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Summer Academy offers students lessons in leadership, public service
Richmond high school and college students can gain political skills and knowledge during the upcoming Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service. The academy runs from Sunday, June 23, to Saturday, July 6, and is organized by Policy Pathways Inc. The program will be hosted in partnership with the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
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Virginia universities announce graduation dates, speakers
College graduations start throughout Virginia in the next two weeks, with thousands of students receiving their diplomas and taking their hard-earned knowledge out into the world.
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Herbs Galore descends on Maymont
Maymont’s Herbs Galore plant sale event on Saturday promises that herb lovers will find everything they need to freshen up their gardens. The fun occurs between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Carriage House Lawn, 1700 Hampton St.
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State employees get free admission to VMFA’s ‘Samurai Armor’ exhibit
Commonwealth of Virginia employees and preschool and K–12 teachers (public and private schools) will receive free admission to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ new exhibition “Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller.” Active duty military personnel and their immediate families also will receive free admission to special exhibitions through the museum’s year-round participation in the Blue Star Museums program.
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Students to compete in History Day at VMHC
Virginia students in grades 4-12 are preparing to compete at the 50th annual Virginia History Day competition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture April 27-28.
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Virginia NAACP files lawsuit against governor
The NAACP Virginia State Conference filed a lawsuit with the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond on Monday against Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Office for violating the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
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Fashion, fun and more
Richmond Fashion Week will celebrate the region’s thriving fashion and creative industries starting April 22-28.
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State NAACP serves governor’s office with intent to sue for violation of FOIA
The Virginia State Conference of the NAACP served Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office with a notice of intent to sue for violation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (“VFOIA”), Va. Code §§ 2.2-3700 et seq. The notice was accompanied by a copy of the lawsuit the Virginia NAACP intends to file detailing the governor’s failure to produce any records responsive to the group’s request for public information sent on August 31, 2023.
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Pharrell Williams project to film in Virginia
An untitled Pharrell Williams feature film from Universal Pictures will film throughout Central and Coastal Virginia this spring and summer, according to Virginia’s governor’s office.
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VisArts hosts Richmond Poetry Fest
Richmond Poetry Fest, hosted by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VisArts), will return for its second year April 12-13. The free two-day event will include workshops, vendors, readings and activities for poets and artists of all ages.
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VMHC to offer free citizenship classes
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s “Becoming Citizens” program returns this spring, offering 100% free citizenship preparation classes to help prepare people for taking their citizenship test.
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Group hosts free pre-law conference for high school students
Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization will sponsor the iLead Law & Leadership Conference, a free pre-law workshop for high school students on Wednesday, April 10 from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Moot Court Room at the University of Richmond School of Law.
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VSU hosts high school robotics championships
Virginia State University’s College of Engineering and Technology will host the 2024 FIRST Chesapeake District Robotics Competition Championship April 4-6.
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Conservancy acquires land for Richmond Slave Trail
A partnership between the City of Richmond and the Capital Region Land Conservancy has led to the acquisition of 4.5 acres of land along the James River to continue the Richmond Slave Trail.
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Mayor Stoney’s $2.9B budget
‘We are stronger than we’ve ever been’
In delivering his 2025 City of Richmond Budget speech yesterday, Mayor Levar M. Stoney praised his budget team for “working tirelessly year-round to ensure our financial house is in order.”
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Gov. Youngkin is VCU commencement speaker
Gov. Glenn Youngkin will be Virginia Commonwealth University’s spring commencement speaker on May 11.
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Meet the new kids at Maymont
Maymont welcomed three baby Tennessee domestic goats to Maymont Farm just in time for spring.
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Black History Museum receives $300,000 grant
The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia has received a two-year, $300,000 grant from The Anne Mullen Orrell Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee. The award is to support the BHMCC’s general operating expenses, enabling the museum to continue its mission to preserve and promote the rich history and cultural heritage of African-Americans in Virginia, according to a museum news release. “We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious grant from the Anne Mullen Orrell Charitable Trust, facilitated by Bank of America. This grant underscores the importance of the museum’s mission to collect, interpret, and celebrate the inspirational stories of Vir- ginia’s Black history & culture,” said Shakia Gullette Warren, BHMCC executive director. “Through education and storytelling, we demonstrate that Black history is part of our collective American story,” she added. “By providing support for the museum’s overall op- erations, the Trust allows us to continue our work through our exhibitions, educational and community programs, events, and other initiatives.” To learn more about the BHMCC, please visit https://blackh- istorymuseum.org/.
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Elegba Folklore Society welcomes Kenyan delegation
The public is invited to Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center on Tuesday, March 26, at 6 p.m. to “Meet the Maasai.” Chief Joseph Ole Tipanko, Cicilia Seleyian and Kilenyi John Parsitau are visiting Richmond from Maasailand in Kenya, and they will share with attendees the indigenous history of the Maasai along with their evolving stories split between Kenya and Tanzania as a result of both British and German colonization.
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All Henrico Reads features for ‘Wild’ memoir discussion
All Henrico Reads, Henrico County’s long-running literary event, will return Thursday, March 28, with bestselling and award-winning author Cheryl Strayed discussing her 2012 memoir “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.”
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