richmond protest Archives

Bringing Down Monuments With Zines

Carley Welch | July 30, 2020

Topics: art, black lives matter, blm richmond, blm rva, Confederate monuments, deface this monument, richmond protest, richmond va monuments, rva protest, symbols of southern pride

An interactive protest: Richmond artist Anna Gahagan’s latest zine pushes for social and racial equality, detailing confederate monuments, police mazes, and the road to justice.

As protesters continue taking to the streets after 62 days of demonstrations, artists have stepped in to contextualize this moment in Richmond’s history. Anna Gahagan, a local Art History high school teacher, has created a zine titled “Deface This Monument” — a phrase that’s close to home for many who have joined the movement.

The project began following the removal of the Columbus monument by protesters at Byrd Park on June 9. Gahagan’s zine includes graphics and cut-outs depicting the need for removal of Confederate monuments and social justice reforms called for by the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as covering other social issues like redlining.

Gahagan’s latest zine expands on the mission of her first collection, “Symbols of Southern Pride,” which she began in 2017 after the violence at Charlottesville’s Unite The Right rally. The original artwork was created as a way to rebuild, but also acknowledge, the South’s important yet hurtful past.

*IMAGE: “Deface This Monument” Zine by Anna Gahagan*

“Those parts of history in the South might be more painful,” Gahagan said, “but I think [they] are important to know for people who, like myself, want to make impactful social change.”

To visualize her attempt to rebuild — but also not forget — the South’s past, Gahagan asked her friends what comes to mind when they think of the South. She received some lighthearted answers, like “biscuits and gravy,” “walking outside with no shoes on,” and “mosquitoes,” which she included in her first project.

“I started this drawing series by trying to find common experiences between people who consider themselves ‘Southerners,’” Gahagan said. “Something that would branch race, gender, or socioeconomic status… these collective memories.”

“Symbols of Southern Pride” was the idea that kickstarted Gahagan’s current “Deface This Monument” project. Both zines work to support minorities, especially Black people, who have historically been at a disadvantage everywhere — but especially in the South.

While Gahagan can’t physically join the protests alongside hundreds of people right now, she believes that “Deface This Monument” can be a form of protest in itself.

“I wanted to create a form of protest that I felt was accessible to people who might be in a similar position as myself,” Gahagan said. “When we’re protesting, we need to also make things accessible to people who have a disability.”

Just by the name of Gahagan’s latest project, it’s an easy guess that she hopes to see the monuments taken down once and for all. While she hopes they’ll all be removed, in the grand scheme of things, she said it’s merely “a drop in the bucket.”

“Sure, it’s great that these statues came down,” Gahagan said. “But again, I feel like it’s more of a distraction than it is a progressive move.”

In addition to bringing down Confederate monuments, Gahagan hopes the ongoing protests will help achieve other social justice goals in the area. She specifically wants to see more support for Richmond City Schools. Basic amenities like working sinks in school bathrooms, classrooms without mold, and struggles for funding to provide quality education in lower-income areas of Richmond are all factors holding back the public school system. Gahagan believes improving on these issues can help to eliminate social injustices.

Community outreach is another remedy that Gahagan holds dear. She has made an effort to get to know her neighbors well, and is grateful for it; she noted that not being close with one’s neighborhood creates a gap in the community which ultimately causes more issues.

“I think that’s a good first step, [for people] to get to know their neighbors and communities,” Gahagan said. “Put in the effort to be a member of that community… make sure your community is safe. I think, in the long run, that eliminates the need for police.”

To learn more about Gahagan’s work, find her on Instagram. View and download “Deface This Monument” in digital form here.

My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams: Lee Monument Ballerina Publishes Book

Zoe Hall | July 20, 2020

Topics: amanda lynch, art, ava holloway, ballet, black lives matter, black lives matter richmond va, BLM, blm richmond va, blm rva, bonnie lemaire, books, confederate statue removal richmond, confederate statues richmond va, kennedy george, Lee Monument, lee monument ballerinas, my ancestors wildest dreams, richmond protest

With My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams, Ava Holloway, who quickly attained fame with her ballet poses at the Lee Monument, illustrates her “summer of activism” as she works for justice during the pandemic.

