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Personality: Tyra Hayes Beaman
Spotlight on Fulbright and Rangel fellowships recipient
Long before Tyra Zuri Hayes Beaman graduated with honors from Spelman College in May 2016, she was working toward becoming a U.S. foreign service officer by studying abroad in Argentina, Uruguay, Haiti and South Africa.
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Personality: Lamont Bagby
Spotlight on chair of Virginia Legislative Black Caucus
Delegate Lamont Bagby takes his work seriously.
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Personality: Darrell Tyler
Spotlight on Richmond Heritage Federal Credit Union board chairman
Darrell Tyler firmly believes that material advancement in society is nearly impossible without a financial institution’s backing or involvement.
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Capital of compassion
Mayor Stoney’s upbeat agenda: Increased home ownership, public safety, enhanced learning
As he launched his seventh year in office, Mayor Levar M. Stoney painted a rosy picture of a thriving city “filled with promise and hope ... and purpose” Tuesday in delivering his State of the City address.
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Personality: Sylvia Clute
Spotlight on The Alliance for Unitive Justice president
When former trial attorney Sylvia Clute read the book “A Course in Miracles” in 1987, her concept of justice shifted.
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Personality: Darius A. Johnson
Spotlight on Medical College of Virginia Foundation board chair
Darius A. Johnson says the heart of who he is as a person can be traced to his parents, Jerome J. Johnson and Roslyn A. Johnson, and his sister, Leslie N. Johnson.
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Personality: Viola Baskerville
Spotlight on co-founder of Save Richmond Community Hospital Work Group
In just over a month, Viola Baskerville has become front and center in an important aspect of Richmond’s Black history.
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Personality: Christian P. Dundas
Spotlight on volunteer coordinator of Hoops for Health
Christian P. Dundas says he came up with the idea for a 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament at the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club in Church Hill three years ago when he was playing recreational basketball. It was about the same time the NCAA Tournament, known as “March Madness,” was underway. “It dawned on me … why not our own version of March Madness at the club?” Mr. Dundas recalls thinking. He suggested the tournament for sixth- through eighth-graders at the club at 3701 R St., where he serves on the advisory council. Mr. Dundas says Dick Guthrie, also a member of the advisory council, suggested adding a community health festival to the tournament. Hugh Jones, the club’s executive director, rubber-stamped the idea and asked Mr. Dundas to organize the first event. The rest is history.
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Personality: Marie Drexler Kolendo
Spotlight on new CEO of Greater Richmond Alzheimer’s Association
Marie Drexler Kolendo knows first hand the devastating toll that Alzheimer’s disease takes on afflicted individuals and their loved ones.
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Personality: Antonio ‘Toby’ Mendez
Spotlight on sculptor of the Maggie L. Walker statue
Antonio “Toby” Mendez did not know much about Maggie L. Walker when he first began working on the statue that now stands at Adams and Broad streets in Downtown Richmond. But as the process of making the statue progressed, he learned more about her life and works.
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Personality: Kyron Copeland
Spotlight on co-founder of Urban Cycling Group
When restrictions to help curb the spread of the coronavirus began in Virginia, concerns arose about the need for exercise for people with certain medical conditions and those looking to maintain their health. The Urban Cycling Group has built a unique niche in these uncertain times, guided in part by co-founder and executive director Kyron Copeland.
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Personality: Duron Chavis
Spotlight on Resiliency Garden project leader
Hundreds of raised garden beds distributed throughout the region, ready to house healthy crops. Hundreds more in de- mand by residents in Richmond and its neighboring counties. And potentially hundreds of new urban farmers, ready to work and serve their communities at a time of great need.
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Black clergy memorialize the dead; ask gov’t. to address disparities
The Rev. Frank Williams has been so busy leading two black churches in the New York borough of the Bronx that he hadn’t really considered the full extent of COVID-19’s impact on his congregation, his family and his community.
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New Henrico schools diversity chief ready to push change
Monica Manns keeps certain books within arm’s reach of her desk at the Henrico County Public Schools central office.
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Personality: Bunny Sumner Young
Bunny Sumner Young’s journey with service animals started when she was a teenager. “I was 14 years old when I was diagnosed with a heart condition. And at 17, I had a doctor that recommended that I get a service animal because I was on eight to 11 medications for my heart,” she recalls.
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Personality: Dr. Harold C. Sayles
Spotlight on the Veterans of Foreign Wars national chaplain
Thursday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day, a time when the nation pauses to honor those who have served the nation. Dr. Harold C. Sayles, who was elected during the summer as the 122nd national chaplain of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, plans to commemorate the day by attending the 65th Annual Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial at 621 S. Belvidere St. in Downtown.
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Personality: Malik and Annette Khan
Spotlight on RPEC’s 2017 Peacemakers of the Year
For decades, Malik and Annette Khan have worked to build bridges between the Muslim community and others in the Richmond community.
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Goodnight, sweet Prince
Fans in the Richmond area and around the world are listening to their favorite Prince songs, watching his iconic movie “Purple Rain” and partying like it’s 1999 in memory and honor of the pop icon who died Thursday, April 21, 2016, in his hometown of Minneapolis.
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Personality: Amia Aaryn Graham
Amia A. Graham, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, has the distinction of graduating as the top student in Richmond Public Schools with a 4.9677 GPA.
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Personality: Terrence L. Graves
Spotlight on president of the Richmond Bar Association
The Richmond Bar Association is always striving to increase the diversity of its membership, says Terrence L. Graves. The 54-year-old attorney with Sands Anderson PC can make sure that happens now that he’s in charge.
