into the deep pit of depression and hardship,” Mr. Jordan wrote. “The condition of black Americans, once the benchmark of America’s commitment to equality in justice, is now the object of malign neglect and hostile disregard.”

In contrast, President Biden placed racial equity at the center of his Administration, committing that it would shape the legislation, regulations, federal investments, and agency actions his Administration championed. As our report makes clear, that commitment has resulted in meaningful policy changes for Black Americans across economic opportunity, education, health care, criminal justice, housing, the environment, and civil rights protections.

Candidate Biden promised to invest in Black America and improve the economy. When President Biden took office, the unemployment rate was 6.3%.

Today, it’s 3.7%. The Black unemployment rate was 9.2%.

Today, it’s 5.3%.

Candidate Biden promised a cabinet and senior staff that reflects the soul of America. The Biden White House is the most diverse in American history, with nearly 50% of current appointees identifying as people of color. Most notably, his vice president is the first Black woman in history to hold the office, and he appointed – as promised – the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice.

Candidate Biden promised to expand health care access. Under the Biden Administration, the Affordable Care Act has flourished. In the most recent enrollment period, more than 20 million Americans have signed up for plans, a record-breaking eight million more enrollments than previously recorded.

Parts of President Biden’s equity agenda, unfortunately, have been blocked by Congress and an ultraconservative Supreme Court.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would have restored anti-discrimination protections in the Voting Rights Act that were gutted by the Supreme Court. The Freedom to Vote Act would have expanded op-

Fixing our broken drug pricing system

portunities to register to vote and cast a ballot, and it would have prevented voter suppression through partisan gerrymandering and unlawful voter purges.

President Biden gave a landmark address in January 2022 in Georgia, ground zero for voting rights, where he called for an end to the Senate filibuster to prevent a minority of senators from blocking these bills. Filibuster reform can be accomplished by a simple majority in the Senate, which Democrats had. Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona refused to change the filibuster rule for voting rights, however, blocking both bills. Please visit StateOfBlackAmerica.org to read the full evaluation of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to racial justice. The writer is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

As a recently retired physician, I felt relief for patients across the commonwealth when Virginia legislators recently passed bipartisan measures, Senate Bill 274 and House Bill 570, to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. This board would be empowered to finally rein in skyrocketing prescription drug costs that make medicine inaccessible to too many patients. By signing this legislation into law, Gov. Glenn Youngkin can prioritize the health and well-being of Virginians.

I’m not alone, either. Over 100 Virginia medical professionals, of varying backgrounds and specialties, signed a letter in support of the board and we hope to see Gov. Youngkin establish it.

Physicians are on the front line of medicine each day. We can attest to the innumerable number of patients who cannot afford their prescribed medications, and who see their conditions worsen as a result.

Right now, too many of my former patients are experiencing negative health outcomes, which could be prevented with simple access to prescription drugs. Too many are choosing between their medicines and their groceries.

Meanwhile, the price-gouging has paid off for Big Pharma, which continues to report mindnumbing revenues. For example, Novo Nordisk, an insulin manufacturer, raked in more than $8

billion in the third quarter of 2023. Regeneron, which manufactures drugs that treat rare diseases and certain cancers, has rewarded its shareholders with nearly $2 billion in stock buybacks in 2023 alone. Additionally pharmaceutical companies spend an average of 35% for marketing, much of which is prescription drug advertising.

As someone who worked in the pharmaceutical industry as well, I can offer a unique perspective on the industry’s fallacious arguments against the drug affordability board. While I recognize the costs of research and development, these costs are generally recuperated within a few years. After that, drug companies make pure profit.

And as they rake in their massive profits, nearly one in four Virginians are not taking their medication as prescribed simply because they cannot afford to. Research and development are worthless if patients can’t access the lifesaving drugs the best scientists produce.

That’s why doctors support the creation of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. This independent panel of health care experts would be tasked with setting reasonable caps on what consumers pay for certain high-cost prescription drugs. Because the legislation limits the consumer’s out-of-pocket costs, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board will prevent pharmacy benefit managers (middlemen known

as PBMs) from manipulating the final price a patient pays.

Setting limits on high-cost drugs is the right thing to do, especially in Virginia, whose residents spend more money on our prescriptions than most Americans. In 2020, Virginians spent 36% more per person on prescription drugs than the national average. Higher costs lead people to ration their medicine, which leads to worse health outcomes for our families and friends. In my former practice this is a daily occurrence, as many of our patients either don’t have insurance or have very poor prescription drug coverage.

I applaud members of the Virginia General Assembly for passing legislation to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and believe Gov. Youngkin should finalize it with his signature. Eight other states (with both Republican and Democratic governors) have already created Prescription Drug Affordability Boards.

It’s time for Virginia to join the bandwagon and make life more affordable for the people who live here. Nothing is more foundational to happiness than our health, and we can start by lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

Dr. Greg Gelburd, a member of the Committee to Protect Health Care, has practiced family medicine for 40 years and recently retired from Downtown Family Health Care in Charlottesville. This column appeared in the Virginia Mercury on Feb.29, 2024.

Dr. Greg Gelburd

Marc H. Morial

Conversations to repurpose the old Richmond Community Hospital building ‘did not bear fruit’

My name is Mary DePillars and I am an alumna of Virginia Union University concerned about recent comments attributed to VUU personnel regarding the old Richmond Community Hospital building. I shared my Feb, 15, 2024, letter to the Richmond Free Press with VUU’s alumni relations manager that same day. However, for context, I am expanding those comments as follows:

For several years, I served as a member of the board of the Richmond Community Hospital Foundation, which had been established when the new Richmond Community Hospital was sold to Bon Secours in the mid-1990s. In 2008 or 2009, the Richmond Community Hospital Foundation Board decided to dissolve the foundation, as it then existed, after Bon Secours sought to absorb the RCH Foundation into its larger foundation which served all of its local facilities. In effecting that dissolution, $1.3M was available for redistribution. The RCH Foundation voted to give those dollars to Virginia Union University.