What happens when the world forces you to become an activist at age 14? This has been the story for countless American kids in recent years, and so it is for Richmond’s Ava Holloway, the ballerina behind the Lee Monument photos that captivated the nation.

Images of Holloway have been shared across the world, and even made its way into the headers of national media. On Zoom, Holloway’s mother, Amanda Lynch, sat in front of a map of the world covered with dot stickers, each marking a place where her daughter’s photos had been shared online. There were dots everywhere — Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America, too.

Since Holloway’s ballet photo shoot in front of the Lee Monument went viral, the 14 year old straight-A student has taken on a new role: activist. Over the past month, she’s had an onslaught of interviews, created a scholarship with Brown Girls Do Ballet, and worked with her mom to publish a children’s book called My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams. It seems like things are happening fast — and they are — but as Holloway and Lynch have proven, anything is possible.

*PHOTO: My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams by Amanda Lynch & Ava Holloway*

It all started with the photos. Ballet photo shoots are a hobby of Holloway’s, even at highly populated events like Pride. As the Lee Monument continues to become a space of reclamation and celebration, artists have taken to its surface as a new canvas; to Holloway, it seemed like a natural location for a shoot.

In addition to local photographer Marcus Ingram, who had arranged to take pictures of Holloway and her friend Kennedy George, at least ten other photographers surrounded the girls on the first day they brought their tutus to the Lee Monument. By the end of their nearly four hours of posing, the photos had already gone viral. Reese Witherspoon and Misty Copeland retweeted it. The interview requests came flooding in.

“When we were first having the interviews, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, is this ever going to stop?’” Holloway said. “Now I’m used to them! After the first interview, Kennedy and I worked on our answers. We learned to not say everything we think.”

Being interviewed by journalists is no easy task at 14 years old. But blessed with extroversion, Holloway doesn’t seem to mind. “I’ll talk to anyone,” she said.

This comes in handy, because she’s also been recruited to help out with her school’s weekly racism discussions on Zoom. Lynch is proud. “If last month had not happened, I don’t know that these conversations would have taken off in the way they have. I’m proud to see that Ava and Kennedy have been the faces at the forefront of this conversation in terms of youth activism,” she said.

Meanwhile, in the midst of interviews, Holloway and Lynch got to work on a children’s book inspired by the event.

My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams was a long time in the making. Lynch — a mindfulness educator and author of several books on the subject, including The Mindfulness Room — wanted to collaborate with Holloway on her next book.

“[My mom] kept telling me we were going to write a book, and I was thinking… I don’t write,” said Holloway. “She’s a scientist!” Lynch added.

Despite her aversion to writing, Holloway agreed to participate in a brainstorming activity. The two began collecting positive affirmations like “You are a good friend” and “You are safe” — comforting words to any child; but they hadn’t found the right format to publish them.

Then the photo shoot happened. Everything started to make sense. The book’s title came from the caption Holloway added to one of her Instagram posts of the photos: “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”

Lynch sent the manuscript to her long-time collaborator, illustrator Bonnie Lemaire, on June 22. Lemaire, who usually completes books in one to three months, had three weeks for this one. The 32 pages of hand-sketched, digitally-painted illustrations took just over a week to finish.

“I’ve only done that twice, as far as a really quick turnaround,” said Lemaire, who has illustrated hundreds of children’s books.

Lemaire lives about an hour north of Toronto, Ontario, far away from most of what’s happening in the States. “I’m actually sitting out on the deck [right now], and there’s a little chicken laying beside me,” she said, laughing at the rural-ness of it all.

“[Lemaire’s] experiences are just different,” Lynch said. “She’s been able to engage in conversations with people about what’s going on here. During Canada Day, she had a long conversation about what was happening. That’s not something I imagined that we would ever talk about.”

