Richmond Folk Festival Spotlight: Mary and The Classroom Instrument Band
We sat down with Mary Anderson, also known as My Music Mary and the founder of My Music Starts Here, to explore her journey and how she arrived at this point in her career. Anderson, along with the Classroom Instrument Band, will perform at 1:45 pm on Saturday, October 14, at the Richmond Folk Festival […]
Richmond Folk Festival Spotlight: Eric Stanley Wants You to Stay Inspired
Richmond Folk Festival Spotlight – Eric Stanley Eric Stanley, a multi-talented professional violin player and composer, is performing on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Richmond Folk Festival. Stanley will perform at 1:45 pm on the Family Stage presented by JAMinc, a nonprofit that is run by a group of dedicated volunteers devoted to the […]
Would You Trade Places?
“Would you trade places with a Black person in this society?” This question, posed to a group of white women in the documentary Deconstructing Karen, is cause for a pause. As the question reverberates, it’s clear that this is a very different kind of dinner party. Candles are lit and wine poured as guests gather […]
Long Live Gallery5: 18 Years of Inspiring Creative Communities
In the heart of Historic Jackson Ward sits the iconic structure of Virginia’s oldest firehouse, Steamer Company No. 5. In present day, the building is the home of Gallery5, an award winning, visual and performing arts center, and community gathering space. For 18 years, Gallery5 has diligently served the region with its mission to facilitate, […]
Dear Richmond Community Journal’s New Home
Shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic began, the Richmond Grid team quietly worked with the James River Park System to hide an old mailbox in a secret spot in the park as part of a journal writing experiment. Initially located near a granite cliff covered with ivy, the vintage mailbox became home to the “Dear Richmond” […]
Empowering Others Through SPEAK
Siyona Singh, a senior at Douglas S. Freeman High School, doesn’t shy away from an opportunity to speak. And she’s on a mission to make sure others don’t either. Not long ago, Singh, who is a student at the Specialty Center for Leadership, Government, and Global Economics at Freeman High School, stepped onto the stage […]
19th Annual Happily Natural Day is This Weekend
Happily Natural Day, an annual festival that was founded in 2003, features music, workshops, guest speakers and a vendor marketplace. Most of all, this dynamic event promotes love and pride in being of African descent. Festival attendees can participate in workshops, lectures, and shop the marketplace for one of a kind art, jewelry, body and haircare […]
Body Arc: Creating a Welcoming Space for Art and Fitness
Body Arc, a queer owned private gym in Richmond, sits at the intersection of art and fitness. Here, movement is an art and every body is welcome to participate. Richmonders who frequent Body Arc focus on building strength, health, and wellness independent of traditional definitions of beauty. And they do it in a welcoming space […]
Memory Wars: A Podcast That Looks Outside of Our Borders to Learn Lessons
Mallory Noe-Payne, Virginia Public Radio IQ’s Richmond bureau chief, and Michael Paul Williams, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, have launched “Memory Wars,” a podcast examining race and prejudice. The new podcast was inspired by Mallory’s Fulbright grant funded residency in 2021 that provided an opportunity for her to listen deeply to people’s […]
Ash + Chess Partner with Skittles and GLAAD to Celebrate PRIDE MONTH
Richmond based stationary company Ash + Chess, run by queer and trans couple Ashley Molesso (she/her) and Chess Needham (he/him), is being celebrated by Skittles in celebration of Pride Month throughout June. Skittles selected the two to design one of five limited-edition, Skittles candy bags as part of its annual PRIDE Pack released during Pride […]