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Richmond 7th District School Board race
For Broderick, the key is organizing priorities for limited resources; Burke attributes success on board to experience, engaging the community; Robertson seeks to expand ESL classes, trauma-informed care for RPS students
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’A Strange Loop’ earns a leading 11 Tony Award nominations
“A Strange Loop,” Michael R. Jackson’s critically cheered theater meta-journey earned a leading 11 Tony Award nominations Monday as Broadway joined the national discussion of race by embracing an envelope-pushing Black-written and Black-led musical.
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Aird defeats Morrissey
Winning 13th Senate District, November’s general election likely a shoo-in
Call it a special birthday present. Just two days before turning 37, Lashrecse D. Aird celebrated in advance Tuesday by putting an election whipping on maverick Democratic state Sen. Joseph D. Morrissey in their head-to-head contest.
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Foremost wishes for 2021
With the start of 2021, the Richmond Free Press invited select city and state officials and leaders to share their foremost wishes for the new year. Following are their responses.
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Jury still out
After a year on the job, Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith has not won over many officers or residents either through style or substance
A year ago, Gerald M. Smith was introduced to the city as an “innovator” and a “reform-minded change agent” as Mayor Levar M. Stoney introduced him as Richmond’s new police chief.
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Personality: E. Martin ‘Marty’ Jewell
Spotlight on board chairman of Cannabis Equity Coalition of Virginia
In a time of growing econom- ic instability for marginalized communities, E. Martin “Mar- ty” Jewell sees an opportunity in a new industry for Virginia’s minority population and he is determined to seize it.
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Red Lip Theology: Candice Benbow’s love letter to Black women in the Black church
Candice Marie Benbow came to be a theologian by way of the death of Whitney Houston, who she considers “the ultimate church girl.”
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Catholic group pushes expedited sainthood for 6 African-Americans
BALTIMORE The process of recognizing saints in Catholicism is so arduous that it can take generations, even centuries, to complete, but even the usually slow-moving Catholic church can accelerate matters when it wants to. In the cases of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Pope John Paul II, for example, church officials waived a five-year waiting period after their deaths to get the process started. Now a group of Baltimore Catholics says it’s time to expedite the cases of six other heroes of the faith. Parishioners of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, a predominantly African-American congregation in the East Baltimore Midway neighborhood, and the two other churches in its pastorate, Historic St. Francis Xavier and St. Wenceslaus, seek to make the case that the church should immediately canonize six Black American Catholics. The candidates include Mother Mary Lange, a Baltimore nun who started and ran a school for Black children during the era of slavery.
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The renaissance wasn’t just a concert tour, by Errin Haines
We have just witnessed the Summer of the Black Woman.
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47 acres and a dream
Developer seeks to expand family’s legacy in Tappahannock with housing for seniors, workers
Business is in Shiree Monterio’s blood.
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Personality: Paula McCapes
Spotlight on board chair of Underground Kitchen-Community First
Philanthropy runs in the family for Paula McCapes.
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Personality: Helivi L. Holland
Spotlight on president of Old Dominion Bar Association at its 75th anniversary
Helivi L. Holland knew at a young age that advocating for justice was her passion. “I was willing to verbally challenge others, including the teachers, when I felt someone was being unfairly treated. That started around second grade,” she said.
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Playing the ‘Trump’ card
Richmond pastor of church in bankruptcy endorses billionaire despite controversial remarks
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Personality: Bessida C. White
Spotlight on Virginia chair of Genealogical Society’s conference
Bessida C. White says she began researching her family genealogy in 1984.
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Personality: Lindsey N. Shavers
Spotlight on Jack and Jill Mid-Atlantic Teen President
It’s hard to believe Lindsey N. Shavers finds enough hours in the day to fulfill all her leadership responsibilities. The senior in Henrico High School’s International Baccalaureate program was a human dynamo this summer, wearing many leadership hats.
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Personality: Roslyn C. ‘Roz’ Tyler
Spotlight on new chair of Virginia Legislative Black Caucus
Delegate Roslyn C. “Roz” Tyler of Sussex says she has always wanted to help people. Since 2006, the 56-year-old has represented a district in the House of Delegates that runs from Dinwiddie County to Emporia and Isle of Wight County.
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Personality: Ginna Cullen
Spotlight on VAEA 2016-17 Art Educator of the Year
When Ginna Cullen was an art teacher in Louisa County Public Schools, she noticed one student’s ability to beautifully cornrow hair and challenged her student’s skill for a final exam.
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Personality: Doris Walker Woodson
Spotlight on Maymont House Benevolent Society Award winner
Doris Walker Woodson was reluctant when asked to be the community outreach coordinator for Maymont’s project to tell the story of the people who worked as domestic servants for the Dooley family that built and owned the 100-acre Richmond estate from 1893 to 1925.
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Va. loses a freedom fighter
Jack W. Gravely, who led the fight for civil rights as head of the Va. NAACP, dies at 72
Jack W. Gravely was the definition of outspoken. He never hesitated to speak his mind about issues affecting the African-American community. The son of a coal miner, he led the charge for civil rights during two separate stints as executive director of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, most recently in the past year.
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Owners seek return of Maggie Walker papers
Eight years ago, curious students from the College of William & Mary stumbled across a treasure trove of documents hidden in the attic of a vacant building in Gilpin Court.