“It took some research on her part to get it right, to be what our vision was,” Lynch continued. “With the first character that she drew, I said, ‘I need her hair to be a little more like this, I need her skin tone to be a little more like this…’ but she knocked it out of the park. She asked for pictures, so I sent her some pictures of Holloway and downtown. She just went from there. She knows that representation is really important to me.”

“It’s such a positive message,” Lemaire said. “Even in Canada, we need to hear that, right?”

Lemaire was happy to make revisions. “I don’t do a lot of realistic illustrations, so I listened closely to what [Lynch] wanted.”

Lynch pointed out that very few children’s books feature kids of color. “There are more bears in children’s books, and talking animals, than there are Black faces, so it’s really important for me for my kids — and I don’t just mean my children, but also my students — to see themselves in all of the characters,” Lynch said. “Ava sees Black ballerinas all the time. My son is a dancer, Kennedy’s older sister is a dancer. It’s never been foreign for them to see Black dancers, but that’s a very unique experience. I think for most people, it’s not that way.”

To illustrators worried about how to properly represent a range of skin tones, Lemaire says, “It’s not that you tread lightly, you just want to make sure it’s the right imagery. There are no rules if you’re doing what the author wants, if you’re feeling good about it.”

Her illustrations, which sweep across the page in luminous pastels, feel immensely loving. “I really wanted the character to look cute, and I wanted little girls to really resonate with that character,” said Lemaire.

Lynch has already sold more than 400 copies of My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams through pre-orders on her website. The profits will go to a number of different charities, including Holloway’s scholarship, which provides dancers aged 6-16 with dance classes, pointe shoes, and leotards.

“One thing that was important to us was offering scholarships for other students, because dance is extremely expensive,” said Lynch. “It’s been a real sacrifice for us as a family.”

If young dancers can get past the financial hurdle, Holloway’s experience teaches us that it’s worth it to follow your passions — even when the odds are stacked against you.

Despite being one of few non-white dancers at the Central Virginia Dance Company, Holloway said, “I’ve been going there for 11 years, so everyone knows everyone. If you don’t see someone that looks like you, you still have a support system behind you at all times. Our biggest thing is definitely respect.”

She can’t wait to return to dance class — and, for that matter, school. “I hope we can go back to school at least one day of the week. I’ll take that over online,” said Holloway.

As for Lynch, mindfulness comes in many forms these days.

“When we first started, I had a schedule that I wrote every day for Ava,” she said. “Every single day!” Holloway echoed.

“Now it’s like a free-for-all. Let’s just order GrubHub,” Lynch continued. “But that’s being mindful, too — it’s giving yourself grace where you are.”

After the overwhelming response to their photos, a fundraiser has been organized to support the academic and artistic pursuits of Holloway and Kennedy George. If you’re interested in purchasing My Ancestor’s Wildest Dreams, pre-orders are available here.

Top Photo by Julia Rendleman

No Justice, No Peace: Voices of the Young and Outraged

Jayla McNeill | June 23, 2020

Topics: activism, black lives matter, BLM, community, George Floyd, monuments, northam, police brutality, politics, protest, richmond protest, rva protest, Trayvon Martin

“I saw the world we were fighting for: a diverse cohort of all races, sexualities, and religions celebrating together.” RVA Magazine catches up with local protesters to hear their voices during a movement sweeping the nation.

“I can’t breathe.” These three words, once uttered in a moment of desperation, now represent a new generation’s fight. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, protesters have sparked a movement across the nation to demand justice, denounce systemic racism, and advocate for social reform. The movement is very much alive in Richmond.

“As a young black female, I feel that this movement means change, justice, and equality,” said Jamie Hatcher, a 20 year old activist and student at Virginia State University.

Hatcher is from Caroline County, Virginia. She said she first became involved with social reform movements after the “heartbreaking death of Trayvon Martin,” a 17-year-old high school student who was killed by a white police officer in 2012.

