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Personality: Wonnease Rhone

Spotlight on 5 Loaves founder and executive director

For as long as she remembers, Wonnease Rhone has provided food — particularly hot soup and sandwiches — to people in need.

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Personality: Todd B. Waldo

Spotlight on Better Housing Coalition board chairman

When Todd B. Waldo moved to Virginia in 2002, he wanted to establish a life and home to work with students at Hampton University while continuing his career as a touring musician. Ten years later, another calling arrived when he discovered the work of the Richmond Better Housing Coalition.

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Personality: John S. Finn Jr.

John Finn is the first African-American to hold the association’s top volunteer post and brings leadership diversity to an organization with a diverse membership.

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Personality: Sandee Smith

Spotlight on chair of 9th Annual Unity Ride for Sickle Cell

On a day like any other, Sandee Smith sat at her desk when her friend and soror in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority came by with news that deeply affected Ms. Smith.

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Personality: David O. Harris Jr.

Spotlight on advocate who spearheaded effort to honor Arthur Ashe Jr.

David O. Harris Jr. is the driving force behind renaming the Boulevard in Richmond for Arthur Ashe Jr., the late Richmond native who made his mark on the tennis court and on the world stage as a civil and human rights advocate and philanthropist.

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Personality: Jake Rowell

Spotlight on LiftPD’s board president

In 2020, Jake Rowell found inspiration to help an underserved part of the Richmond community.

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Personality: Kathey B. Stone

As parents around Richmond prepare for the holidays by purchasing gifts, scheduling mall visits, tapping into savings and sharing holiday cheer, Henrico County resident Kathey Bacon Stone will be in Whitehouse, Jamaica, giving the best gifts of all — time, opportunity and love.

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Personality: Daryl V. Fraser

Spotlight on president of the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers

The National Association of Black Social Workers was started 50 years ago because a group of African-American social workers didn’t feel the needs of black families were being adequately addressed by the field’s largest professional organization that was largely white.

Gerrymandering is a ‘political fix’

Gerrymandering in Virginia has taken away any value my congressional vote may have had otherwise. This is because election districts have been redrawn by political design by one party or the other to create an overwhelming number of voters of that same party.

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Help available for stutterers

For the student who stutters, the beginning of the school year is a time fraught with anxiety and doubt.

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Coach Willard Bailey reaches mountaintop – Black College Football Hall of Fame

An old sports writer phoned Coach Willard Bailey last week to interview the winningest football coach in the CIAA about being selected for the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

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Personality: Christie W. Rasberry

Spotlight on Richmond Public Schools 2016 Teacher of the Year

Christie W. Rasberry comes from a family of educators

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Personality: James H. Lewis Jr.

Spotlight on 2014 Astorian of the Year

The Henrico County resident was recognized for his service to the community and within the 113-year-old Richmond men’s club, whose mission is to promote “higher moral, intellectual, civic and social standing.”

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Personality: Jeree M. Thomas

Spotlight on inaugural winner of the youth justice Emerging Leader Award

Jeree Thomas believes in doing whatever she can to help her clients live more successful lives. The attorney with the JustChildren program of the Legal Aid Justice Center in Richmond provides counsel for children and represents them at special education and public benefits hearings.

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Personality: Melissa Hagerman

Spotlight on volunteer Richmond chair of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s

In 2002, Melissa Hagerman found herself at a crossroads following the death of her mother, whose experience with Alzheimer’s disease, in her words, slowly took her away from her family.

Why Morrissey has black community support

RE “Morrissey should ‘stay out of the public eye” letter to the editor, June 4-6 edition: A Richmond newcomer questioned black political support for Joe Morrissey. The gentleman asked, “Why does Joe Morrissey seem to have such support in the black community?”

Kudos to The Comfort Movement

Re “Collecting comfort items for children separated from parents,” Free Press Nov. 22-25 edition: I saw the article posted recently about The Comfort Movement project led by the Free Press’ Cynthia Downing, who is collecting stuffed animals and donations to give to families who have a loved one who is incarcerated through the Assisting Families of Inmates program.

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‘A mind is a terrible thing to waste’, by Venson Jordan

As a boy growing up Black in America, I remember that there were a few TV advertisements that spoke directly to me. The most memorable was the United Negro College Fund. The words rang in my head like the bells of truth. The heavy, articulate voice would say, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

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‘Don’t believe everything you read ... in the Richmond Free Press’

Re “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,” Free Press Aug. 12-14 edition, and “Vacancies hurting Richmond’s emergency operations,” Free Press Aug. 26-28 edition:

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All workers need paid sick days, by Sarah Milston

In Virginia, we currently have no law requiring employers to offer paid sick days for their workers. This means that working Virginians aren’t guaranteed the right to earn paid time off based on the hours they work.