(An article about the funding can be found here: Virginia Union

gets major scholarship donation: https://bit.ly/3V0E6zV)

This funding was to provide scholarships for Richmond students who wanted to pursue a health-sciences profession, starting at VUU. Bon Secours agreed to provide internships for such students at the appropriate time in their college years.

Peripheral conversations were held regarding securing funding from multiple sources to repurpose the long-vacant, and neglected, old Richmond Community Hospital building as learning-support space for students enrolled in a health-sciences feeder program at VUU via the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. We now know that these conversations did not bear fruit.

Now, we are faced with this Richmond landmark being completely erased from the landscape and all the RVA history associated therewith obliterated by the shine of new money.

After reading, with great interest, George Copeland’s highly informative article in last week’s Richmond Free Press, I was left with the sense that VUU continues to listen only to itself spinning a response that disregards input from its neighbors, constituents,

donors, friends and supporters. Attempting to engage the community after plans are set is not helpful. The words of the president ring hollow. Engaging the community in the planning bodes well for creating a sense of shared ownership, acceptance, support and pride in the ultimately-emerged product.

As a now-deceased, highly respected city leader stated on several occasions as he sought to unite disparate factions in this city, “Where there is no informed discourse, you can never have a resolution to a problem.”

VUU, are you listening?

MARY DePILLARS, Virginia Union ’74

Richmond Editor’s Note: This donation endowed scholarships for Virginia Union students who are considering careers in health sciences. It has funded scholarships for more than 30 students over the years, including six students in this current academic year, according to a VUU spokesman.

RCH and the need to sustain local cultural consciousness

At the March 3 “We Shall Gather at the Hospital” rally hosted by the Save Community Hospital Work Group, public historian, Dr. Carmen Foster reflected on the erasure of local stories due to the Richmond area’s shifting sociocultural landscape. Her passionate testimony inspires contemplation on what the 1932 Richmond Community Hospital site represents within Richmond and the American South’s sociocultural location.

As transplants flood the Richmond area for reasons including job and educational opportunities, lower living costs, and a slower pace, there arises both a fresh, energetic demand for a more cosmopolitan experience along with a marked disregard for the local history and culture. That the African Burial Ground needs signs prohibiting dog-walking attests to this obliviousness or even, at worst, carelessness. Richmond joins the U.S. at large in a shift toward cultural homogeneity, partly characterized by

greater residential transience, increased disassociation from families of origin and declining, generic architectural standards. In the Mid-Atlantic, the D.C. overflow especially stands to absorb the particularity of local cultures into a decontextualized blob only glancing at the past.

From this vantage point, no wonder The Steinbridge Group, a New York and Philadelphia based firm, plans to lay the wrecking ball to a locally significant site, only to replace it with new apartments and an historical marker. When Dr. Hakim Lucas, Virginia Union University’s president, contextualizes the 1932 edifice’s demolition within the framework of “shaping the Commonwealth’s future,” it seems to point to a larger, deculturing cultural phenomenon.

In Southern society, historically undergirded less by ambitious developers and more by kinship ties, neighborly bonds, and community unity, the past, present and future exist more

Richmond Crusade for Voters stands with Community

The Richmond Crusade for Voters stands with the many other organizations and individuals who have spoken up in support of preserving the Richmond Community Hospital on Virginia Union University’s campus. This building represents the history of not only African-Americans in the city of Richmond, but it also represents an important part of United States history.

Built during a time that has been referred to as the “Black Hospital Movement” in the years between 1865 to the 1960s, this was a period when a united, determined black society throughout the nation recognized the need to work together for the health of black people; over 150 African-American hospitals were built during this time period. The Crusade’s only living co-founder, Dr. William Reid worked there from 1953 to 1976. Dr. Reid stated, “I think

With

it should not be demolished. So many of our historical buildings have been demolished; we must save some of our landmarks.”

RCV shares the concern of Dr. Reid and others.

A vital part of African-American history, a vital part of Richmond history will be lost forever.

We are confident that the University and the developers will rethink their plan to demolish Richmond Community Hospital. We are confident they will find a way to preserve the history and architectural character of this hospital building by incorporating it into the $40 million planned development. The Crusade is proud and excited about Virginia Union’s plans for growth and expansion. Please do not stain the project with the loss of this historic treasure.

RICHMOND CRUSADE FOR VOTERS

proper screening, colon cancer can be

If you knew you could prevent a disease, not just treat it, you would do it, right? As we recognize Colon Cancer Awareness Month in March, I feel compelled to share my story of prevention and family health history.

Last year, I underwent my first colonoscopy at age 43, two years earlier than the screening age recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, but actually late for someone with a family history of the disease. My uncle was diagnosed with colon cancer in his early 50s, almost 20 years ago, and

my mother’s cousin died from the disease in 2023.

As a “birthday gift” to myself, I scheduled my first screening colonoscopy. I know people talk a lot about the preparation for a colonoscopy, but I didn’t find it to be a big deal, especially considering the value of a procedure that can help prevent the disease from occurring in the first place.

As it turns out, my doctor found and removed a benign polyp in my colon. The importance of removing a polyp is that, left undetected, polyps can develop into cancer. Given the

prevented

results of my first screening and my family history, my GI said that I should come back to see him again in five years.

Knowing the history of colon cancer in my family prompted me to schedule my first colorectal cancer screening.And I’m so glad I did. I recommend to anybody I meet to get screened — and to talk to their families about health matters. Colon cancer can be preventable and beatable if caught early.

