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Richmond For The Win: From Making Ads To Making Change

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In the midst of an extremely difficult year, increasing recognition for Richmond creative organizations like The Martin Agency, Arts & Letters Creative Co, and VCU Brandcenter have shown the rest of the world what locals have long known — that Richmond is one of the top creative cities the US has to offer.

In a dark year, Richmond’s creative scene is shining bright. 

A triple threat success from The Martin Agency, Arts & Letters, and the VCU Brandcenter has strengthened Richmond’s status as an epicenter for creativity.  

It’s no exaggeration. For the first time in over a decade, The Martin Agency has been awarded Adweek’s U.S. Agency of the Year, one of the highest accolades in the advertising industry. Newcomer Arts & Letters ranked #5 of Fastest Growing Agencies in the World, along with being named one of the Top 50 Best Places to Work in the U.S. And the VCU Brandcenter reported a record 26 alumni who contributed to 18 different Super Bowl commercials this year, solidifying the school’s reputation as the preeminent graduate program for creative problem solving. 

The achievements are remarkable given the backdrop of a global pandemic, a politically divided nation, and a resurgence for social justice. While many have been simply trying to survive, Richmond’s top creative entities have found a way to thrive.

According to Adweek, Martin was the only agency finalist to report double-digit growth this year. The agency won nine new accounts and created work for over 90 percent of their clients, involving 400+ productions. Kristen Cavallo, Martin’s CEO, attributes the success to a conscious decision to invest. 

“We played offense. The choice was intentional and required nerve,” states Cavallo. “In 2020, lots of things were in flux – this was true regardless of your industry or business model. If you didn’t harness the wind, you missed the lesson.”

Their core investment: People. Specifically, people who spanned a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, beliefs – and yes, genders and races. In total, Martin welcomed 70 new hires, including 50 percent BIPOC talent.

“In nearly every study, diversity in leadership results in higher profits and engagement,” adds Cavallo. “It doesn’t matter whether you are a feminist, equalist, or capitalist, it’s to your benefit to change the way you run your company… Moreover, it’s riskier not to.”

The Martin Agency has been awarded Adweek’s U.S. Agency of the Year, one of the highest accolades in the advertising industry. Above, the agency’s leadership team. Photo courtesy of The Martin Agency.

Martin didn’t waste any time in their efforts to “Fight Invisibility.” Beginning at the top, they comprised their leadership team of 63 percent females and 38 percent people of color. They overhauled their candidate interview and talent onboarding experience to center the individual, rooting out exclusive aspects like language, bias, and hiring manager expectations. And in agency-wide conversations, they consistently spoke up around racial reconciliation, white supremacy, and injustice against Black and Brown Americans. 

“We force ourselves to be honest with ourselves, no matter how much bravery it requires,” states Abu Ngauja, Martin’s Associate Director of Talent & Culture. “Honest in our capabilities, in our weaknesses, in our ambition. We cannot be a place that lies. Our bar is too high.”

In short, Martin has become a living, breathing case study for a commitment to overdue structural change in advertising and beyond. 

“We were not awarded Agency of the Year because we were lucky,” states Cavallo. “We built ourselves for growth. Diversity, by race, gender, and thought is a not-so-secret ingredient. We made it a priority three years ago.”

Indeed, when Cavallo assumed leadership, alongside Karen Costello, the first female Chief Creative Officer in Martin’s 53-year history, the agency’s evolution began. In an industry notoriously known for being a boys’ club, having two women at the helm of Martin’s new chapter was a powerful, visible change. One of the first actions taken was conducting an internal audit of salaries to correct the wage gap and enforce equal pay. 

For me, the transition was personal and poignant – not only because it was taking place in Richmond, but because Costello, a highly accomplished, well-respected industry leader, was my former creative director and mentor at Deutsch LA when I first started out in advertising. Having a big ad star, not to mention one of few female CCOs, in little RVA was proof our humble city was making headway. 

In August, Martin celebrated another milestone with the appointment of Danny Robinson, the agency’s first Black Chief Creative Officer, following Costello’s return to Los Angeles. Having been with the agency for 16 years, Robinson attests to the progress they’ve made. 

“I am so proud of the work we’ve done this year,” states Robinson. “But I am even more proud of the way we did it – with impatience and perseverance, and with support and belief in each other.” 

Arts & Letters ranked #5 of Fastest Growing Agencies in the World and was named one of the Top 50 Best Places to Work in the U.S. Above, the growing portrait wall of current employees. Photo by Mel Calabro.

Like Martin, Arts & Letters credits much of their success to people – employees, as well as client and production partners. 

In 2017, Arts & Letters opened as a small agency in Scott’s Addition. Founder & Executive Creative Director Charles Hodges, once a former Creative Lead at Google, retained the tech titan as a client, and later acquired ESPN and NBC News. With the increased work, the agency grew. This year, it doubled in size, expanding to a second office in Shockoe Bottom, with the majority of people starting remotely. 

“For the most part, we’re really a group of strangers who recently met and have had to come together in a very real way to navigate extremely challenging circumstances and find a way to still move forward,” states Hodges. “Our motto has always been ‘We’ll figure it out,’ from when we were eight people to now 145. As people, as companies, as communities, we’re all a work in progress. We’re excited that we have the chance to build something.”

Hodges believes Richmond plays an integral role in bringing that vision to life. He intentionally chose The River City as the agency’s headquarters for a variety of reasons – among them, the vibrant creative community and incomparable quality of life. 

“People can do major market work with global impact, but not live in a major market,” explains Hodges. “This allows people to really build their career around their life, instead of their life around their career. It’s an important distinction that we think would have been hard to find anywhere else in this part of the country.”

No doubt about it, Richmond is on the radar of top agencies, brands, and tech companies looking to recruit the best graduates coming out of the VCU Brandcenter. In 2018, Richmond native Vann Graves returned to his hometown to serve as the Brandcenter’s fourth Executive Director. 

