Swing high // Fahdor Rivers, 6, provides some brotherly love and a big push for his 2-year-old sister, Zinai Brooks, who gleefully glided back and forth on the toddler swings at the Carter Jones Park on Perry Street in South Side. The youngsters’ mother, Ashley Brooks, was close by with a watchful eye

Abby Klein creates a work of art Friday atop a storm drain on Tredegar Street near Brown’s Island as curious passers-by watch her progress. She is one of five artists selected by the Richmond Department of Public Utilities from 55 for the first phase of the Storm Drain Art Project. Ms. Klein’s work is titled, “You drop it, I drink it.” The other four artists who are painting drains along Tredegar Street are Alfonso Perez Acosta, Nicole Gomez, Melissa Greedy and Richard Lucente. The city is paying a commission of $300 to each artist and later plans to award a $200 prize to the artist whose work the public votes as their favorite. The project was set up as a fun, creative approach to educate the public to keep the drains free of litter and not use the drains to get rid of oil and other toxins that could pollute the city’s waterways and, ultimately, the James River into which storm water flows.

Elephant ear plant in Church Hill

Celebrating Maggie L. Walker’s 152nd birthday // Festive balloons greet Brandon Clark and other guests who attended the “Sharing Our Stories” 152nd birthday celebration last Saturday honoring the late banking pioneer Maggie L. Walker. The event recognizing Mrs. Walker, the first woman in the nation to charter and run a bank, was held by the National Park Service at the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site in Jackson Ward. Above, Ranger Patrick Clark leads a tour of her home for visitors during the celebration, which included an oral history booth for people to share their memories of Jackson Ward and what Mrs. Walker means to them

Celebrating Maggie L. Walker’s 152nd birthday // The event also included a recognition ceremony for high school students who completed the Maggie L. Walker Summer Youth Leadership Institute and a discussion of the film “Black Wall Street: The Money, The Music & The People,” led by filmmaker Rebekah L. Pierce.

Linking with Cuba // Gladys Abella, right, with the Martin Luther King Center in Havana, Cuba, is assisted by translator Claudia De La Cruz of the IFCO/Pastors for Peace as she discusses life in Cuba under the U.S. trade and travel embargo. She spoke during a July 7 meeting at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in the East End that focused on links between Cuba and Africans. Her visit was organized by the African Awareness Association.

Promoting leadership // Former Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux, right, is greeted by Dr. Delta R. Bowers, president of the Richmond Metropolitan Area Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Dr. Malveaux, an economist and author, was the keynote speaker for the organization’s national leadership retreat held June 22 through 25 at a Richmond area hotel. More than 200 women from across the country attended the retreat, which focused on the organization’s advocacy efforts in health, education and economic empowerment.