JIMMY VARGHESE Richmond

simultaneously. In this context, disconnectedness from heritage and a specific sense of place signifies the beginning of cultural erosion and even alienation from our souls.

As someone with local roots stemming back to the Jim Crow era in Richmond City proper and nearly 250 years to Charles City County’s oldest existing records, I contend that the investment in historic preservation remains at once a present and future assignment. Closer still, I just learned that my late mother was born at the old Richmond Community Hospital. Upholding the 1932 site represents more than defending a stack of bricks. It represents resistance to modern society’s consuming fire of homogenization and a commitment to outwardly sustain monuments to our ancestral and cultural legacies.

REV. JABRIEL M. HASAN Sandston

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Contract ID #: C00123831DB133

I-64 GAP Segment B Widening Design-Build Project

construction experience of highway facilities. The project is located in New Kent County – widening approximately 8.7 miles along I-64 between approximate Mile Marker (MM) 215.6 and MM 224.3. The two existing EB and WB general-purpose lanes will be widened on the median side to three lanes four to six lanes from MM 204.9 in New Kent County to MM 234 in York County. The purpose of congestion, and provide a more reliable system of travel in the I-64 corridor by widening the remaining unwidened section of I-64. The scope includes all work required for project management, design, and construction of the project.

R. Shah, P.E., DBIA (Suril.Shah@vdot.virginia.gov).

Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found at Bid Express (bidexpress.com).

(g) hydraulics; (h) stormwater management; (i) traffic control devices; (j) transportation management plan; (k) right -of -way; (l) utilities; (m) public involvement/ relations (n) quality assurance and quality control; (o) Intelligent Transpor tation Systems; (p)railroad; (q) construction engineering and inspection; and (r) overall Project

The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.

Stories by Fred Jeter

Earl Lloyd: A man of many firsts

In discussing the greatest players to ever compete in the CIAA tournament, a nice starting point might be Earl Lloyd.

The 6-foot-7 forward — known as “Big Cat” — led West Virginia State to the 1948 and 1949 national titles and a runner-up finish in 1950 to North Carolina College (now Central).

The 1948 West Virginia State Yellow Jackets went 30-0 en route to what was considered the “Black National Championship.”

He was later named CIAA Player of the Decade for the 1940s.

The CIAA introduced its league tournament in 1946, long

before most conferences. The ACC, for example, didn’t start its tournament until 1954. The Big 10 didn’t join the postseason party until 1998. The CIAA events in the late 1940s were held in Washington, D.C., at that time, not too many miles from Lloyd’s high school alma mater, Parker-Gray High in Alexandria.

Parker-Gray won the 1945 State Virginia Interscholastic Association (VIA) in Lloyd’s senior year. The VIA was the state’s umbrella organization for Black schools prior to integration and linking to the Virginia High School League. Following his brilliant three-time, All-CIAA career at

West Virginia State (located in Charleston), Lloyd went on to become the first Black athlete to compete in an NBA game.

That was with the Washington Capitols; he scored six points on Halloween night 1950.

Soon after, Lloyd was joined in the NBA by Chuck Cooper with Boston and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton with the New York Knicks. Cooper had starred at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh; Clifton, at Xavier in New Orleans.

In 2015, a documentary about Lloyd’s life was titled, “The First To Do It – The Life and Times of Earl Lloyd.”

West Virginia State was a CIAA member from 1942 to

1955. It’s now a Mountain East affiliate.

In addition to becoming the first Black athlete to play in the NBA, Lloyd’s other “firsts” include:

• First Black athlete to play on an NBA championship team – Syracuse Nationals, 1955.

• First Black man to become an NBA assistant coach, 1965 with Detroit, and third Black man to become NBA head coach (1971, following John McLendon and Bill Russell).

• First Black executive with the Chrysler Corporation, Dodge division.

Honors include CIAA Hall of Fame, Virginia Hall of Fame, West Virginia Hall of Fame

and Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. The basketball court at Alexandria’s T.C. Williams High (now named Alexandria City High School) bears his name. And add this: In the months

between West Virginia State and the NBA, Lloyd played with the Harlem Globetrotters, then a serious team. Twice, Lloyd led the Trotters to victories over the all-white NBA champion Minneapolis Lakers.

Lincoln, Fayetteville State win CIAA; VUU and VSU

fail to find lucky charm

Old and new Rams are doing well

This has been a take-notice basketball season for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, both past and present versions.

While the current edition battles for a top finish in the Atlantic 10, six former Rams are putting up impressive numbers at their new digs.

When former VCU Coach Mike Rhoades left for Penn State last spring, many of his players scattered.

Here’s a rundown, starting with Jamir Watkins at Florida State. Making a case for All-ACC, Watkins was averaging 15 points and six rebounds through 28 games.

The 6-foot-7 junior from Trenton, N.J., was at his best in a recent win over North Carolina State, hitting eight of 11 from the floor and scoring 19 points.

Ace Baldwin (Penn State, Big 10): After

29 games, the point guard was averaging 14.2 points and leading the squad with 168 assists.

Nick Kern (Penn State): Averaging 14 points and four rebounds as a Nittany Lions starter.

Jalen DeLoach (Georgia, SEC): The Rams’ former center was averaging four points and four rebounds after 24 games.

Jayden Nunn (Baylor, Big 12): After 28 games, the guard was averaging 11 points with 40 3-pointers.

Josh Banks ( UNC-Asheville, Big South): A deep reserve for VCU, he’s averaging 14 points and four rebounds with 61 treys. Of the six, Banks is the only former Ram not playing in a significantly higherrated conference. Almost as soon as Coach Rhoades

They never even tapped their brakes in getting to where they wanted to go.

