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Richmond Now! Supports Richmond’s Future

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Created by local artists Rian L. Moses and Virginia Murphy, Richmond Now! recently released its second downloadable Activity Book filled with illustrations and education about the Black Lives Matter protests in Richmond and beyond. 

Richmond Now! began as a way for artists and friends Rian L. Moses and Virginia Murphy to find an outlet for emotions and a way to support local organizations during the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer. Before Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd in late May, Moses and Murphy had started an art exchange between the two of them. After the nationwide protests began, they decided to take the project to new heights and share it with the community. 

Moses and Murphy created a downloadable activity book, complete with illustratable photos from local protests, activities, quotes, and short pieces of writing. Although the original plan was to make the book available through their personal Instagrams, Moses spearheaded making a separate account and website — and Richmond Now! was born. 

“I felt like there was a big spark with this, and that it can be positive for a lot of other people, not just us,” Moses said. “We wanted it to be more interactive not just for kids, but for anyone.” 

Virginia Murphy and Rian L. Moses. Photo courtesy Richmond Now!

Coloring books seemed like the perfect choice — ideal for younger kids and now popular with adults as well. Designing a book with Richmond-based photography would mean that the project could appeal to all kinds of people.

“I really wanted to honor what people in Richmond were saying and doing but for all levels, which is why I think the coloring book is so accessible for all ages,” Murphy said. 

For Moses and Murphy, having something that anyone could pick up, understand, and use to learn was key. Murphy spoke about how many parents may be unsure about how to introduce topics like police brutality and racial injustice to their small children. The coloring book serves as a better facilitator of those necessary conversations, and can be instructive for older users as well. 

“The simplest things can still be explained to the most complex thinker,” Moses said. “It might be easier if it is simple at first, and then build upon that.”

Art courtesy Richmond Now!

Richmond Now! released the first volume of their activity books in mid-June, and decided to use an honor code system of donations to local organizations like the Richmond Community Bail Fund and Richmond For All. People who wanted to download the book made donations, and anyone who wanted one but could not afford to donate could download the book for free. 

After the success and positive reception that greeted the first volume, Moses and Murphy decided to open a call for artists to submit work for a second issue. This time, they decided to work with Worthdays, a local nonprofit that supports children in the foster care system through organizing various celebrations and special moments. 

“We wanted to find an organization that was actually helping an individual,” Moses said. “If we can just make one person happy, then I think we’ve done our job with Richmond Now! and what future Richmond could be.”

The second issue, which focused on change in Richmond, came out September 8. For this issue, Moses and Murphy are looking to print copies to distribute to local schools and around the east end and southside, as well as make the book accessible to people who might not have access to the Internet or printers of their own. They started a GoFundMe to offset printing costs. 

“We started [the project] for ourselves initially — I guess it sounds kind of selfish — but as a coping mechanism for us,” Moses said. “But with the second issue it seems like the feedback I’ve gotten that other people have really enjoyed using as a tool for themselves.”

While Richmond Now! started as two friends bonding and sharing their art, Moses and Murphy have grown it into an education project for all in Richmond, with plans for a third volume in the works. 

“We love the partnership that has already begun with people submitting works,” Murphy said. “We’re really open for this to grow and be something more than just a project.”

Top Image: Art courtesy Richmond Now!

The Face Of A Movement

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Loose Screw Tattoo owner Jesse Smith painted an iconic mural of George Floyd on his boarded-up storefront. Now the tattoo artist is using his work to support local charities. 

Since the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests saw an outpouring of support in Richmond in June, many businesses have reacted to the movement in different ways. Some have boarded up storefronts in response to damage and theft, and some have left signs and other messages showing support for the protesters.

Loose Screw Tattoo owner Jesse Smith saw this difficult situation as an opportunity. Smith took advantage of his boarded-up storefront to make a statement with his art. In the newfound free space, he painted a detailed mural of George Floyd to show Loose Screw’s support for the movement. Now, after positive feedback, Smith has auctioned his art to raise money for local charities helping communities in need. 