“Richmond isn’t the same city that it was 20 years ago. The community has really rallied behind its arts district, food scene and the vast array of outdoor activities. It’s a cultural hub and a desirable place to live,” states Graves. “Plus, with the growth of employment opportunities – yes, at top-tier advertising agencies, but also at smaller creative shops, or major companies like Capital One, CarMax, Dominion, and SunTrust — Brandcenter alumni can build a challenging and rewarding career right here.” 

Richmond is garnering attention as a small, affordable city with a high quality of life. Above, locals enjoy the popular happy hour on the lawn at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in pre-pandemic times. Photo by EVERGIB.

Caley Cantrell, Professor of Strategy and Creative Brand Management, agrees. “I believe RVA is absolutely right up there with what would have once been considered the only places to work: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and LA. Richmond has a stellar advertising reputation wrapped up in an affordable and enjoyable city.” 

“More and more people are seeing the wisdom of living in a smaller market,” states Tom Scharpf, Professor of Creative and Brandcenter alum. “You don’t need to live in a big city to do big things. Martin has been proving that for decades, but back then, they were the exception. A lot has changed.”

The VCU Brandcenter (formerly the VCU Adcenter) opened its doors in 1996 and quickly gained recognition as one of the leading advertising and design programs in the country. Today, it continues to successfully prepare its students to work for some of the world’s biggest, most influential brands, all while adapting to a constantly evolving industry – even amid a global pandemic.

This year, the school launched three new endowed scholarships in support of a more diverse industry and maintained diversity and out-of-state numbers in its enrollment. Over the past two years, there’s been a 73 percent increase in diverse students, specifically more BIPOC and females.

“I think the Brandcenter has done a great job recruiting strong, diverse candidates,” states Ashley Sommardahl, Director of Student Affairs and Industry Outreach. “We need to work on raising more scholarship funds to help support them because we know that the biggest barrier to attending is the financial commitment.”

In addition to a focus on diversity, VCU Brandcenter Professor and Creative Director KT Schaeffer (also an alum) believes the school’s ongoing success can be attributed to the program’s multi-faceted approach to learning.

“We hold this polymathic view and know, based on experience from our faculty, staff, and alumni, that you don’t wear just one hat in your future job(s),” explains Schaeffer. “There are Strategists who shoot and edit films. Copywriters doing cinema 4D. Creative Brand Managers learning Adobe Illustrator. That crossover learning makes our students better creative problem solvers.”

The Brandcenter is one of 20 colleges, schools, and centers that make up the greater Virginia Commonwealth University, one of the nation’s premier urban, public research universities. Among a host of impressive rankings, VCU, Richmond’s largest employer, reports that 40 percent of its alumni opt to live and work in the city.

The VCU Brandcenter offers a two-year master’s program across five concentrations including art direction, copywriting, strategy, brand management and experience design. Photo by Rocket Pop Media.

Clearly, Richmond is doing something right. 

And yet, we always have been. For years, everyday Richmonders have been working to help this city come into its own. You can see their efforts in our incredible street murals, artisan stores, craft breweries, top-notch restaurants, and buzzing entrepreneurial scene. Creativity abounds.

Like many, I believe Richmond has always been creative, but its potential has yet to be fully realized by the rest of the country – in some cases, not even by the people living here. 

Finally, there is an awakening. Richmond is becoming known, not merely as a backdrop for creativity, but the inspiration for it. Our history less of a burden, and more an impetus for change. Just look to the events this summer. 

Amid BLM protests rising up and Confederate statues coming down, Richmonders got creative. 

One of the highlights was the transformation of the Robert E. Lee Memorial into Marcus-David Peters (MDP) Circle, an extraordinary graffiti-laden sanctuary dedicated to victims of racial violence and police brutality, created by the people of RVA. The reclaimed space received nationwide press and the iconic projections by artists Dustin Klein and Alex Criqui landed on the cover of National Geographic, putting Richmond front and center – no longer the Capital of the Confederacy, but of creativity. 

For Richmond transplant R. Anthony Harris, it’s been a long time coming. He believes we’re seeing the final stages of the city’s 15-year rebrand. He should know. Back in 2005, he instigated Richmond becoming RVA when he founded this publication. 

“RVA Magazine has always been a platform for creative and progressive thought in Richmond,” states Harris. “I am proud of what we have accomplished, with limited resources, for so long by encouraging everyone to be proud of who they are, the way they live, and how they work.” 

Like countless others, Harris has played a significant role in the city’s evolution through tireless work and an aspiration to be part of something greater than himself. That collective desire to shape, influence, and move our city forward, particularly in the face of a complex, fractured past, is exactly why Richmond and its people are so special. 

“There is an opportunity for Richmond to become a model for what a truly great city looks like,” states artist Noah Scalin. “That comes in part by supporting the creative community that already exists within its borders. We have no lack of talented, driven people who are great problem solvers here. They just need to be given the space, trust, and resources to do their thing.”

An image of George Floyd is projected on the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee at Marcus-David Peters Circle, a community gathering spot created earlier this summer. Photo by EVERGIB.

This year alone conveys the ambition of Richmonders. Along with the creation of MDP Circle, locals took action in other ways. Nonprofit arts center Studio Two Three led the charge on a variety of programming aimed at uplifting the voices and visions of RVA artists. Among the initiatives, History is Illuminating, a series of recontextualized signs on Black history in Richmond, and For as Long as Such Images are Needed, an exhibition in partnership with the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at VCU. 

Artist Hamilton Glass developed Mending Walls, a public art project bringing together RVA artists from different cultures and backgrounds to create murals around racial and social justice. VCU Alum and digital strategist Altimese Nichole, partnered with nonprofit Girls For A Change to launch a scholarship opportunity for local African American youth. Photographer Tania del Carmen created #OnHoldAtHome, a photo series raising awareness on community challenges during the pandemic. And Tim and Lauren Barry turned their home into the Billboard House, featuring dynamic projections that reminded Richmonders, even those in suburbia, to get into good trouble. 