The John Marshall High School boys and girls have rumbled into the history book as among the most dominant postseason teams in Virginia hoops history.

So far.

The JM boys have won their regional and state games by an average of 59 points; the girls by 55.

All that’s left in their tracks is the final prize, Class 2 state championships.

This train isn’t likely to stop until the North Siders pull off a rarity by winning boys and girls titles the same season, on the same floor, in back-to-back games in front of many of the same fans.

John Marshall’s Justices have become Richmond’s Team, justifiably so. And it helps that the JM campus on North Side is not to far from VCU’s Siegel Center, sight of the state finals.

Here’s the grand finale schedule for Thursday, March 7, at the Siegel Center:

JM girls vs. Central Wise of Norton, 12:20 p.m.; the Warriors are 25-4 with 11 straight wins.

JM boys vs. Virginia High of Bristol, 2:30

exited VCU, Coach Ryan Odom entered, arriving from Utah State, and began a massive rebuilding project. So far, so good, with a host of new front-line players on the roster.

Most impressive among the portal transfers were Max Shulga, following Coach Odom from Utah State, and Joe Bamisile (Monacan High) from Oklahoma.

Shulga leads the Rams in scoring at 15.0 points and in assists with 103. After joining the team 11 games into the season, Bamisile averages 13.7 points with 49 three-pointers. Despite a loss at the University of Richmond on March 2, the rebuilt Rams were 19-10 overall, 11-5 in A10, heading into this week. The Rams are virtually assured a double-bye in the A10 tournament March 12-17 in Brooklyn.

p.m.; the Bearcats are 23-5 with eight straight wins. The championship opponents couldn’t be much further apart geographically or in terms of demographics.

Bristol (85% white) is 327 miles from Richmond; Norton (87% white) is 360 miles. Both are in extreme southwest Virginia at the edge of Tennessee. JM is 86% African-American.

JM was a state contender before, under Coach Frank Threatts, but has shifted into a

Last year, Lincoln University nearly won the CIAA men’s title, losing in the finals. This time, the Lions closed the deal. Led by MVP Ethan Garila, Lincoln defeated Fayetteville State, 62-57, in Baltimore in front of an ESPNU national audience. Lincoln improved to 17-15.

Fayetteville State won the women’s crown, 64-57, over Elizabeth City with Aniylah Bryant earning MVP honors.

* * * Baltimore is an ideal destination for eating crab cakes, touring the Inner Harbor and National Aquarium or watching the Ravens or Orioles play.

As for playing basketball, Baltimore, also known as

“Charm City,” hasn’t been so hot for Virginia Union and Virginia State’s teams. Playing at CFG Bank Arena, the VUU men won a quarterfinal (versus Bluefield State, 61-55) then lost a 53-51 nail-biter to Fayetteville State in the semifinals.

Coach Jay Butler’s young Panthers finished 14-18.

The VUU women lost their opener to Shaw, 55-54, in overtime, finishing 17-12.

The VSU women won their quarterfinal, 51-42, over J.C. Smith but dropped an 86-61 semifinal decision to Fayetteville. The Lady Trojans closed an outstanding season at 23-5.

Coach Lonnie Blow’s men were a first-round 75-69 loser to Claflin and finished at 15-15.

White switches pads for spikes

If not for two knee surgeries, this story might be about Maddox White the football star instead of Maddox White the track sensation. The precocious St. Christopher’s sophomore stopped racing for gridiron goal lines two years ago and switched to sprinting to track’s finish lines.

“If I went back to football and got hurt again, it would be tragic,” White said.

Among those most impressed with the 17-year-old son of Demetrius and Stephanie White of Sandston is veteran St. Chris Coach Marshall Ware.

“Maddox is a super-talented kid, and he is so excited to run track,” Ware said. “Even when he was unable to compete, he came out and watched the team practice. You could tell he just loved it.”

Maddox White

This spring, he’s looking to be a “one-two-four man,” meaning a state contender in the 100, 200 and 400.

“If I can do that, I should get better offers (from colleges),” he

higher gear under Coach Ty White. The Justices are looking for a third straight state title and fourth since 2018.

It helps that JM’s teams are intertwined with the high-end Team Loaded AAU program that Coach White coordinates.

JM has recovered from losing two All-State performers from last season — Dennis Parker (now at North Carolina State) and Jason RiveraTorres (Vanderbilt).

The JM girls reached the state semifinals the past two seasons under Coach Virgil Burton and are on the cusp of taking the tallest trophy this go-round. Like the boys, the JM girls lost their leading scorer and rebounder from a year ago, 6-foot-3 All-State Jaeden Cook, now at East Carolina.

There’s little end in sight for JM dominance. Athletes are attracted to the school for its hoops status and for its federal TRIO after-school learning program.

The 2024 boys lose just two starters from the current juggernaut, and it would be naïve not to assume reinforcements aren’t on the way.

The blue-clad girls lose some key performers from this year, but the roster is brimming with talented underclassmen and more could be coming.

said. White has broken the St. Chris record for the 55-yard dash, running a 6.34, earlier this season. The old mark of 6.37 was held by Brandon Thomas.

Outdoors, he’s looking at the school 100 standard of 10.63 set in 2018 by Frank Royal III. The 200 record is also in his sights, along with the 400.

“Most sprinters don’t like to hear about adding the 400, but Maddox does,” Coach Ware said.

White said he’s proud of his school record, and just as proud of his family record. Father Demetrius was a star sprinter at King George High.

“I broke my dad’s record in the 55, but, of course, he wanted me to,” White said.

While White hasn’t totally given up on a gridiron comeback (football coaches can be very persuasive) he’s full speed ahead for now in track spikes.

Following his double victory at states, White carried his spikes to a brighter stage last weekend at the AAU Nationals in Virginia Beach.