Originally hesitant to board up his shop, Smith eventually relented at the urging of his employees and brought out the plywood. 

“I didn’t really want to board up,” Smith said. “I felt like it sent the wrong message. I didn’t want to present that front to the protesters that were coming through… [But] a couple of people in my shop were feeling uncomfortable not boarding up. They were afraid some people would come in and steal or destroy some of their artwork.” 

PHOTO: George Floyd Mural at Loose Screw Tattoo by Jesse Smith

The blank canvas of plywood motivated Smith’s artistic instincts. He was compelled to cover the empty space, and as a graffiti artist for 10 years during the 90s and 2000s before opening his tattoo shop, he had an idea. With a few spare hours and a couple of loose spray paint cans, Smith created a mural of Floyd, the infamous victim of police brutality, on his storefront.

“George Floyd, to me, was a symbol of a time when people were ready for change,” Smith said. “I felt the need to paint his face there to show support for that movement.” 

In the shop’s statement about the mural, Loose Screw Tattoo said, “As part of the richly diverse community of Richmond VA, Loose Screw Tattoo stands in full support of those protesting against police brutality, systemic racism, and the unfair treatment of the black community in our country and across the world.” They continued, “Now more than ever, it is critical to listen to black voices, educate yourself and others, and be an advocate for human rights. We encourage you to vote in the primaries this month and to donate and show support to local/nationwide organizations that are doing incredible work for the cause. In order to incite change, we must unite and put in the work necessary to make a difference.” 

Unexpectedly for Smith, the mural garnered much attention from the public. Locals took photos, created vigils, and left flowers in front of the artwork. To further support the cause, Smith has auctioned off the mural to the highest bidder to donate the money to a local charity.

“At this point in my career… I don’t really make art to keep it,” Smith said. “I do it to sell it. When I started thinking about what to do with [the mural], selling it and keeping the money was super distasteful. I wanted to use that money to support a community that’s been suffering.”

PHOTO: Portrait of George Floyd by Loose Screw Artist Anna Wolff

Smith’s auction ran for ten days, from July 7 through 17. All proceeds from the auction will go to Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Richmond, a branch of the larger MADR network that provides communities affected by disaster with food, medicine, and other much needed supplies. 

This auction is the most recent charitable endeavor from Smith. It is being presented by the Giving Arts Foundation, a charity organization formed as a collaboration between Loose Screw Tattoo and the Richmond Tattoo, Art and Music Festival. Over the years, the foundation has done a number of tattoo benefit events. Unfortunately, many of their events have been cancelled this year due to COVID-19, another global issue which the Giving Arts Foundation is working to organize a charity event for. 

“It’s always been a plan in the back of my mind, as I got older, to start giving back,” Smith said. “It feels really good to be able to use your talent to do something other than put money in your pocket.”

As the movement pushes forward, local artists and organizations will continue to show their support in creative ways. The Giving Arts Foundation is planning a Live Art For Charity event in September, which will aid the nonprofit in its mission to “empower artists in localities around the country to positively impact the community at large.” To find out more about Loose Screw Tattoo, visit their website and see their work on Instagram. 

Top Photo via Loose Screw Tattoo

People Of The Protests

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Over a month after the movement began, Richmonders continue to take to the streets and protest police brutality against the Black community. We spoke to people involved in the protests to find out what motivates them to speak out day after day.

The fight against police brutality and systemic racism is not over in Richmond. Day after day, people are still protesting, demonstrating, and congregating. Many news headlines tell one story, but the individual faces amongst the crowd tell a different one. This isn’t a trend. This has been a lifelong battle — but now, finally, people are listening.

We spoke to a variety of people involved in the ongoing protests around Richmond, in order to share their stories and make clear to the entire city why they continue, day after day, to take to the streets and make their voices heard.

