Editor’s note: This is an op-ed. The views belong to the author and not necessarily RVA Magazine. We publish opinion pieces to spark conversation, share perspectives, and give space to voices in our community. by Jacob Sherrod Richmond’s zoning code, the policies...
When the 45th President of the United States says that it is a “very scary time for young men in America,” he is blatantly discounting the fact that it is always a very scary time for women - young and old - in America. I have more than 100 students in my anthropology classes this semester, and the reality is that nearly 25 percent of them will...
Should circuit court judge Brett Kavanaugh be appointed to the Supreme Court, the lives of women throughout the U.S. will change, starting with the court being overshadowed by a man who clearly has a proclivity for lying about sexual assault, straight through to the great Republican fantasy of repealing Roe v Wade. And at the center of this whole...
About nine months ago, I was applying for a scholarship to Capitol Debate’s American University residential program. I didn't know what to expect, but was interested in the central goal--to encourage public speaking and debate. In a fortunate coincidence, though, I spent time this summer researching a topic that would be central to my experience...
Update: Legalize Virginia has been rescheduled to next week, starting Sept. 18. Last week the Board of Pharmacy Ad Hoc Committee met to determine which companies will be the first to be able to open medical cannabis dispensaries in Virginia. Yes, they met behind closed doors. And no, the current law is not enough. But that doesn’t change the fact...
Anthropology is the study of humans, and what it means to be human. Given its interweaving lenses, you cannot study humanity without inevitably diving into the interplay of biology and culture. Because being human is both: We are biological organisms and products of evolution, just like any other species on the planet, yet we are the only species...
Dockless scooters: Oh, the outrage. Oh, the pearl-clutching. Oh, the incredulity. This story would be equal parts comedy and tragedy if not for the actual tragedy of two mid-major cities feigning outrage that these scooters are an affront to the decent folks of the Commonwealth. Fact check, they're not. Welcome to the gig economy. Welcome to the...
Bike shares have never been more popular in America. But even as national programs see record numbers of riders, Richmond’s RVA Bike Share seems completely stalled, and a major expansion is on an indefinite hold. Bike sharing first rolled onto Richmond’s streets to dazzle visitors during the 2015 UCI Road World Championships as part of a larger...
As a journalist, the Remote Area Medical clinic in Wise, VA, was an event teeming with stories and lives waiting to be uncovered. But as a sociologist, it was a textbook case of yet another rural community suffering from systemic disenfranchisement. Global and national forces have trapped the communities within Southwest Virginia in the cycle of...
Progressive yard signs are visible throughout my neighborhood of Church Hill, declaring "Black Lives Matter" and "Hate Has No Home Here." Those signs help to foster a sense of community; there’s comfort that comes from feeling that our neighbors are interpreting this moment in our country in similar ways. However, there is a danger of mistakenly...