Taking on some of America’s fastest school boys, he finished third in the 200 in 22.0, just 0.17 slower than the national champ.

He was competing for Speed Team.

In the 60-meter finals, White finished seventh (out of nearly 100 entries) in 7.18. The winning time by Cashmere James was 6.93.

White will accept being a state champ for now, with room left in the trophy case for top national honors. u

Quick Nick also makes his mark

The area’s other state 55-meter champ was Thomas Dale senior Nick Tyree, who won the Class 6 (largest enrollment) title in 6.42 in Virginia Beach. He ran a 6.29 in the preliminaries.

Tyree, who will continue his track and football career at the University of Delaware, is the brother of Chris Tyree, who recently transferred to the University of Virginia from Notre Dame.

Photos by James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Above: Janiyaha Pickett (20) passes the ball to a teammate. Right, Cameron Claiborne (1) drives toward the paint.

Randy Singleton

Led by MVP Ethan Garila, Lincoln defeated Fayetteville State, 62-57, in Baltimore in front of an ESPNU national audience on

Saturday, March 2. Fayetteville State won the women’s crown, 64-57, over Elizabeth City with Aniylah Bryant earning MVP honors. Playing at CFG Bank Arena, the VUU men won a quarterfinal (versus Bluefield State, 61-55) then lost a 53-51 nailbiter to Fayetteville State in the semifinals on Friday, March 1.

The three words that Brent Timberlake used to describe himself — curious, hopeful and hard-working — play a role in many aspects of his life.

Personality: Brent Timberlake Spotlight on Greater Richmond Bar Foundation board president

with pro bono opportunities.

It was one of his law school professors who gave him a way of looking at things that aligned with his natural curiosity. The Virginia native said he has taken things apart and put them back together since he was a child. He said it helped him to learn how and why things worked.

Legal cases could be the same, he believed. Diving in to understand why decisions were made helped him to see how the principles could be applied to other cases as well.

“Understanding the ‘why’ really is a key,” Mr. Timberlake, 45, said. “[It] unlocks insight into the future that helps me be a better lawyer and person.”

It also helps him to see how he can make positive change that improves the lives of others.

Mr. Timberlake credits his grandmother for setting an example of making a difference where she could.

“She was a local politician in the Northern Neck and she really cared about helping people,” he said. “Her commitment to speaking up, leaning in, doing the hard work, and getting to the right solution, is something that has inspired me my whole life.”

One way that Mr. Timberlake has followed his grandmother’s lead is by volunteering with the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation.

While GRBF initially was founded in 1978 to commission judicial portraits, the nonprofit has evolved since the early 2000s. Its mission now is to help facilitate free legal services for nonprofit organizations and individuals by connecting lawyers

“Many people may not realize that you only have a right to a lawyer in criminal cases where a jail sentence may be imposed,” Mr. Timberlake said. “[But] being evicted from your home, losing custody of a child, being deported, or even being unable to get a divorce even where both parties agree — all have significant and often devastating consequences to the people who aren’t able to get legal support to help them with their issue.”

As a young lawyer, Mr. Timberlake volunteered his services through GRBF. He has become even more involved since 2011 as part of a Capital One team that works with the group to address tech challenges. An example is the development of a casemanagement system — Justice Server. The system connects lawyer volunteers with referrals from legal aid organizations for pro bono services.

In July last year, Mr. Timberlake became president of the GRBF Board of Directors in addition to his volunteer work.

Over his years of service, he has seen legal hurdles get resolved that seemed insurmountable at the start. Many times, the help provided by volunteer lawyers is life-changing.

“That’s the thing about acts of kindness,” Mr. Timberlake said. “Even a small one creates a cascading impact that lasts far beyond the moment it happens.”

Meet Brent Timberlake, someone who uses his curiosity and legal skills to improve the lives of others, and this week’s

Personality:

Volunteer position: President, Greater Richmond Bar Foundation Board of Directors.

Occupation: Chief counsel, Capital One Retail Bank.

Month and place of birth: March in Kilmarnock.

Where I live now: I live in Midlothian with my wife, four children, and Tate, the world’s best rescue dog.

Education: Bachelor’s in political science, Virginia Tech; J.D., University of Richmond.

Greater Richmond Bar Foundation (GRBF) is: A nonprofit whose mission is to expand access to justice by mobilizing, training, and connecting attorneys to pro bono clients.

In short, we help attorneys do pro bono. In Central Virginia, GRBF works with legal aid organizations, local government agencies and community organizations to assess needs for pro bono services and then connect lawyers to these opportunities to serve.

When and why founded: GRBF was founded in 1978

to serve as a nonprofit to commission judicial portraits. Starting in the early 2000s, GRBF evolved to become a clearinghouse to facilitate free legal services to nonprofit organizations and individuals and to encourage participation in pro bono service work.

When elected board president: July 2023.

Why GRBF is meaningful to me: From a small foundation formed to commission judicial portraits, it evolved to create a clearinghouse to help nonprofits in the area get (necessary) legal support to help them support our communities. It continued to evolve to support Firms in Service — Richmond, a unique organization of law firms and corporate legal departments of all sizes that come together to support pro bono programs in our area. It also stepped up to create the Triage Project, which directly supports legal aid by partnering with volunteer attorneys in areas of particularly acute need. GRBF became the conduit to facilitate the rollout of JusticeServer, now utilized throughout the United States, to solve the case-management and volunteer-solicitation issues experienced by legal aid organizations. And more recently, when Richmond was featured as one of the worst cities in the nation for evictions, GRBF partnered with the City of Richmond to create and support the Eviction Diversion Program — a program designed to help tenants in need avoid being evicted from their homes. All of this to say, GRBF is a fixer. It doesn’t let its structure, the complexity or magnitude of a problem or the lack of an existing answer to the

case stand in the way of solving the problem. It facilitates bringing the right groups to the right needs at the right time.