Photo by Alexandra Zernik @azwnik

Rashaa Langston: “Sage Smith, my older sibling, who is a black queer fem, went missing eight years ago. The Charlottesville Police Department always neglected Sage’s case. Compared to Hannah Graham, she went missing from Charlottesville shortly after Sage. However, Hannah Graham got a lot of attention. When Sage went missing, a week later they displayed their mugshot for 45 seconds on the news. My mom got 20 people to look for Sage, on train tracks and in dumpsters. The police gave us advice on how we should be looking for them.”

“When Hannah Graham, a college student went missing, thousands of people were out in yellow vests looking for her, even outside of Charlottesville, out in fields looking for her. It was very disheartening to see. They even asked the city council for more money than they did for Sage. They did not do any press for Sage. When Charlottesville Police Chief Longo was asked why he put more effort into Hannah’s case, he said she reminded him of his daughter. Which is sad because growing up, I used to hang out with [Chief Longo’s] kids; we would carpool together, so they knew my sibling. They knew Sage. However, they connected more with Hannah Graham, a complete stranger.”

Christiaan Branche: “No one is coming to save you but yourself.”

Photo by Emilee McGovern @EmileeMcGovern

Stephanie Younger: “I’m an 18-year-old college student now, but I’m reminded why I work around Black feminism and abolishing youth prisons every time I remember my experiences growing up Black in Henrico County, Virginia — from almost never being invited to my classmates’ parties, to being on the receiving end of comments about my hair. However, the most unsettling experiences I’ve had are at the hands of adults, who assumed that I was ‘aggressive’ or ‘violent.’ In kindergarten, my mom spoke to the school I went to about a white boy who was bullying me. They didn’t believe her, as well as a white woman who tried to rationalize it. On the other hand, when me and my white friend (at the time) were both playing a game at a party, I accidentally bumped into her. Her mother, the same white woman who attempted to rationalize what I experienced, screamed in my face, and she accused me of trying to start a fight. I was 5, and I had no concept of physical violence. My kindergarten teacher additionally assumed that I was physically aggressive, and I remember when her response was to bring me to the principal’s office for having a panic attack during a storm.

A few years later, two white teachers went behind my back and told my homeroom teacher that I threatened to kill a white girl. I was 9, and I didn’t really know what death threats were. In hindsight, I realized that what I experienced was racism, but I never came to that full conclusion until I was 15 years old. However, I never spoke of it until then. I feared that no one was going to believe me, and that I was going to be gaslighted the way I was by my teacher; who weaponized the school’s policies against me to gaslight me into falsely admitting that I said to this white girl, ‘you are so dead,’ which I didn’t. 

‘Misogynoir‘ was coined by queer Black feminist scholar Moya Bailey in 2008. To me, it acknowledges that Black women and girls experience both anti-Black racism and misogyny, and that those oppressive systems are not mutually exclusive. The experiences I had were ingrained in misogynoir. I also remember in 2017, Georgetown University’s Law Center on Poverty and Inequality released a report called Girlhood Interrupted. I cite this study a lot, because I relate to many of the aspects mentioned in the report. The report said that adults often see Black girls (as young as five years old) as older than they are, and believe that Black girls need ‘less nurturing, protection, support and comfort’ than white girls. The report shows that the world, especially schools, often see Black girls as ‘less innocent and more adultlike,’ which often leads to experiencing school push-out and being incarcerated.

Photo by Alex Matzke @matzkephoto

Makayla White: “I’m only 13 and my mom is pretty strict in what info I read, who I make friends with and all. She’s kept me around pretty good people of all races. Most of the negative experiences I’ve had have been in school. If it wasn’t for me learning outside of school, I wouldn’t feel good about being Black, of African descent, because they don’t teach you anything to feel good. I question my teachers all the time, and add stuff. I had an assignment once on explorers; my project got turned down twice. I wanted to do an African explorer pre-Europe. The teacher said it wasn’t within the curriculum, I came back with the idea to do mine on [Pedro Alonso] Niño. Niño piloted the Santa María.”