“Richmond is a creative hub,” says Lauren Barry, who works as an art director with event management firm, Markham. “The city has always been buzzing with creative energy – it’s one of the reasons we decided to put down roots here. You can’t escape art and creativity in Richmond.”

It’s true. And when Richmond’s creative worlds collide, amazing things happen. Such is the case when Martin tapped Scalin earlier this year to collaborate on an initiative to promote their client Old Navy. The national retailer planned to donate $30 million worth of clothing to families affected by COVID-19. The end result was a time-lapse video featuring Scalin in action, applying one of his signature techniques to create a large-scale portrait of an American family made entirely out of Old Navy clothing.

“It drew a ton of national attention not only to Scalin’s work, but to The Martin Agency and [innovation studio] SuperJoy,” states Amanda Russell, Co-Founder and Creative Director of motion graphics studio, Cream. “I love that they are choosing to highlight our city and the talent within, rather than hide from it.”

Director Adam Dorland of Quirk Gallery believes that Richmond is gaining attention by companies embracing and encouraging local artists. “Having organizations like The Martin Agency, Arts & Letters, and VCU’s Brandcenter based in Richmond promotes the idea that artists and creatives can make a life for themselves here.” 

“Richmond is exploding,” says Jason St. Peter, Founder & Creative Director of Think branding and creative agency. “And much of the credit is due to the creative minds here who influence positive change every day.” Cabell Harris, Founder & Creative Director of WORK Labs, agrees. “I always say create work you love, with people you like, in a place you want to be.” 

“The Journey Forward” is part of Mending Walls, a community project created by local artist Hamilton Glass that aims to facilitate dialogue and foster empathy through public art. Photo by Katrina Boone.

Richmond is definitely a place people want to be – and return to. 

“I spent six years with Martin and fell in love with the city,” states Executive Producer Scott Friske of animation studio Hue & Cry, who recently moved back, having spent over 20 years of his career in Los Angeles. “The success of these three organizations puts Richmond in the conversation with towns like Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas, where you see a concentration of creative output.” Additionally, Richmond has retained its unique identity – an asset that has helped, rather than hinder, its growth. 

“Richmond truly seems to be experiencing a turning point in creativity,” says Macy West, Partner & Executive Producer at Mad Box Made. “There is a grit that has always run through RVA’s veins, but it is coming to the forefront, rather than only being the ‘underground’ movement.”

Executive Producer Melanie Cox says her company, Spang, was purposely built around working with agencies like Martin and Arts & Letters, as well as the innumerable other creative shops in town. “We designed our studio and edit suites to be an extension of creative agencies, a place where they can work, enjoy creature comforts and continue to churn out strong ideas,” she states. “The fact that Martin was founded in RVA and has chosen to stay in RVA has spawned work for an entire production community to flourish.”

J.L. Hodges, Partner & Creative Director of Overcoast Music + Sound says that people know they don’t need to leave Richmond to get extremely high quality work. His company applies a “locals first” approach as well. “Although we work with a global network of writers and composers, a large part of our talent pool is based right here in Richmond,” states Hodges. “We love that we are in a position to provide opportunities for the ‘home team,’ so to speak. We have always been proud ambassadors for Richmond.”

Danny MacNelly, partner at ARCHITECTUREFIRM, the local team behind the design of Arts & Letters’ new office space, states, “As a small business trying to do work in Richmond, we are amazed at what these groups are doing. Not amazed that the talent is here, but just in awe of their ability to create and communicate and attract some of the biggest clients anywhere to our town and keep them coming back. They are driving this city forward.”

After all we’ve endured in 2020, the concept of moving ahead – making progress, as well as an impact – feels strangely promising. Because let’s be honest, not everyone can look back on this year and feel successful. For many Richmonders, especially artists, entrepreneurs and small, minority- and women-owned businesses, this year has been a serious challenge.

Virginia Repertory Theatre is just one of countless creative organizations, along with local artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses, that will be relying on community support in the coming year. Photo by EVERGIB.

“My hope is that Richmond continues to work and thrive from within,” states Jolinda Smithson, Owner of Shapes & Colors and host of CreativeMornings Richmond. “That people decide to work, live and play here… found businesses, rent or buy their houses here, send their kids to local schools, and participate in local organizations.” She admits that Richmond is not always the easiest place to live, but feels optimistic seeing it grow and shift in positive ways. 

Unlike major cities, Richmond’s relatively low cost of living also allows people freedom and opportunity to take more risks. But for the success to continue, “Richmond needs governance and economic development that preempts, promotes, and supports this growth with smart planning strategies,” states Kristin O’Connor, Owner & Executive Producer of RainMaker Studios. She wants to see responsible development and the right support from local government to further advance the community in its many diverse districts, small businesses, and large corporations.

Justin Bajan, Co-Founder & Creative Director of ad agency Familiar Creatures, believes Richmond has become a viable and respectable spot to continue or start a career. “My hope for the future is that the growth and success of Martin and Arts & Letters is just the beginning of what’s to come here. That the great talent within those walls don’t use this town as a stepping stone, but instead stays in town and builds more agencies with individual flavors and capabilities. Agencies that reflect the independence and boldness you see all throughout Richmond.”

Having grown up in Richmond myself, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it had changed after being away for 12 years. When my husband and I moved back in 2014 to start our creative studio, EVERGIB, what stood out most to us were the people – other local entrepreneurs and organizations who took time to offer us guidance and advice; who became allies, colleagues, and friends. After living in big cities like New York and LA, it reminded us about the importance of community. Looking out for your neighbors, as well as lifting them up.