No. 1 goal and strategy as board president: Sustainability and working to ensure GRBF’s programs and services remain available to our partners and those who need our support in Central Virginia for many years to come.

Biggest challenge: As with any nonprofit whose existence depends on grants and donations, ensuring that we have the funding to continue to innovate and support our community is always the biggest challenge.

No. 1 joy I have witnessed through working with GRBF: Seeing the impact and appreciation from helping clients in need is, by far, the biggest joy. In so many instances, what seems like an insurmountable legal obstacle to someone who is unfamiliar with the legal system and lacks the resources to get assistance, is a relatively easy thing to address.

Upcoming event and details: It’s hard to believe that this year, we’ll hold the 10th Annual Jazz4Justice Concert! It’s a great event that highlights the justice gap, while showcasing incredible performances by VCUarts Jazz Studies students. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome two-time, Grammy-nominated vocalist, songwriter and activist René Marie with the VCU Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz4Justice Scholarship Sextet. The concert will be held 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall in the VCU Singleton Center. Proceeds benefit the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation’s nonprofit mission to expand access to justice and fund

scholarships for VCUarts Jazz Studies students.

How I start the day: I wake up every day at 4:30 a.m. Being awake before the sun comes up gives me a sense of peace and perspective, and a few minutes for quiet reflection. I like to revisit issues from the day before with a fresh lens and take a few minutes to prepare for the day ahead.

Best late-night snack: Without question, the best late-night snack is a PB&J. But the older I get, the more I find myself reaching for choices with (fewer) consequences – Honeycrisp apples are my favorite.

My music playlist: We’re definitely big on music in my house, we have speakers everywhere, and we’re always making playlists or digging up old songs. There’s not enough space here to list everything I love. My daily rotation includes everything from country to oldies to rap. There’s nothing better than singing in the car!

I love to: Build and restore things. During COVID, I tiled a bathroom, built bookshelves and a desk, got into craft cocktails and restored two old BMW motorcycles.

A quote that inspires me: “Things are only impossible until they’re not.” – Captain Picard, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

The best thing my parents ever taught me: I would answer this by talking about my grandmother. She was fiery but gentle, outspoken but respectful, principled but compromising.

The book that influenced me the most: Like most lawyers, I think “To Kill A Mockingbird” had a huge impression on me when I was a kid – most of all, that theme of understanding what things look like from someone else’s point of view.

Next goal: To welcome whatever comes next and to make the most of it!

Happenings

Jeffrey Wright, shape-shifter supreme, sees some of himself in ‘American Fiction’

The Associated Press NEW YORK

Jeffrey Wright has played Jean-Michel Basquiat, Martin Luther King Jr. and Muddy Waters. He’s played Colin Powell, a Dominican drug kingpin, Batman’s Commissioner Gordon and a longtime inmate nearing release. He’s played Bill Murray’s neighbor, a Civil War-era former slave, James Bond’s Felix Leiter, the nurse Belize in “Angels in America” and an android-human in “Westworld.”

Across an expansive array of roles both small and large for more than two decades, Mr. Wright has been among the most malleable of actors, able to transform endlessly while still maintaining a singular, rigorously grounded screen presence. Is there anyone he can’t play?

“Dennis Hopper said in ‘Easy Rider,’ ‘If you name it, I’ll throw rocks at it,’”Mr. Wright says.

Shape-shifting has been Mr. Wright’s aspiration as a performer since, as a young actor, he was naturally drawn to performers like Gary Oldman, Dustin Hoffman and Peter Sellers. He admired their dexterity going from character to character.

“I thought that was the way to go about it,” says Mr. Wright. “It seemed like it required some skill that was worth learning.”

But it’s Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction” in which Mr. Wright gives one of the best performances of his career. And ironically, it’s the role that required less metamorphosis than any ever has for Mr. Wright.

“There’s a lot that’s pretty close to me in this film. It’s probably the performance that I could squeeze myself into with the least friction,” Mr. Wright said in a recent interview. “My daughter saw the film last night and she said, ‘There’s so much of your humor in this.’”

In “American Fiction,” Mr. Wright stars as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a frustrated and disillusioned author and college professor resentful of his books being pigeonholed as African-American fiction. In a drunken haze he sarcastically pens a book that plays up Black stereotypes (“My Pafology,” under the pseudonym Stagg R. Leigh), yet it becomes an unironic sensation with white publishing executives.

It’s a deft satire of race and identity, adapted from Percival Everett’s 2001 novel “Erasure,” that Mr. Jefferson, in his directorial debut, surrounds with a rich, humanistic comedy of midlife crises and family dramas. Monk’s mother (Leslie Uggams) is aging, his sister (Tracee Ellis Ross) dies unexpectedly and his brother (Sterling K. Brown) is coming out.

“I saw the film last week in Brooklyn with an audience for the first time. And I looked at the screen at one point at this family and the extended family around it, and I said, ‘Wow, what

EXHIBITION

beautiful people,’” Mr. Wright says. “They’re kind of extraordinary in their ordinariness. It’s a family like any other family, it just happens to be inhabited by Black folks.”

Mr. Wright, a longtime Brooklynite, recently met a reporter at a midtown hotel a few hours after he was nominated for a Golden Globe. A morning feast was laid out when a waiter entered with another plate. “More bacon?” said Mr.Wright, glancing at the thick-cut bacon already on the table. “Oh, regular bacon. The healthy stuff.”

project, Mr. Jefferson confessed there was “no plan B.”