After the death of George Floyd, Hatcher began participating in today’s Black Lives Matter movement by sharing resources on social media, creating art, and attending protests.

“[I want to see] justice for George Floyd and his hurting family,” along with full equality throughout the American justice system, she said.

Beginning in the days after George Floyd’s death, thousands of people in cities and towns across the United States came together to express their outrage with systematic police brutality. As the movement grew, protesters began to widen their message, further advocating against institutional racism and the social inequality that the black community faces in America.

Fletcher Dalton, a 20 year old student at University of Richmond, attended his first protest in Richmond on May 29. He has been present at every local protest since.

“This movement is necessary and warranted,” said Dalton. “The black community has been discriminated against and killed, over and over again…. I saw this [movement] as a chance to stand up for what is right.”

While the movement takes place on the streets, protesters advocate for change in government.

“This goes past the criminal system,” said Dalton. “Minorities have been oppressed socio-economically in housing and in employment. We need to create a just society… That begins with changing the criminal justice system.”

Photographer and videographer Domico Phillips, 27, decided to use his professional and creative skills to aid the movement. Phillips said that Floyd’s death felt very personal for him, and he has participated in the movement every day since protests began in Richmond.

For Phillips, this movement represents the desire for a necessary reform.

“Being a black man in this world,” said Phillips, “I know the same thing [that happened to Floyd] can happen to me.”

“This movement is about the liberation of black communities from oppression,” said Julia Funk, a 20 year old protester from Northwest Chicago and rising junior at the University of Richmond.

“It is about checking and dismantling a police force that systematically murders and imprisons black Americans,” she said. “It is about listening to black voices, and educating ourselves so that we can change these systems of oppression.”

Of his experiences at Richmond protests, Dalton expressed anger and disappointment with the violent treatment of demonstrators by the local police force.

“The police were throwing tear gas, fireworks, firecrackers, and pepper spraying the protesters,” he said. “My boyfriend, his friend, and I were hit with tear gas multiple times that [first] night,” said Dalton. “There were moments when I could not breathe because the pepper spray was so strong. It literally makes your entire chest and face tense with pain.”

Despite being tear gassed by the police, Dalton described the protests as “freeing and liberating.”

“Everyone was dancing in the streets and chanting for the Black Lives Matter movement,” he said. “It was scary and exciting. I saw the world we were fighting for: a diverse cohort of all races, sexualities, and religions celebrating together.”

Protesters and activists have had a few victories to claim thus far. On May 29, Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who killed Floyd, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, later upgraded to second-degree murder. The remaining three ex-officers involved in the incident have also been arrested, although they face lesser charges of aiding and abetting murder. In the community, various organizations, businesses, and state and local governments have taken symbolic actions in support of the movement. NASCAR, for one example, has banned the use of the Confederate flag from events.

A Richmond victory came with Governor Ralph Northam’s June 3 announcement that the state will remove Confederate statues in Richmond, including the Robert E. Lee statue, which has become a gathering site for local protest demonstrations.

Protesters in Richmond have taken it upon themselves to remove statues of Jefferson Davis, Christopher Columbus, and Williams Carter Wickham, a 19th century lawyer, slave owner, and Richmond native.

Dalton stated that while he is supportive of the removal of the Confederate statues, he does not believe the local and state governments are doing enough to advance social justice. Hatcher also expressed her disappointment with the local and state government.

“While African-American anger is finally being voiced,” she said, “it is not really being heard or understood.”

This sentiment is also mirrored by Funk. She expressed that she would urge white people to take this time to listen to black voices, and reflect upon what is being said.

“Now is the time to educate yourself, and resources are everywhere,” said Funk. “[The white community] has to be able to listen, learn, and change, or we will continue to reinforce systems of oppression.”

Floyd’s homicide has spurred activists to gather, speak out, and march. Regardless of their opposition, communities are once again coming together against the institutional practices that allow racism, ignorance, and police brutality to run rampant in the United States.

Top Photo by Domico Phillips