This story was originally published in Virginia Pride Guide 2025. Virginia Pride Festival 2025 is presented with the support of Out RVA, Allianz, Hit Play, Virginia Lottery, CarMax, Bank of America, CoStar Group,...
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The Rise of an Epidemic: Opioids, Their Impact on Virginians, and Efforts to Combat the Growing Crisis
Kim grew up on the west end of Richmond, a young girl with big blue eyes living in the nice part of town -- bad things didn’t happen to girls like her, not in the suburbs. By 14, though, she had started experimenting with weed and alcohol. As a freshman at Hermitage High School, Kim moved onto bigger and better drugs. Forget her school colors of...
Didn’t Fight the Good Fight at Thanksgiving Dinner? Try the Game, “Push Trump off a Cliff Again”
For those who survived Thanksgiving with conservative parents, racist uncles and aunts, and the all-around political calamity that comes with bringing disparate generations together in close proximity, we give you Push Trump off a Cliff Again. The web-based game is an emotional solution for those lingering thoughts, feelings, and concepts you...
Anthropology, Politics, and The Science of Understanding One Another
Located in the back storage room of her basement lab, Dr. Amy Rector has a cabinet of anatomical wonders, including a significant collection of human skulls, which she uses to teach anthropology at Virginia Commonwealth University. The skulls have been donated and handed down to VCU; fragile and delicate, they come complete with missing teeth and...
Mountain Valley Pipeline Sues 300 Landowners for Their Property Under Eminent Domain
In the wake of the gubernatorial election, the developing Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) projects continue to be a major environmental and political controversy as Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC has now sued over 300 landowners for eminent domain of their properties. While this lawsuit was not a surprise to...
Democratic Women Prevail Over Republican Opponents, Make History in Virginia Elections
A ray of light beamed through the gray clouds of politics this week; not only did 14 Democrats get elected to delegate seats, but 11 of them were women. Of those 11 women, seven of them come from minority groups, bringing a level of diversity to the General Assembly which has never been present before. These women ran on issues ranging from...
Governor-Elect Northam Holds First Press Conference After Last Night’s Victory
Governor-Elect Ralph Northam held his first press conference this morning in the Patrick Henry Building on Broad Street, after a resounding victory that saw him beat Republican challenger Ed Gillespie by almost nine points. In a room packed with journalists, state-employees, and well-wishers, Northam struck a conciliatory tone, claiming that he...
Northam Wins in Democratic Sweep of Virginia
Following a blowout victory, Ralph Northam will be the next Governor of Virginia after a Democratic sweep of the Commonwealth. It’s the conclusion to a contentious race dominated by negative advertising and messaging, focused on anxieties about immigration, race, and crime. This tidal wave of blue across Virginia has not been seen since...
Richmond Turns Out for Governor’s Race
RVA Mag hit the ground running at 6 a.m. this morning to take the temperature of Election Day throughout Richmond. Richmonders expressed strong support for Democrats and a great concern for the future of the Commonwealth. “I think the Democrats have changed in a lot of ways with what they say and how they act,” said Church Hill resident, Gloria...
Marijuana, Drug Wars, and The School-to-Prison Pipeline: Time to Right a Devastating Wrong in Virginia
In this year’s gubernatorial debates, Confederate monuments came up time and time again. Such a singular focus seems strange, considering that all the candidates in this election have essentially the same position on that issue - leave the decision up to local residents. But because it is a culture war issue, it commands attention. One candidate...