Mr. Wright has won a Tony, an Emmy and a Globe (all for “Angels in America”), among many other accolades. But a best actor Academy Award nomination for “American Fiction” — which many are predicting — would be his first Oscar nod.

“I don’t think it’s totally healthy to think about these things too much but they’re there, so one does. I guess if they’re handing these things out, yeah, sure, we’ll take them,” Mr. Wright says. “All in all, it’s pretty cool, I reckon.”

Mr. Jefferson, a veteran TV writer and former Gawker editor, wrote the screenplay to “American Fiction” with Mr. Wright in his mind. When he later met the actor for lunch to discuss the

“In thinking about him so early on the process, it’s dangerous because there’s a chance he’s going to say no and then I’d be heartbroken,” Mr. Jefferson says. “But I just really wanted to take a big swing. I knew he would be excellent in the role. I’ve always thought that Jeffrey has the capacity to be very funny. He’s known as this excellent dramatic actor, but I also think he’s a very funny guy.”

Directors have occasionally written with Mr. Wright in mind; Wes Anderson did for their first film together, “The French Dispatch.” But that’s rare.

“So I’ve got to make myself available in a lot of different spaces,” Mr. Wright says. “Being flexible as an actor has served me well.”

Yet there was something different about “American Fiction.” Mr. Wright is used to thinking that he’s bound to be fired from every project. (“It keeps the blood running,” he says, grinning.) But “American Fiction” felt uniquely comfortable.

“My perspective doesn’t entirely align with Monk’s, but certainly the frustrations that he encounters we share. What I was really drawn to more so than the social commentary ele-

The Centennial of

ments were the family dynamics, particularly the relationship with the mother,” says Mr. Wright, whose mother died the year before he read the script. “There might be an impression of this film being comedic and satirical but there’s a deep vein of simple humanness inside of it that I appreciated.”

Mr. Wright doesn’t quite ascribe to Monk’s ideas of racial identity. He describes his own outlook falling somewhere in between Monk’s and that of Sinatra Golden, a rival, levelheaded author in the film played by Issa Rae.

“One thing that Cord and I talked about was that Monk not be perceived as spouting the gospel, that he be flawed. We didn’t want to make this film a celebration of ‘the talented tenth,’” Mr. Wright said. “We wanted to be very careful that we, perhaps not he, not be perceived as classist. There’s some class arrogance within Monk that I try seriously to avoid.”

Mr. Wright, 58, was raised by his mother and aunt in Washington, D.C. (His father died when he was young.) They were, he says, the first college graduates in

their family. Just as formative to Mr. Wright was his grandfather, a Virginia farmer and waterman Mr. Wright describes as representing to him “what a man was to me in this world.”

“I’ve done very well but a generation back, it’s a much humbler way of life,” Mr. Wright said. “So I wanted to make sure our overall story was evenhanded and that Monk might have been in need of some evolution in his perspective.”

Mr. Wright attended private school, studied political science at Amherst College and briefly sought an MFA at New York University before leaving to pursue acting full time.

“I had the opportunity to walk through many types of rooms, in a variety of stations,” Mr. Wright said. “And it’s always been important for me to feel comfortable in any of those rooms but maintain the common touch.”

Steady as Mr. Wright’s ubiquity has been in film and television, his path, like Monk’s, has had its disappointments and sudden flushes of success. The births of his son (in 2001) and daughter (in 2005) diverted his focus. His

role in Michael Mann’s “Ali” also led to a prolonged African excursion trying to launch a gold exploration company in war-torn Sierra Leone.

“I at one point became kind of disillusioned by this business that I’m in,” Mr. Wright said. “There were some strange experiences that didn’t match what I envisioned for this work. And so I kind of drifted away.”

Mr. Wright never stopped working, but he only meaningfully reconnected with acting after finding similarly minded collaborators. To him, working with filmmakers like Mr. Jefferson has made all the difference.

“It’s nice work if you can get, but it can be a mess, too, if you get it,” Mr. Wright said, laughing. “It all comes down to who you’re working with.”

“American Fiction” is an adaptation of Percival Everett’s book “Erasure.” This “dramedy” was nominated for five Academy Awards, which include actor nods for Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown, Best Adapted Screenplay for Cord Jefferson and Best Motion Picture.

Spring Creek Baptist receives $1.25M grant

Free Press staff report

Spring Creek Baptist Church in Moseley has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help strengthen families through Christian home visitation. The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to help parents and caregivers share their faith and values with their children.

“The Christian Home Visiting Initiative is a program centered in embracing and sharing our faith with our children, said Dr. LaKeeyna Cooper, Spring Creek’s project director for the initiative. “We know that all learning begins in the home and parents/caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers.”

However, understanding how

to disciple our children may be extremely daunting or challenging for families, she added. “Families often question whether they ‘know enough’ or feel they have enough biblical knowledge to take on what can feel like a daunting responsibility.”

Dr. Cooper believes that parents and caregivers are well equipped and have the capacity to help their children have a whole and healthy spiritual life.

“As a church community it is imperative that all our families know and understand how to direct children in a way that help them see the value of a life walking with God,” she said. “To that end SCBC has created a program specifically designed to: Build strong relationships and partnerships with our Creek families, build our families capacity to create impactful spiritual practices with their family, and seek

feedback and guidance on how to better engage Creek families and create church programming that meets their needs.”

“The church is fundamentally about its people rather the physical structure,” said Kenneth D. Cooper, pastor of Spring Creek.

“Within this community, the family is acknowledged as a crucial pillar. Emphasizing the importance of family time, it is deemed primary and sacred, requiring careful protection, respect, and deliberate cultivation.”

Having served as Spring Creek’s pastor for five years, Pastor Cooper was instrumental in securing the Lily grant.

“The church seeks to establish a cultural environment where the significance of family is recognized and actively promoted, ensuring that family moments are upheld with reverence,” he said.

