Join us for Salon de Résistance on June 26 at Black Iris for an unfiltered conversation with Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi on how Democratic leadership is shaping Virginia’s future in a divided nation.
This is a free event, open to the public. Doors at 6pm. Conversation at 7pm.
In November last year, Democrats swept into power in Virginia with a victory that was decisive, uncontested, and unmistakable in its mandate. At the top of that ticket was Senator Ghazala Hashmi, now our 43rd lieutenant governor. She is a historic figure in the Commonwealth: born in Hyderabad, India, she is the first Muslim woman elected statewide in the United States and the first South Asian American to hold statewide office in Virginia.
But the lieutenant governor’s significance extends beyond the history she has made. A longtime educator and legislator, she is playing a key role in advancing Governor Spanberger’s ambitious agenda in the Virginia Senate, while remaining grounded in the progressive values that have long defined her politics.
That places her at the epicenter of an ongoing conversation about what governance looks like at a time when some of the defining questions of our generation are being decided right here in Virginia: the fate of democracy, the repair of a fractured nation, the fight for economic justice, and the role technology will play in determining who benefits from an uncertain future.
These are just some of the things we’ll talk about in a very special Salon de Résistance, where we’ll sit down with the lieutenant governor for a rare one-on-one conversation. We’ll focus on both the philosophical and the pragmatic, and how the bigger questions of leadership and public purpose intersect with the realities shaping our daily lives.
We need to talk about it
Virginia is the frontline, and the fault lines dividing the nation are being decided right here, right now. This salon is a chance to move past the news cycle and into the deeper logic of leadership, governance, and how power is actually used.
Your Guest
Ghazala F. Hashmi is the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. She was sworn in on January 17, 2026, in a historic moment for the Commonwealth. Lieutenant Governor Hashmi is the first Muslim woman to be elected statewide in the nation, as well as the first South Asian American elected to statewide office in Virginia, reflecting the Commonwealth’s continued progress toward a more representative and inclusive democracy.
Prior to taking office as Lieutenant Governor, Hashmi served in the Virginia State Senate representing the 15th District. First elected in 2019, she built a reputation as a thoughtful, effective legislator focused on strengthening public education, expanding access to affordable healthcare, protecting reproductive freedom, and advancing economic opportunity. During her tenure, she played a key role in securing historic investments in K–12 and higher education, supporting working families, and defending civil rights for all Virginians.
Lieutenant Governor Hashmi is focused on working with Governor Spanberger and the General Assembly to build a forward-looking Commonwealth: one that invests in education, protects fundamental freedoms, and ensures that every Virginian has the opportunity to thrive.
Your host
Landon Shroder, is the co-publisher and editor-at-large of RVA Magazine. He is also a foreign policy professional, communications strategist, journalist, and filmmaker whose career has spanned over twenty years across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe in the energy, defense, and security sectors.
His documentary feature The Soft Revolution, on the federal firings under DOGE, is set to premiere in late August, and his upcoming film Cosmic Echo, about the life and legacy of revolutionary jazz icon Lonnie Liston Smith, is currently in production. A former producer and journalist for VICE, he has written extensively on conflict, culture, and politics for outlets including Fair Observer, War on the Rocks, World Policy Journal, Chatham House, and, of course, RVA Magazine. He has also been quoted extensively in The New York Times on conflict in the Middle East.
Salon de Résistance unfolds in three movements: a convergence to begin, a conversation to spark, and a reflection to carry the ideas forward.
6:00pm: Convergence
Drinks and shared conversation, set to vinyl flips.
7:00–8:30pm: Conversation
A live interview then opening into questions and exchange with the room.
8:30pm: Reflection
Space to connect with our guests, develop perspectives, and imagine what comes next.
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