“My personal stance is education reform. We have to change the textbooks. Future generations have a better chance to get rid of systematic racism. Imagine a whole generation that learns about Africa without slavery as a starting point. Instead of looking at people of African descent in a negative light, they would see how great we were first! And it changes the narrative. We need that.”

Photo by Maneesha @losingmyego

Aaron Brown: “I found a way to navigate racism most of my young life and come out unaffected with a high school diploma and a football career that forwarded me the opportunity to play NCAA football. Long story short, I ended up getting hurt — career-ending hurt — which directly affected my grants and scholarships for school. Around the same time, I had some problems back home and ended up homeless. The only way to remain in school and try to keep my entire life from derailing was to sell drugs. Which went well for a good while, til about my junior year when an old teammate (white) snitched on me for a reward from McGruff and a job at the local police station. I had a partner at the time who was also white and also was on the football team. When sentencing day came, I got three felonies, 11 years, suspended all but one and three years — well over guidelines in the state. My counterpart got three misdemeanors and three months in prison, for the same exact charges.”

“That’s when I realized, I can’t just ‘duck’ racism. I was a sports med major/bio minor honor roll student who had never even had a parking ticket. My university loved me so much, they allowed me to finish my exams even after being raided and arrested right off of their campus. I was a good kid. But the system doesn’t care about shit like that. I became the perfect example of the 13th on Danville VA Prison Farm, a privately-owned prison in Danville where they save $3 million every year by utilizing prisoner labor for all public works for $1 a day. I still went on to get a degree from VCU, start a couple businesses in the city and start an amazing music career. The issue is: that’s me. There’s way more people who couldn’t find their way back from the system. As someone who knows both sides in my experience, I used to want to be the bridge. Now I want to break the bridge and create a new experience here in America and the fucking world. A fair one.”

Photo by Steven Casanova

Jasmine Leeward: “What Love Requires: Love requires more than a chant, a kneel, an offering. Everyday I learn more and more about what love truly requires. I never considered what it would be like to truly love someone I’d never met until I came to love Marcus. What I’ve known of Marcus consists of a few photographs shared digitally, countless stories told from his sister, Princess, and Uncle Jeff; many told to me and other organizers in the basement of Second Baptist Church off Idlewood. I’ve had my friends tell me stories about seeing him at the gym. Two years later and I’m finally admitting to myself that I love Marcus.”

“I find myself wondering if knowing so much about Marcus played a significant role in my confidence that I would risk my life for him. He profoundly shifted my life. I am determined to protect his legacy and I am not alone. I stood with organizers two years ago and we are still here and the city is here with us. I am overwhelmed by the art, overtaken by the fight and will to defund the RPD. We cannot reconcile. As police rage against our communities, love requires us to rage right the fuck back. We are worth the risk and worth fighting for.”

Top Photo by Nils Westergard

Opinion: What Is the RPD Trying to Hide?

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“Instead of spending countless millions on a police force that treats their citizens like enemy combatants, the city should be funding social, economic, and mental health programs that actually prevent crime,” writes Landon Shroder.

Once again the Richmond Police Department (RPD) has attempted to mislead the people of Richmond. This time by reporting an incomplete picture on their monthly “use of force” statistics — conveniently omitting the bulk of police violence which took place against citizen protesters in June. Reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch (RTD) over the weekend, the Times-Dispatch analysis not only found the omissions, but also that use of force by the RPD against Black people was five times higher than against white people.

The RTD noted, “Officers reported using force against Black people in five times as many cases as they did against white people, according to a review of the reports that include 2018, 2019 and the first half of 2020.”

This should come as no surprise to anyone in Richmond, and certainly not to those who have been advocating for greater police accountability, oversight, and reform. The racist legacies of Richmond and Virginia’s law enforcement history are well known and well documented. Yet the intentional misreporting of statistics highlighting their own misconduct is a deliberate attempt at deception, and cuts to the core of the national reckoning we are having over law-enforcement. As City Councilman Dr. Michael Jones told RVA Mag in an interview last week, “I’ve always believed the police cannot police the police.”