The recent achievements of The Martin Agency, Arts & Letters, and the VCU Brandcenter are undoubtedly a collective win for our city, as are their efforts behind increased diversity, equity, and inclusion. But critical to the city’s ongoing evolution is a commitment to continued investment in Richmond and its people.

As we enter a new year of possibilities, let’s remember that we’re all working to build something special here. 

Together, we can make it happen.

Top Photo: The Martin Agency leadership team. Photo courtesy of The Martin Agency.

AARNxBRWN: The Prodigal Son

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Recording artist and producer AARNxBRWN dropped a new video and has a new album on the way. His musical journey over the summer coincided with a quest to find himself and justice for his people through protests and activism.

Before this summer, rapper/producer Aaron Brown, known to the music world as AARNxBRWN, didn’t consider himself an activist. But when protests started around the murder of George Floyd and people began taking to the streets to demand justice, Brown joined in. He wound up with a megaphone in his hand and a new way of thinking about his music.

Photo by LOSINGMYEGO

Since releasing his debut album, GHost, in 2019, Brown has built a reputation for his melodic production and expressive sound, as well as his dynamic lyricism. But his participation in the protests, where he marched alongside thousands of Richmonders for several weeks, made him want to record something as a means of expression. He produced the beat for his single, “Value,” and wrote the first verse after the first week or two, and returned to finish the track around a month in. 

“I finally felt like I had enough information and enough experience and enough of a story to finish,” Brown said. 

LOSINGMYEGO, a self-described “one woman multidisciplinary creative studio” and Brown’s friend, shot footage of the protests night after night using her phone and a Moment lens, unbeknownst to Brown. When he finished “Value,” she asked to make a video for the song. 

“When I finished the song she was like, ‘I need it, give me the song,” Brown said. “She put together this crazy video with all these shots I didn’t even know she had.” 

The end result is a powerful representation of the summer’s struggles. The black and white shots cut quickly from scene to scene, lingering in striking moments of visual symbolism — a fist raised in air filled with tear gas, a burning flag, masked protesters perched on the sides of the monument at Marcus-David Peters Circle. Between biting, emotional verses, Brown reminds his listeners, “know your worth / know your value.”

For Brown, knowing your worth means knowing who you are and what you deserve. He isn’t content to settle only for what bureaucracy and systems of injustice deem feasible. 

“A lot of the older folks and people were like, this is how you do it I guess, one small step at a time, and we just need to keep trucking along,” Brown said. “I think my mentality was like, I’m really tired of just piecing together equalities for us.”

Brown knows he’s new to the work of activism. His experiences in the protests and working with justice causes now have changed the way he thinks about his music, but for him, it still comes down to his talent for putting what he experiences into words and beats. It’s just that now, his subject matter is slightly different. 

“This is the first time in my life where I stepped out into the thick of something that was national, international attention,” Brown said. “A lot of my music is influenced, because I’ve been in new spaces and I’ve learned so much about my own culture and my own standing in America … It’s made my music more impactful, I think. It’s truer to me.”

Photo by LOSINGMYEGO

Taking risks has become a central theme of Brown’s upcoming album, Save Me I’m Drowning, which drops November 6. He talks about a kind of inspired urgency — a willingness to jump in the water and ignore others’ fears. 

“Now it’s like there’s a fire under my ass,” Brown said. “There’s a single off of the album … the whole concept is almost like a prodigal son story, the idea of going away and ‘jumping into water’… Taking that risk, whatever it is — whether it’s a social risk or a life risk or whatever that thing is — and people being scared of you taking that risk.”

In order to learn, the prodigal son had to leave, Brown explained. Even if it meant making mistakes, he could only gain and grow by venturing out before returning home. 

“He had to go away to get enough wisdom to understand that everything he needed was home,” Brown said. “At some point of time he had to take that jump.”

Photo by LOSINGMYEGO

For Brown, the future is all about risking dangerous waters to emerge as the person he needs to be — a prodigal son seeking justice for all. 

You can pre-order Brown’s upcoming album, Save Me I’m Drowning, at Bandcamp, where you can also hear a two-track preview of the album.

Top Photo by LOSINGMYEGO

Op-Ed: Busted At The Circle

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An anonymous protester tells the story of how they got arrested at Marcus-David Peters Circle, and reveals the essentially random and arbitrary nature of police enforcement throughout Richmond’s summer of protest.

It never hurts to show up with a case of beer, so I stopped at Lombardy Kroger on my way to the Circle and picked up some Blue Moons and a box of popsicles — both in response to the festive mood dancing through the air. That morning, the mayor had announced the resignation of our ten-day-old police chief, and while many understood the dense sociopolitical tactics implied with the decision, most celebrated the occasion as well. A Friday night at the top of summer will always carry with it feelings of excitement and reward.

I pulled my bike up to the normal spot at Marcus-David Peters Circle and recognized a few familiar faces in the soft afterglow of dusk’s light. The sun was just setting, leaving only about 30 minutes until full darkness and the cover that comes with it. At that moment, the sky shimmered with raspberry-lemonade tones and watermelon-marshmallow clouds. Around the turn of the Circle, a free concert was underway, made possible with just a microphone, a generator, and a few amps. We doodled with spray-paint or attempted freestyle tricks on our fixed-gear bikes as we sipped beers and mused on the day.

We were all rocking on the obvious cookout vibe, but we were tentative as well; we weren’t completely relaxed. We’ve seen things at the Circle turn from lax to chaos before, in only a second and for no reason at all, and we know it can happen again. When you’re facing an enemy that has full control over the definitions of combat and legality, it’s OK to feel nervous.

For the moment though, it’s good vibes and sunshine. And while our conversations dance around the protests, the police, police brutality, human rights, the mistakes of the generations before us, and our determination to fix those mistakes, mostly we just talk about Richmond. It’s hard to explain Richmond to someone who hasn’t stayed here for any amount of time. Richmond is like an oasis that’s also a black hole. Richmond is the place you’re trying to get out of, and also the place you can’t wait to be back in. Richmond is the place you think you deserve. Richmond is where a lot of us feel most at home, but it’s a home that needs sweeping renovations. 

