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Personality: Joye B. Moore
2023 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic Region 2023 winner for Best Peach Pie in the Country by American Pie Council
Joye B. Moore’s recipe for sweet potato pie was handed down from the women in her family going back to her great-great-great grandmother, Susan Mae Howell.
Personality: Mollie S. Reinhart
Spotlight on founder of Befriend
With COVID-19 still a clear and present danger, building and maintaining human connection can be difficult. It’s a need that Mollie S. Reinhart and the orga- nization she founded, Befriend, seek to address.
Influential African-Americans who died in 2022
They were literary giants, luminaries of stage and screen, and masters of their chosen professions – be it music, sports or fashion. Most are famous, a few are notorious. Yet they all profoundly impacted their fields of endeavor.
Personality: Alexander L. Taylor Jr.
Spotlight on Military Retirees Club fundraising chair
In 2022, retired Army Col. Alexander L. Taylor Jr. committed himself to a different kind of military service. A trial attorney, Mr. Taylor joined Richmond’s Military Retirees Club during its 50th anniversary celebration in June.
Personality: Brenda W. Johnson
Spotlight on president of Top Lady Clubbers
Brenda W. Johnson says the golf bug first bit her when a sorority sister from Delta Sigma Theta invited her to take up the sport when she lived in Michigan. “She says, ‘Let’s learn how to play golf,’ ” Mrs. Johnson recalls. “I looked at her as if she was crazy. But we moved ahead anyway and started lessons. We both had very young families at the time, so we didn’t play often.”
Personality: Diana H. Garland
Spotlight on Richmond ambassador for USA Pickleball Assoc.
One of the fastest growing sports involving a court and a net is not tennis or badminton. It’s pickleball!
Personality: Martinez Kelley
Spotlight on board chairman of Atlantic Outreach Group
More than a decade ago Martinez Kelley saw the beginnings of the Atlantic Outreach Group, which eventually led to his path in community service.
Personality: Janis Allen
Spotlight on the board president of Historic Jackson Ward Association
In a time of increased attention, discussion and potential change for Jackson Ward, Janis Allen is doing her part to make sure its history and legacy are preserved. As the newest board president of the Historic Jackson Ward Association, she is tasked with a mission that is both culturally important and deeply personal.
When Freedom Came, Part 2
The Free Press presents a series chronicling the black experience during the liberation of Richmond in April 1865 and the end of the Civil War.
Personality: Julie E. McConnell
Spotlight on the MRWBA’s 2018 Women of Achievement Award winner
Julie Ellen McConnell has always fought for the rights of the underprivileged and underserved — first as a public defender and now in defense of children in the court system. She was honored recently for her efforts as a legal advocate.
Metro Richmond area will host numerous events for Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African-Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African-Americans.
School success
Carver Elementary teamwork fosters rewards for students
“We take an all-hands-on-deck approach to educating our children.” That’s how George Washington Carver Elementary School Principal Kiwana Yates enthusiastically describes the full community involvement approach she and her staff utilize.
Advocacy groups bracing for change
President-elect Donald Trump pledged during his campaign to “Make America Great Again” by building a wall between the United States and Mexico, nationalizing stop-and-frisk policing, banning Muslim immigration, de-funding Planned Parenthood and dismantling federal policies, including environmental protections.
Personality: Bianca Stewart Williams
Spotlight on board president of Dress For Success Central Virginia
Whether it’s finding profes- sional attire for a job interview or receiving a guiding hand to stay employed, Bianca Stewart Williams is making sure area women are well-equipped and prepared for the world of work. Ms. Williams has been lead- ing Dress for Success Central Virginia as its board president since 2018, bringing to the community the not-for-profit organization’s mission of em- powering women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of sup- port, professional attire and development tools to help them thrive personally and professionally. “Thousands are disadvan- taged and need resources to gain employment and economic status,” Ms. Williams says. “Our purpose is to offer long- lasting solutions that enable women to break the cycle of poverty.” Ms. Williams joined Dress for Success in November 2015, three years after the Central Virginia affiliate was started. She says she was a client at first. After being displaced from her job, she volunteered helping women with suit fittings and started using the organiza- tion’s Career Services program, which provides help with career coaching, résumé reviews, job searches and interview practice. She landed a new job, and from that point, Ms. Williams says, Dress for Success has been “near and dear to my heart.” Currently, Dress for Success Central Virginia operates from 210 E. Clay St. in Downtown. But Ms. Williams wants to find a building the organization can
Personality: Kathryn B. ‘Katie’ Ricard
Spotlight on president of the William Fox Elementary PTA
Kathryn Baum “Katie” Ricard is looking to turn an outpouring of support in the wake of an unexpected, catastrophic event into an opportunity for education in Richmond — and a fulcrum for community unity.
Personality: Anthony Bryant
Spotlight on Downtown Neighborhood Association president
As Richmond’s growth spurt continues to attract new businesses and residents, Anthony Bryant wants to guarantee that the community’s interests aren’t left behind.
Personality: Dr. Charles L. Shannon III
Spotlight on state chair for anniversary of Million Man March
Dr. Charles L. Shannon III sees himself as a man on a divine mission
Petersburg’s legendary basketball coach Carl Edward Peal dies
Moses Malone was among the players he helped shine Benedictine’s Starlings heads to Chapel Hill
Carl Edward Peal, perhaps known best as being Moses Malone’s basketball coach at Petersburg High School, died Thursday, May 16, 2022. He was 94 and living in Richmond.
George Wythe High School replacement may get new life with expected announcement
City Hall is poised to move faster to replace George Wythe High School in South Side, the Free Press has learned.