Jones is correct. This is the job of the Mayor and Richmond City Council. 

The RPD eventually updated their statistics three days later, but only after the RTD inquired about the omissions. Naturally the RPD attempted to counter this narrative, with their spokesman, Gene Lepley, saying, “We don’t wait until it’s all complete to post [the statistics]. What’s posted on the first of the month, it’s a snapshot of where we are.” He added, “We’re way behind… It’s been an extraordinary time.”

Indeed, it has been an extraordinary time for two reasons: Firstly, our citizens were brutalized by a police force which clearly made confrontations with protestors personal. And secondly, the city’s elected leadership — with the exception of Councilpersons Jones and Stephanie Lynch — abdicated all responsibility in demanding accountability from local and state law enforcement agencies, which acted without any decent restraint. 

Protesters in June. Photo by Landon Shroder

Councilwoman Kim Gray was even quoted last week in an NBC 12 interview spinning blatant falsehoods about the community project at Marcus-David Peters (MDP) Circle. Reaching a new low, she demanded the police have a plan for “restoring peace” and to keep people from apparently “defecating on the sidewalk” and “having sex on cars.” Anyone who has spent any amount of time at MDP knows this narrative is absolute rubbish.

The only thing not extraordinary about this situation is just how obviously mediocre the RPD and the city’s elected leadership has been. Especially when stacked against the responsibility of providing for the safety and well-being of the city’s citizenry, which includes space to demonstrate without fear of state-sponsored violence. According to the crowd-sourced 2020 Police Brutality Monitor (a GitHub repository), Richmond ranks eighth nationally in the most reported incidents of police violence since May 26th — hardly a marker of the progressive city Richmond likes to position itself as.  

As a result, Mayor Levar Stoney has just announced a 24-member task force to “reimagine public safety.” But this feels like another political stall tactic, much like the ten-member Monument Ave Commission, which met for a year before presenting a list of recommendations that the city failed to action. It is equally naive to believe that a 24-person task force will be able to reach a consensus on a progressive road map that will be able to restore community trust and legitimacy to the RPD. Furthermore, a commission that is allowing police officers and the Commonwealth’s Attorney to sit as task force members undermines the very foundation of what Stoney wants to reimagine.

What should be obvious is that this task force is a politician’s strategy to run down the clock in the direction of the mayoral election in November. A veritable death by committee, and a cynical attempt for Stoney to have it both ways. On one hand, he allowed his police force to commit egregious acts of violence with no accountability, while on the other hand positioning himself as the champion of police reform. This should fool no one. 

Photo by Landon Shroder

The RPD is a police force that is woefully out of touch with the citizens they are sworn to protect. Going through three chiefs in one month proves that the culture of law enforcement in Richmond is no longer compatible with the needs of this city. Look no further than the over-policing and use of force against Black communities at a rate of five times that of their white counterparts. When this is juxtaposed against the RPD’s assault on civil society, protected freedoms, and a default setting of violence, not de-escalation, we remain a city in crisis, not repair. This is unacceptable.

It is time for Stoney to demand accountability from the RPD. City Council should lead an independent and transparent investigation which can hold the RPD accountable for the police violence committed in June. Waiting on a 24-member task force working against a 45-to-90-day mandate accomplishes none of the things needed to repair trust in this city’s law enforcement. Simultaneously, the mayor needs to take the proposals of Council members Jones and Lynch seriously and explore ideas for defunding the RPD’s 100 million budget for 2021.

Instead of spending countless millions on a police force that treats their citizens like enemy combatants, the city should be funding social, economic, and mental health programs that actually prevent crime. Defunding a militarized police force who believes they need an abundance of crowd suppression weaponry — like tear gas, rubber bullets, 40mm sponge grenades, and armored personnel carriers — is not only good politics, but what “reimagining” public safety actually looks like.  

