Change Agents

Pamela Reynolds | Community arts leader

Of course, there have been changes [over the past 40 years]. Some we should be proud of and some we should not be proud of, as a city. I will let others decide, but I think we can agree COVID has affected all our lives.

I am hopeful that I have, with the help of people more talented than I, helped to make Richmond and the commonwealth a better place. We need to look back and say thank you, as we look forward, to those who are no longer with us that helped to make a difference. Of course, without Style Weekly and other [publications] nothing would be possible, for ideas only stay ideas without them.

I especially enjoyed Ed Slipek and his coverage of the arts and architectural and I think the Power List always created lots of attention and conversation.

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Style Weekly: How has Richmond changed over the past 40 years?

Jim Ukrop: We’ve gone from a traditional Southern city to a city that’s much more inclusive now. I think this all has to do with how the separation from the African American community and the white community [used to be].

One of the biggest differences was – 40, 50 years ago – it was a community run by the white community, and now it’s obviously become a much more inclusive city, where people are valued more by their actions and their words than by the color of their skin.

Where would you like to see the city move forward?