As we expounded on the failures and accomplishments of the capital city, more and more of our friends arrived, skidding to stops at the periphery of our claimed area and increasing our settlement size. It’s easy to dominate a space when everyone arrives with a bicycle, and in our group it’s pretty much a necessity to show up with some wheels. Besides a general interest in protesting the state, bicycles have been the strongest common factor throughout the ragtag group of friends that I’ve been meeting with near-daily since the brutal murder of George Floyd at the end of May. 

Some of these friends, like Zach (our stoic, de facto captain of the group who seems to know everyone in town) and Twist (our resident artist and Big Wheel extraordinaire), I’ve known for a while and originally met because we were biking in the same parts of town. But others, like Maria (badass girl with a Wide Bars/Big Heart combo) or Rory (no fixie yet, just a road bike, but well-loved for his reputation of generosity and hilarious braggadociousness), I’ve only spent real time with since the protests began. All in all, there’s about 12 of us that have formed a little posse of itinerant protesters. Every summer brings with it something new, but something about the revolution marching down the streets had this summer feeling particularly seismic. And something about all that “newness” in the air made me feel like a kid again. 

Soon, a few men in assault rifles and military vests approached us, seeming threatened by their own lack of acceptance and camaraderie, reflected against our group of laughing friends.  

“Is this your tent? This tent’s gotta go!” one man began, unwilling to exchange pleasantries. 

“It’s not our tent but we don’t think it should go,” a few people responded. “That tent is covering a free community library.”

“Well, when the cops get here this is going to make them upset, and they’re going to come in here and destroy it anyway,” the man said. “So I’m just saying y’all should take it down before I come back with a few other guys with rifles and take it down myself…. because we don’t want the cops to come!”

Photo by Eric Everington

“You can do whatever you want, man, but we’re not going to take down some tent that isn’t ours just because you think the cops might come,” said our friend Marco, who’s always good for a giant smile and a fat joint. “And also, that whole theory doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.” He punctuated this last part with a tip of his head and a swig of his beer.

The man grumbled to himself and walked away, returning ten minutes later with his aforementioned rifled goons, as well as a lady that doesn’t really seem to fit in with them. 

“This lady owns the library so we’re getting her to take it down,” the man said, directing his speech towards our group for no apparent reason other than to start a conflict. He was clearly oblivious to how antithetical his aggressive, commandeering attitude was to the entire idea of the community space that is Marcus-David Peters Circle… or maybe he was just an asshole. Regardless, he was a blatant intimidator, and unless we’re talking about Number 3 (RIP), there’s just no room for that inside the Circle. 

We ignored whatever the guy was trying to serve to us and kicked back, but soon he was back again with an even larger group, now forcefully encouraging everyone to exit the interior of the Circle, under the assurance that “the cops can’t touch us if we aren’t in the Circle.” It’s hard to say no to a group of men with large guns in their hands, so the group was largely succeeding in their attempts to push people out of the area. Our group, though still not completely understanding or agreeing with the logic of the move, followed suit, packing up our blankets, beers, and popsicles. 

Not five minutes after the entire populace of the Circle had been cleared out of the area surrounded by graffiti-covered barriers, officers in riot gear began to arrive, just as the man earlier had “predicted.” Predicted! *Hmpf*! Predicted, or called down? Because I reckon it’s a hell of a lot easier to predict the future when you’ve got a direct line to the chain of command. I also reckon that the only person who would come up and complain about the tent covering up a free library would be someone who knew that the cops were coming that night, whether they had a reason to or not. 

Photo by Darrell Booker

And, of course, there was no reason that any amount of police officers, let alone 50+ outfitted in full riot gear, should have appeared that night. No reason for a city to sic a militarized pack of baton-wielding goons on its own people. No reason why the citizens of Richmond could not have just been left to be: listening to music, drinking beers, talking with friends. These were the crimes we committed before being attacked that night. 

As police announced to the crowd that the surrounding area had been declared an “unlawful assembly,” tempers began to flare — on both sides. Rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades sliced through the air, as chants and screams rose from the civilians. Suddenly, the space felt like a war zone, a battle with what seemed like completely lopsided enemies. On one side stood line after line of grown men adorned in battle armor, helmets, and shields. Some held assault rifles or guns meant for firing rubber bullets and smoke canisters; all wore heavy, polished, steel-toed boots. On the other side stood men, women, children, and pets equipped with nothing more than their wallets, sunglasses, tank tops, and shorts. Some held bottles of water for extinguishing smoke, others had gloves on for tossing tear gas canisters away; all wore a sense of fear, anger, confusion, and determination on their face.

These Richmonders, who had done nothing more than to enjoy the public space of their city, would not be deterred so easily. A feeling spread through the crowd: we would not be punished unjustly tonight. If we were going to have to face the consequences of merely existing in the street, then we weren’t going down without a fight.   

The ranks of G.I. Joe pretenders slowly increased their perimeter, pushing citizens further and further from the reclaimed art space at the epicenter of the Circle. Soon, we stood in the middle of Park Avenue, a block from Monument Avenue, and still we were being told to “back up” and “get out of the street,” by both Richmond Police and Virginia State Police. It seemed the boars with badges would not be content until they had claimed the whole neighborhood as their own Draconian hang-space. 

When my friend Mo shined his flashlight toward a group of suspicious looking officers, he was swarmed upon by a particularly dorky looking VSP officer.

“Whoah! Hey! You got lights for this bicycle here?” the officer asked, taking strides closer and closer to us, hand on his hip. 

“Two, actually!” was Mo’s response, as we all flipped our bikes around to put some space between the officers and ourselves. “You’re not gunna get us on some shit like that!” He shouted over his shoulder as we pedaled up the street towards a safer space. “Ya dumbass cop!”