Top photo by Nils Westergard

Skillz for a New Generation: Q & A with Richmond Rap Royalty Mad Skillz

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In the midst of big changes in the local landscape, RVA Mag caught up with Richmond hip hop legend (Mad) Skillz to talk monuments, music, and making real change in the Commonwealth.

Skillz has the wisdom of experience, having worked with everyone from The Roots and Nas to Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj. A veteran of the game, Skillz has not only presaged current events, but laid the foundation for generations of artists to come. During this time of protest, unrest, and political upheaval, who better to help navigate the many complex realities of life in the commonwealth?

RVA Mag caught up with Skillz and Richmond rapper Michael Millions one rainy day last week at the (soon to be removed) statue of Robert E. Lee to chat about the movement, Richmond, and how rap and hip hop has accelerated our consciousness.

RVA Mag: You’re a Richmond hero, rap legend, you have national prominence: With all of your experience, what’s this movement mean to you right now, where we at? 

Skillz: I’m proud to see the city take a stand. Some of these objects have been here for as long as I can remember [points to the statue of Robert E. Lee]. For people to take a stand against systematic oppression and racism, I knew it was a bubble that was going to burst at some point — I’m just glad that I’m here to see it. 

Michael Millions [to Skillz]: Prior to the civil unrest, have you ever been this close to this monument?

Skillz: No, not this close. 

Michael Millions: Driving through the city or utilizing this roundabout, have you ever even intentionally looked up at this statue? 

Skillz: I’ve been in Richmond since 1987 and I have never looked to the top of this monument. During the VCU days when I was living a block away, I never looked up going around this corner. 

Michael Millions: And you’ve never steeped foot on this soil in this city? 

Skillz: I have never stepped on this soil. 

RVA Mag: When you guys saw this statue in its current form, what was the first thing that popped into your mind?

Michael Millions: When I think of structures going up, I look at structure and shapes, everything they laid down, the foundations — there is a lot of intention to raise this, this high. And on top of all this, there is this statue on top. 

Everything returns to the earth. Even if they left it up in this form, the people have reclaimed the land. We like this now — it is definitely an art piece. 

Skillz: I have talked to plenty of people from out of town who had to come down here and take photos, and let their children see it before they take it down. 

RVA Mag: Skillz, coming up in the 90s, what’s it like to see this transitional moment, not just in Richmond but also in the US. Is Richmond playing a deeper role than most people think? 

Skillz: The difference between the 90s and now is about moving around the city — we chose to ignore these [Confederate statues], because they were never speaking to us. We never saw ourselves. They have way more of these than we had any representation. Now, for this to be a space that the oppressed feels to have taken over and reclaimed, it feels good. I believe this generation can be the generation to push forward for real change, because it is different now. A lot of things that used to fly can’t fly anymore; not without question, revolt, or repercussions. 

RVA Mag: Did you ever expect to see this in your lifetime? 

Skillz: In Virginia, in the Commonwealth? No, never. Whatever this is going to be, it needs to represent all people, not just some people. 

RVA Mag: What does this movement look like to you as a man of conscience, a creator? You have also been the artist-in-residence at University of Richmond. You sit at the nexus of all these things. 

Skillz: You might feel as if there is no change you can make, but what I want to say is that you can make that change. People at my age, not all, but some, have become complacent. I’m proud of all the young people stepping forward to make change. Now, when these cops stand in front of the protest groups and they see these people standing in front of them, it’s not just black people; it’s also gay people, Latino people, trans people. The army of “you’re not going to oppress us” is way bigger than just Black people. 

Sooner or later they’re going to have to realize that this is a whole new thing. 

RVA Mag: As someone who has articulated the Black experience in the 90s through their music, does this movement feel different?

Skillz: Yes. This is at my front door. I came back from LA to buildings burning and buses burning on Broad St. I’ve never seen that shit in my life. To see that, I can’t even imagine these people living here and seeing this thinking, “this shit is really happening outside my window.” And that’s how change happens. You almost don’t believe it is right at your front door, but it is. It is uncomfortable and uneasy, but that is what change is. 

