Tim Cywinski and I got coffee and a bagel at Abi’s Books and Brews a couple weeks ago. The Iran War had just started, and the weariness was behind both of our eyes. He impressed on me that he had some fresh ideas, a great legacy of accomplishments, and is in...
Booze, Bombs, and Backyard Politics
In an era of bombastic politics, incendiary rhetoric, and over-the-top political brinksmanship we often forget that the task of effective policy-making is a technical, deliberative, and sometimes exhaustive process that is measured in years, not months. Crafting meaningful legislation that genuinely improves our lives does not bend in the...
There’s an armor that comes from having a family history built on love and education. It engenders admiration amongst the very many who’ve had to make do with much less protection. You can gain stature that transcends the narrative of what the Black, or Brown, stereotypical experience is in America. You can escape the undercurrent of...
Here’s my conversation with Dr. Danny Avula, candidate for Mayor of Richmond VA. This completes the set of all my conversations with Richmond’s prospective Mayors for November 2024. One of these people is going to be leading the city next year. Who it’s going to be is ultimately up to us. I encourage you to compare and contrast them, but here’s a...
A proposed racial literacy requirement as part of VCU’s general education curriculum will not be implemented. In a 10-5 decision, the VCU Board of Visitors voted Friday to strike down the requirement, against the recommendations of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UUCC) and the VCU Office of the Provost. During a public...
The Greater Richmond Convention Center has undoubtedly experienced more prosperous times. The recent walkout by Virginia Commonwealth University graduates highlighted a series of declining events in Richmond, marked by police confrontations during protests and the Governor's contentious measures on education. Before entering the building, a sign...
On Monday in Monroe Park, protesters gathered to march to the Richmond office of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine. This demonstration occurred one week after the police raid on a protest for Palestine on the VCU campus just a block away. The march included a number of VCU students as well as Zaid Mahdwai. Mahdwai was arrested outside of a...
On Wednesday afternoon at 3:00pm in City Council Chambers, City Council will vote and approve the plan presented by the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to allow the city to issue $170 million in bonds to pay for the new baseball stadium on ten acres that will be surrounded by about 57 acres of new development built out over the...
On October 15, 2018, Abigail Spanberger exploded into Virginia politics with one of the all time great debate closers against Tea-Party Republican, Dave Brat. With a visceral proclamation, she declared: “I am not Nancy Pelosi… I am not Barack Obama… Abigail Spanberger is my name!” As much as a crowd could go wild at the Culpeper Chamber of...