With some distance between the commotion and us, we regrouped. Mo, Maria, Zach, Ryan, Rory, and I squadded up at a park only a block away. 

“Shit’s wild.”

“What even started this?”

“Oh, they’re definitely mad about the chief resigning.”

“I saw someone get hit right in the face with a rubber bullet.”

“Fuck!”

“I saw a couple kids with paint guns shooting at the cops, I think that’s what started it all.”

“I mean, the cops started it all when they showed up…”

“AGREED!”

Photo by Nils Westergard

Looking behind him, Rory said, “This car coming up is an unmarked cop car; anyone want to see where it’s going?”

“Let’s do it,” I said. 

And we took off, the two of us darting after this beefy-looking tinted black SUV, keeping close but keeping our distance. 

After a few blocks Rory turned to me and said, “They aren’t going anywhere interesting. Let’s head back.” We reversed course back towards the way we came. 

Coming back up towards the intersection where we left the rest of our friends, I can’t say that anything felt particularly off, though it did seem a little quiet; not a simple quiet but a stifled one. 

As Rory and I made our way through the shadow left in the space between two light posts, we heard, “GRAB HIM!” and a hidden mass sprang from the darkness. I watched as Rory’s bike found the space between the charging homunculus and a row of cards and skirted through it successfully, just as the same cop changed direction to tackle me off my bike (FUCK!). The goon leaped into the air as gracefully as an anemic hippopotamus, and tackled me off my bike with the ease of a drunken uncle at Thanksgiving.

“All right, big guy, you got me! You can chill out,” I said to the panting officer, who was shoving my arms into positions not familiar to them, restraining my non-resisting body with the help of three or four buddies. “I appreciate all the attention, but it’s really not necessary.” 

“It’s for both of our safeties,” the stormtrooper said to me without looking at my face, instead holding his nose high with eyes darting around the perimeter like some cracked-out hound-dog. 

“Oh yeah, I bet,” I said, laughing a little. “Hey man, you having any fun?”

The officer just grunted.

“Aw, c’mon man, what’s your name?”

“Officer Harris.” Still no eye contact.

“Hey, officer Harris, you having any fun out here? It’s ok to have fun; I’m having some fun. Are you having fun?” 

Officer Harris shifted his weight from one foot to the other, rolled his tongue across his upper teeth, and said out of the side of his mouth, “Yeah, I’m having a little fun… but you guys are making it hard for us out here.”

“GROSSSSSSS!” I say laughing from the pit of my stomach, “Oh, Officer Harris, we’ve got real problems. I can’t believe you just said that.” And I continued to laugh as this confused cop looked down on me, still zip-tied at his feet. I was beyond affable at this point, due to the insane amount of adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream, and while the fear of this cop and his gang of buddies crossed my mind, I figured if I was in for a penny, I was in for a pound. Being arrested for protesting the police force already put me in a vulnerable position, and I figured the policeman’s image of me couldn’t be altered much in the short time we were interacting with each other. But I wanted to say one more thing before Officer Harris cast me aside as some wanton rioter.

Photo by Erin O’Brien.

“I hope you don’t think I’m just some white punk, some revolutionary with no cause. I’m fighting for what I believe in, protesting with love in my heart. And I sleep well every night, Officer Harris. Do you?”

“I try,” Officer Harris said with a giant sigh as he put me in a cage in the back of a van. 

“Now, watch your head.”

This piece was submitted anonymously by a protester who was arrested this summer. All names have been changed. Though the protester’s case has since been dismissed, and they are no longer being prosecuted by the City of Richmond, they chose to remain anonymous to avoid further prosecution.

Note: Op-Eds are contributions from guest writers and do not reflect RVA Magazine editorial policy.

Top Photo by Domico Phillips

“Creative Protests” At Marcus-David Peters Circle Combine Music, Art, and Resistance

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Organized by RVA26, monthly “Creative Protests” at Marcus-David Peters Circle have given creative voice to a community hungry for positive change, even as the space remains the focus for civil disobedience in Richmond.

It’s a place where you can play a pick up game of basketball outside. It’s a place where a community garden grows, nurtured by volunteers.

It’s a place covered in graffiti: “Black Lives Matter.” “ACAB.” “Fuck 12.”

It’s a place where you can take your kids, your dogs, even your babies. It’s a place where people listen to live music, socially-distanced, and laid out on blankets.

Morning yoga at Marcus-David Peters Circle. Photo via RVA26/Twitter

It’s a place with a giant statue of civil war general Robert E Lee, which, unlike Richmond’s other confederate statues, remains standing on its pedestal (for now). 

It’s a place of fun, and it’s a place of protest. It’s a place where groups gather to begin marches.

It’s a place that was once simply called the Lee Circle, or the Lee Monument, but has been reclaimed and re-named by community members and protestors. Marcus-David Peters circle, or MDP for short. It has become a community space for many Richmonders.

“Like any birth story, it was birth and then chaos,” said Marwa Eltaib, organizer of the Creative Protests and founder of the anti-incarceration group RVA 26. 

RVA 26 is a group of people who were arrested on May 31 during protests, including those at what would become Marcus-David Peters Circle. The group now describes themselves, according to their instagram page, as “organizing against Black incarceration and for Black liberation.”

Lady E And Friends perform at Marcus-David Peters Circle. Photo via RVA26/Twitter

In addition to other events, RVA 26 has hosted one Creative Protest event every month of this summer. Along with speeches by activists and organizers, these events feature live performances by local black artists.

“Some are up-and-coming, while some are more established,” Eltaib said. “We try to get new artists out there. We have such a beautiful, eclectic, and diverse array of black artists in Richmond.”