RVA Mag: It seems like the boundaries of American culture have shifted quite rapidly in the past two weeks. The NFL, NASCAR, major corporations — even if its disingenuous, it’s still happening. What role has rap and hip hop culture played in pushing this national consciousness over the past 20 to 30 years?

Skillz: It has shown that it can’t be ignored. From day one people always thought it was a fad and it would fade away. No one saw this coming — that it would be a major global trillion-dollar business. Black culture is culture; this shit ain’t cool until we do it. And then when everyone else starts doing it, we stop and start doing something else. It is a transition, a cycle. These voices will be heard one way or another. This is the most popular music in the world — it is so prevalent in today’s society that you almost overlook it, because it is in everything. 

RVA Mag: From a certain perspective, it is America’s number one cultural export. 

Skillz: Without a doubt. I’ve been to places where they don’t even speak English and they know the words to 50 Cent, “In The Club” — some people have learned English through hip hop. 

RVA Mag: Do you feel Virginia ever really took ownership of its rap and hip hop scene? Given the sheer number of national and international acts that have come out of Virginia, it has always seemed strange to not represent that the way New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and other places would have. Do you think Virginia has come full circle in terms of national rap and hip hop culture? 

Skillz: No I don’t think we have. It takes perseverance, more soldiers, more cracks in the armor. When you look at some things that you never thought would happen, they have happened. So you can’t say that the history has to be absorbed and respected, because amazing things have happened here, and there are more amazing things to come. 

RVA Mag: Michael, let me ask you something. Based on what Skillz said, what is the next step for Richmond rap and hip hop? 

Michael Millions: More perseverance. Richmond is such a special place, our awareness in music is what makes artists from Richmond so special. If we could get in front of the curve, in terms of bringing that craftsmanship back to music. Look at where we live, there is not an artist here that is not impacted by this city. Where we live makes our writing and thoughts very special. I don’t think anything is going to stop us coming out of this area. 

RVA Mag: Skillz, as the artist-in-residence at University of Richmond — given that the students which go to that school are quite privileged and it’s one of the most expensive schools in the US — what was your main takeaway from there?

Skillz: In the midst of being there and seeing the diverse students, our class was one of the most popular on campus — it was definitely something that took me to a place where I could acknowledge that this music [rap and hip hop] was the voice of America. I worked at VCU too, so I can’t say that I want to be exclusive to [University of] Richmond. I think it would be dope to teach all across the city. I would teach this class at all schools if I could, because I feel like everyone can absorb something from that. When they take my class on the first day, I ask, “Why did you take this class?” A lot of them come and think it is going to be an easy A, but it’s not; they have to do the work. 

The big takeaway is that you never stop learning. You’re always going to be a student. 

RVA Mag:

Great seeing you guys. Thanks for the lessons.

“Held Hostage” By Richmond Police

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On Sunday night, Richmond police used a detained protester as a bargaining chip to encourage the protest to disperse. The incident was part of a multi-night wave of police violence that led to the chief’s resignation.

When protesters marched to the Richmond Police Headquarters on Grace Street Sunday night, a situation unfolded that left one activist arrested in police custody without medical attention for hours. The activist’s freedom was used as a bargaining chip by RPD, who demanded protesters leave the scene before she could be released or treated for the burns on her skin caused by police mace. 

RVA Magazine has gathered first-hand accounts from protesters on the scene to recall the night’s events.

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When protesters arrived at the Grace Street precinct on the evening of June 14, they were met with a wall of RPD officers surrounding the building. Officers created and protected an invisible line between demonstrators and the police parking garage. 

The group of protesters moved to a different side of the building, congregating in a parking lot and on the sidewalk directly across from 200 W Grace Street, which faces the building’s front entrance. 

Around 10:30 p.m., officers deployed mace on the crowd. 