“It is my belief this grant was awarded for such a time as this when families need the spiritual support of the church within their homes,” said Dr. Cooper, who also is Pastor Cooper’s wife.

“This grant is transformational through its ability to model the

John Warren Jones III, owner of Church Hill Cleaners, remembered

Mr. Jones’ grandfather, John W. Jones Sr. and great-uncle, Cornelius A. Jones, established Church Hill Cleaning Works in 1931. Mr. Jones dedicated his entire working career to the family business, for which he became the owner after his father’s death.

Mr. Jones III died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, at age 59. He was born on March 27, 1964, to John Warren Jones Jr. and Virginia J. Jones.

Mr. Jones received his formal education in the Richmond Public Schools system, graduating from Marshall-Walker High School in 1982. He studied business at

Virginia Commonwealth University.

At an early age, Mr. Jones attended Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church, where he accepted Christ and served as an usher for many years. In September 1998, Mr. Jones joined The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, where he also served as an usher.

Mr. Jones loved fishing, being near the water, listening to music, and spending time with his family. He was a Washington Commanders fan. He also enjoyed meteorology and keeping everyone abreast of the impending weather conditions, according to family members.

“John was very kind and friendly with all. He was known for his infectious smile, wit, wisdom, and fun-loving sense of humor,” according to his obituary. “He

could always bring a smile to your face. Although John was quiet and reserved in many settings, those who really knew him well waited for the jokes to come! He was also very generous and his generosity spread throughout the community. John was willing to lend a helping hand to anyone and he never met a stranger. Part of his philanthropy included providing affordable housing to the underserved. On many occasions he opened the Jones residence to serve as a shelter for others in need.”

Mr. Jones is survived by his wife, Renee C. Jones; three daughters, Johnna Jones, Breanna Jones, KheOcia (Kia) Chavis; son Carlton Wilson; mother Virginia J. Jones; sisters Johnilyn Doswell and Teri Jones; brother Terence Jones and nine grandchildren.

Funeral services took place 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 2, at St. Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road. Interment was at Oakwood Cemetery.

missional work of Jesus through teaching, emphasizing love, extending compassion, and community engagement. Contemporary models of missions suggest relevant churches move beyond their walls of brick and mortar and faithfully move into the community where our sisters and brothers reside.”

Lilly Endowment is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company.

Lilly Endowment launched the Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative in 2022 because of its interest in supporting efforts to help individuals and families from diverse Christian communities draw more fully on the wisdom of Christian practices to live out their faith fully and well passing on a vibrant faith to a new generation.

Spring Creek Baptist Church is one of 125 organizations that have received grants though the Christian Parenting initiative. Many of the organizations are rooted in Black church, Hispanic and Asian Christian traditions.

Mr. Jones

Pins FIC.012539; FIC.012551.012556; FIC.012561; V.71.684.02; V.90.62 Pipes & fragments V.68.284.2 Pitcher FIC.006307 Plaster fragment OM.82.01-.02 Portrait miniatures V.71.636 Pot X.2022.45 Printing type & blocks FIC.012557.01-.02a,b; FIC.012558 Resin fragments FIC.007631; FIC.008336.008337; FIC.028037.028042 Rolling papers FIC.020440 Portrait bust V.90.24 Sculpture fragment FIC.002304a-c; V.88.158.01a-c; V.88.159.01a-c; V.88.160.01a-c Shirt studs V.92.57.21a,b-.22 Shoes FIC.006309-10; X.44.59; X.49.51.05; X.61.33.01, .04; X.62.12; X.2019.30.01-.03 Textile fragments FIC.002308 Tie Clip FIC.007649; FIC.007688.007700; FIC.007708; FIC.008319a-b; FIC.008330a,b-.008334a,b; FIC.008339a,b-.008353; FIC.008355a,b-.008359a,b; FIC.008361a,b-.008373a,b; FIC.008375-.008400; FIC.012225a,b-.012231a,b; FIC.012255; FIC.012506; FIC.012517; FIC.012542; FIC.028001-.028031; FIC.028033-.028034; FIC.028036a-b; FIC.028051.028056; FIC.032298; V.86.223.01a-t, .11a-b; V.88.153.03, .09, .11 Tobacco Boxes FIC.012260; FIC.008291; FIC.008294; FIC.008300.008318; FIC.08320.008328; FIC.008338; FIC.012237-.012254; FIC.012256; FIC.012262.012267; FIC.012488; FIC.028032; FIC.028035; FIC.028048; FIC.028057; FIC.028060; V.88.153.02, .12 Tobacco packs FIC.007562-.007621; FIC.007632-.007639; FIC.028047; FIC.028058 Tobacco pouches V.88.150.04-.07; V.88.151a,b; V.88.178.01.19; V.88.180.01-.09;

virGiNiA:

Thalbro Street Sidewalk Improvements

County of Henrico, Virginia

Notice of Willingness

The County of Henrico proposes constructing

of

the

side of Thalbro Street between Staples Mill Road (Route 33) and

Street to join with existing sidewalks in the area. Construction is currently planned to begin in April 2025.

Information related to this project includes the proposed sidewalk addition, project

and funding information which can be reviewed by appointment at the County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, 4305 East Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23228, Telephone: (804) 501-4687. Project information is also available online at the following address: https://henrico.us/projects/ thalbro-st-and-maywill-st-sidewalks/ County is willing to hold a public hearing. You may request a public hearing by sending a written request to Charley Sessoms, County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, Transportation Development Division, P. O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775, on or before March 22, 2024.

If a request for a public hearing is received, notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be provided.

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

If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or Sessoms at the above address or phone number or at ses016@henrico.us.

UPC: 117041

Project: VDOT # 9999-043-R76