These Creative Protests took place on June 13, July 18, and August 22. They hosted musical artists such as rappers Jason Jamal and Skinnyy Hendrixx, and blues musician Lady E. Some visual artists — such as live painters — have been involved in these events, but the difficulty of doing live art, coupled with fears that the police may come and confiscate the finished product, means that few visual artists have performed. 

“If we have a project like that, we need to take more precautions,” Eltaib said. 

Performance art, including fire-spinner Venus Riley’s dance with a flaming hoop — the grand finale at the August 22 protest — is better suited for the circle. Eltaib says that she hopes to involve more performance artists, such as dancers, in future Creative Protests.

Police have been removing items from the circle since its inception. Some of the art pieces from previous Creative Protests, as well as a small lending library, were removed earlier in the summer, according to Eltaib. A sign marking the circle as “Marcus-David Peters Circle” was removed in mid-August, though the Richmond police department denied involvement in removing the sign. Recently, a new sign arrived at the circle, declaring its name once again.

The new Marcus-David Peters Circle sign. Photo via JusticeforMDP/Twitter

The atmosphere during musical performances was that of an outdoor concert, with people sitting on blankets, talking to friends, and eating. Almost everyone wore a face mask.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, in-person community events can be few and far between. The spontaneous, decentralized and community-driven nature of the MDP circle makes it so that community is happening all the time. 

“That wasn’t our main goal, but it’s a natural effect,” said Eltaib. 

The main goal of the space, and of the Creative Protests, is to send a message.

“We founded the first Creative Protest to utilize art to continue the conversation of Black liberation,” Eltaib said. “It’s a wonderful way to get the message across.”

At the Creative Protest, organizers wanted to make this purpose clear. Between musical performances, speeches by organizers reminded people that they weren’t at any ordinary concert. At one event, Sheba Williams, director of the group NoLef Turns, spoke at the event about the difficulties of being labeled a felon, especially as a Black person.

When night fell on the circle, projections were shone onto the Lee monument behind the performers. One was the face of Marcus-David Peters, superimposed with the words “reopen the case”. Another was the label “second place — you tried” on the Lee statue’s base, making it look like a gigantic participation trophy.

Photo by Landon Shroder

The circle, which has been occupied by protestors since the killing of George Floyd, may have seen a lot of artistic creativity on display in the months since, but it is still a protest space.

On August 24, two days after the third Creative Protest, people dressed in black gathered in the circle. They all planned to march in solidarity with protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin after the shooting of Jacob Blake. 

The circle was both the starting and ending point of the march, which wound through neighborhoods before spilling out onto Broad Street, where bike marshals blocked traffic and a few people in cars passed out ice-cold bottles of water to marchers.

Some marchers came on foot, some brought bikes. A few brought dogs on leashes. One protester held a rainbow flag, superimposed with a black power fist. Another protester held a sign painted to look like a spiky coronavirus molecule, which read, “Racism is deadlier than the pandemic.”

Photo via RVA26/Twitter

Julea Seliavski, who co-organized the Creative Protests with Eltaib and is another founding member of RVA 26, said that she hopes the creative protests can bring more of an audience to the Black Lives Matter cause.

“It comes down to care, it comes down to supporting the Black community,” Seliavski said. “People can come in and be radicalized through art. By radicalized, I mean radical softness, radical love.”

Regarding the future of the MDP circle, Marwa Eltaib said that she wants it to become a healing space for the Richmond community to gather.

“You can find food, you can find friends, you can find someone to have a conversation with,” Eltaib said. “If you’re homeless, home-insecure, anyone. I want everyone who comes to feel pride in what Richmond did together. And, I would like the police to stay out of it.”

Top Photo by R. Anthony Harris

Building Bikes For All

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Biking in Richmond represents an alluring community, a resourceful way to get around, and a way to fight for social justice. For Mati McCann and Emma Troy, helping other bikers is one way to support local communities and participate in the Black Lives Matter movement. 

When the everyday reality of the coronavirus pandemic set in over the spring and summer, many people took to the outdoors to exercise, escape, and — after Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd in late May and Black Lives Matter protests sprung up worldwide — organize for justice. Nationally, bike shops have seen the evidence that more people are buying bikes, looking for parts, and cycling on a daily or weekly basis. Richmond bike mechanics Emma Troy and Mati McCann have noticed the same enthusiasm in the Richmond biking community — and want to increase accessibility to the activity. 

McCann, a mechanic and volunteer for Richmond-based bicycle cooperative Rag & Bones, has been building bikes with recycled parts for the co-op, as well as for kids in her neighborhood who don’t have access to new bikes. Now, McCann and Troy, a bicycle mechanic for Carytown Bicycle Co., have set up a GoFundMe to help with financing the builds and buying high-quality locks. They’ve been collecting donations throughout August, and their campaign remains open. Money has long been an issue in the biking community — McCann said her and Troy’s efforts began as a way to increase access amongst people who may feel excluded from the sport, long dominated by more affluent white male cyclists. 

“It honestly took off from there, to be a bike build for anyone who was not a white cis man,” McCann said. “That is the most prevalent person in the bike community, and most bike mechanics are white cis men. They just have more access, because they’re represented and given these opportunities.”

McCann uses a sliding pay scale for her builds. She might sell a bike for $80 or $100, or a bit more if the build is intricate — still much lower than any bike shop would charge. If the patron can afford to cover the cost of the parts, or make a small donation to Rag & Bones, that helps to keep the project going. Bikes are free for kids. 

“Middle class families, more wealthy families can afford to provide these opportunities for their children,” McCann said. “In the United States, it’s due to systemic racism that certain families have access to miscellaneous income and other families don’t.”

McCann and Troy on a ride. Photo via Carytown Bicycle Co.