“I did get pepper sprayed,” an anonymous protester said. “An activist was forcefully taken out of our crowd by RPD, and she was used as a bargaining tool for RPD. The pepper spray was [used] to keep us back; from getting her out of their grip and helping her.” 

Officers attempted to negotiate with the crowd after the activist was taken into custody. Showing protestors a picture he took of her on his cellphone, an officer told the crowd that if they left, she would be released. Officers also informed protesters that she had been moved to the Richmond City jail.

“As protesters, none of us condoned negotiation,” activist and RVA26 member Julea Seliavski said. RVA26 is a local group organizing after the protest arrest events in Richmond on May 31, 2020. 

“The officers wanted us to essentially ‘let them take her to city jail by clearing a path in the parking lot.’ This was a tactic for them to split us up, because their car didn’t need to be in the parking lot to get her there.” 

Seliavski and fellow activists were concerned that if they complied with police demands, the protester would not be released, regardless of what they’d been promised by police. “We all knew the second she’s [at the city jail], she’s getting strip searched, she’s getting fingerprinted, she’s going to experience more trauma,” Selivaski said. “She’s not going to have food or water, she’s going to have trouble getting her lawyer.” 

According to Seliavski, she demanded that officers release the activist in custody.  “We were trying to fight for her to hopefully not go to the city jail,” she said. “If that happened, we were standing our ground against what did happen to her.” 

After entering the precinct and returning to the crowd, the Sergeant informed protesters that the activist had already been taken to the city jail. Seliavski informed the Sergeant they would be staying there, peacefully protesting, because their demands had not been met. 

“We’re going to show that we do not tolerate this kind of violent behavior from police, and we’re going to stand our ground as peaceful protesters — showing that we do have the right to be there. We do have the right to assemble, even though they called it an unlawful assembly,” Seliavski said. “We have the right to freedom of speech.”

Photo by Nils Westergard.

After negotiations over the detained protester’s release broke down, an altercation occurred between police and protesters, which may have been touched off by one protester throwing a cone. The police responded by tear-gassing the crowd, which stood its ground and remained in position until around 5:30am on Monday morning.

When the activist was finally released on Monday morning, she had spent the entire night in police custody without treatment. 

“They made her sit with tear gas and mace on her skin all throughout the night,” said fellow activist Rashaa Langston, who had direct contact with the activist after she was arrested. “We had to pour solution on her body right there in the parking lot, because she was still in pain.”

According to a RPD press release, police are charging the activist in custody with two felonies: “felony assault on a law enforcement officer and conspiracy to incite a riot.” No video evidence or first-hand account of the events released so far shows either of these alleged actions occurring. 

“They are trying to scare her with 15 years over her head if she doesn’t stop doing what she’s doing — organizing,” Langston said. “If she doesn’t comply with them.” 

In the early hours of Monday morning, tear gas was used on the remaining crowd, and again during Monday night’s protests.

“A ton of force from RPD and for what? We were peaceful,” said the protester arrested Sunday night. “The brutality was beyond uncalled for.”

Richmond City Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch was at the protest on Sunday night. According to an interview with WWBT NBC 12, Lynch was responding in part to concerns from constituents about the arrest of the anonymous protester, and arrived only minutes before the crowd was tear-gassed by police.

“It was not warranted at all,” Lynch told WWBT. “And I actually looked across the picket line and I said ‘What are you all doing? Why are you doing this? Why?’”

By Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Levar Stoney announced that he had asked for, and received, Richmond Police Chief William Smith’s resignation. Though Stoney’s announcement of Smith’s resignation did not mention the incidents between police and protesters that had taken place over the previous few nights, it was widely seen as a factor, as was an earlier incident in which Richmond police tear-gassed and pepper-sprayed a peaceful crowd gathered at the Robert E. Lee Monument.

“Richmond is ready for a new approach to public safety,” Stoney said during the announcement.

Written by Alexandra Zernik, Caley Sturgill, and Marilyn Drew Necci. Top Photo by Domico Phillips. Photos in this article do not depict the incident described.