Addressing systemic racism and its effects on the biking community, as well as how the biking community can and should participate in social justice initiatives, are issues McCann and other education and community-oriented cyclists have gravitated towards. McCann has long been an advocate for Women, Trans, and Femme (WTF) people who want to get into biking. In pre-pandemic times, McCann enjoyed volunteering at Rag & Bones’ open hours for WTF cyclists. This non-intimidating, accepting space could also serve as a way for protesters to get service for their bikes and feel welcome. So when volunteers set up at Marcus-David Peters Circle on several Thursdays for anyone to request repairs, it felt like a logical next step. McCann said the project, while not overrun with cyclists in need, did see attendance from a good number of people.

“A lot of people were bike protesting,” McCann said. “It was super fun to see all the bikes out, but obviously bikes need maintenance. It was a simple way to help in any sort of capacity. I feel like a lot of people at that point in time wanted to be involved, to contribute in some way. That was a skill that me and a few other WTF bike mechanics around Richmond had and wanted to provide the space.” 

Bikes have long been used as important resources during protests. Protesters can use bikes to block traffic, shield walkers from cars, and navigate areas quickly. Beyond that, McCann said, the community aspect of bike protesting is clear — but it’s not uncomplicated. 

“Richmond has a very strong bike presence, so it was very cool to see a lot of bikers coming together and clearing the roads,” McCann said. “There’s something to be said about the privilege that comes with that too — because you can just flee, while protest leaders are being arrested … you can escape. That’s something you have to balance out, to make an effort to walk sometimes … and be there on the ground with them as well.” 

As protests and the pandemic continue, the popularity of biking and discourse within biking communities does not seem to be slowing down. While the bike builds and lock fundraising efforts are fledgling, efforts to expand access to bikes have formed new bonds for McMann. 

“I know these boys, I know the people who are receiving the bikes,” McCann said. “There’s an effort to make the bikes really cool … I’d like to establish some sort of lasting relationship. I’ve had some of the boys express interest in learning how to fix their own bikes.” 

For now, the pandemic has put a pause on most in-person building and repair projects. The pace is slow, and the effort inherently grassroots. But if more people are engaged and excited to join the community-driven biking movement, the future is bright. 

Top Photo via Carytown Bicycle Co.

Focusing The Line Of Sight

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With Sitelines BLM, Cadence Theatre Company launches a project focusing on sites of importance to Richmond’s BIPOC residents, especially those that have been reshaped by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Cadence Theatre Company is currently seeking submissions for its newest project, Sitelines BLM, a series of filmed plays and screenplays that hope to center BIPOC voices in Richmond by focusing on places that are being reshaped through the Black Lives Matter movement.

The project was created by Omiyemi (Artisia) Green, an associate professor of Theatre and Africana Studies at William & Mary who has been a resident dramaturge at Cadence for the last two years and this year became a member of the theatre’s artistic board of directors. Green was inspired to create Sitelines BLM by the summer that preceded the announcement of the project.

“COVID-19 and social unrest have shaken the American Theatre,” Green said. “As a result, the corporate theatrical body – its racist policies and practices – have been called on the carpet.”

Green saw Cadence, a predominantly white institution, as a place that could respond to the disruption of American theatre by creating a project that was “meaningful, sustainable, collaborative, and reciprocal — and, most importantly, in a way which truly recognized and centered BIPOC voices and artistry.”

The original Sitelines project, which Cadence launched in 2015, sought to bring theater into new and innovative spaces in Richmond through free performances in various Richmond locations. Previous Sitelines projects include The Flick by Annie Baker, shown in 2015, My name is Rachel Corrie, shown in 2017, and The Gun Show by EM Lewis, also shown in 2017.

For Sitelines BLM, Cadence collaborated with a variety of groups and organizations — including Oakwood Arts; the William & Mary programs in Africana Studies and Theatre, Speech, and Dance; the University of Richmond Free Theatre and Dance; and VCUarts Theatre, as well as Cadence’s producing partner, Virginia Repertory Theatre — to create a visual storytelling project that will focus on BIPOC voices in Richmond.

Green mentioned Marcus-David Peters Circle, Reclamation Square outside City Hall, and Richmond’s African Burial Ground as examples for potential storytelling locations. However, writers are not limited to those locations — Green explained that potential locations can come from sites of memory, of reclamation and reimagination, resistance, displacement and injustice, and ritual or spiritual activation.

“[The examples are used] to inspire commissioners to consider any space in Richmond that presents itself as a siteline – a space where the people wrestle with history and memory, a space that has been reclaimed and reimagined by the community, a space where the people have intentionally unified under a common purpose — to use their body and voice in service of the highest calling,and that is fighting injustice on behalf of the marginalized and voiceless,” Green said.

Green looked to recommendations from members of the Richmond community, places she heard about in the news, and places she heard about on her social media timeline when deciding which places could make good locations in Richmond.

“None of my work is done in a vacuum,” she said. “In community engaged work, especially as a semi-outsider, it is especially important that I engage the people who live here in determining what needs to be elevated or addressed.”

Besides centering BIPOC voices and artistry, Green hopes Sitelines BLM will create increased recognition and opportunities for BIPOC writers and artists in Richmond, in all areas of creative production and administration.

“Hopefully, through the artistic relationships we build through the work, we develop an even larger pipeline of talent to be fueled into other areas of the work of Cadence Theatre, and the broader Richmond theatre community,” said Green.

For Sitelines BLM, Cadence will ultimately commission work from five local writers; interested candidates should submit one screenplay or play no more than five minutes in length. The deadline for submissions is Monday, September 14 by 11:59pm. Selected writers will be notified by October 16, and full scripts finalized by December. Production for Sitelines BLM is expected to begin in 2021.

“I would love to see stories brought into the line of sight that haven’t been told before,” Green said. “Stories that compel us to act in ways that bring balance to malevolent forces and adversaries of goodness within the world, stories that elevate our cultural consciousness and strengthen our commitment to being better individually.”

For information on the submission process for Sitelines BLM, go to https://cadencetheatre.org/sitelines-blm.