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A Holiday 2020 Small Biz Gift Guide

Melina | December 17, 2020

Topics: 2020, Aged & Infused, Christmas, Devi Arts Collective, Diaspora Co., Hanukkah, holiday shopping, Jini & Tonic, Na Nin, Richmond reproductive freedom project, Rosewood Clothing, small businesses

Looking for small businesses to support with your gifting dollars? Look no further — we’ve got what you need in this holiday gift guide.

As a longtime resident of Richmond and lifelong lover of style, I’ve been so fortunate to have spent the last few years surrounded by creatives of all types. Though I myself am a writer, I most admire people who can make real, tangible items like visual art or clothing.

Small businesses are all around us and while we should aim to support them year round, it can feel especially meaningful during the holidays as an opportunity to give unique and unusual presents. If you’re doing gifts this year, ditch the Amazon wishlist and opt to support one of these six independent shops instead. 

Because the first three businesses listed are locally based, I’ve had the chance to patronize them for years and never been disappointed. But I’m also one to appreciate new treasures and makers from throughout the world so the last three businesses are recent discoveries of mine from other parts of the U.S. (sparing everyone global shipping). I’ve thrown in the scores I would/have bought from each store for the people on my own list, keeping all suggestions at around $50 or less.

Jini & Tonic
(Instagram)

This entire guide was largely inspired by the “shop small” story on Jini & Tonic’s Instagram so it’s only fitting her pithy pins and prints are first on my own list. I’m a fundraiser for Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project, so of course I’ve gifted and been given the safe and legal abortion pin ($10) before. But I also love the boooooobies tee ($50) and vintage vibes not vintage values pin ($10). 

Na Nin
(Instagram)

The earthy, balanced fragrances from Na Nin make me feel like a luxurious, high-class hippie. Cripple Creek ($20) is my personal go-to but as a gift, I suggest one of their Travel EDP Trio sets which contain 3 best selling scents for less than fifty bucks ($48 to be specific). For a bit more, spoil the polish lover in your life with the J. Hannah mini polish set ($50).

Rosewood Clothing
(Instagram)

Rosewood Clothing has the most charming gift for the smoker in your life; these Holly Francis pipes ($40), which at first glance could be mistaken for jewelry. For actual minimalist jewelry pieces, check out these hoops ($44), gold chain studs ($56), or simple chain ($36).

Aged & Infused
(Instagram)

Be your own craft bartender these holidays thanks to Aged and Infused’s kits ($25). These elegantly packaged mixtures contain ingredients which will liven up your spirits (alcohol and otherwise) with classic, nostalgic flavors like Rose Ceremony or Spike the Punch.

Diaspora Co.
(Instagram)

Diaspora Co. aims to decolonize the spice industry through its direct trade, single-origin business model. They offer quality, equitably-sourced individual spices great for stocking up your own pantry, but it’s their collaborations that really make unique gifts for foodies. Turmeric popcorn spice ($9) is perfect for home movie nights, while their date chai caramel is any sweet tooth’s dream. As a “home barista” these days, my personal favorite is the turmeric latte blend ($22).

Devi Arts Collective
(Instagram)

Devi Arts Collective uses recycled metals and ethically cut gems to create elegant jewelry at a variety of price points. They make it easy to give a personalized gift through their zodiac necklaces ($58-$68), or for something with a bit more color, try the birthstone necklace ($52-$72).

No Genre, No Gender: LGBTQ Music Thrives in Richmond

Alexander Rudenshiold | October 11, 2019

Topics: .gif From God, Alfred, Ana Davis, Angel Flowers, Baby Grill, DJ Archangel, Great Dismal, health brigade, Ice Cream Support Group, Judy Hong, LGBTQ music, Listless, Mitchie Shue, Quiet Year Records, Richmond Doula Project, Richmond music scene, Richmond reproductive freedom project, Sawyer Camden, Sofia Lakis, Space Litter Records, strange matter, Ty Sorrell, Warrington

Our 2019 Fall Pride Guide, in collaboration with VA Pride, is out now! In this article from the magazine, Alexander Rudenshiold dives deep into Richmond’s vibrant LGBTQ music scene.

It’s no secret that Richmond is experiencing a musical renaissance right now. Everywhere you look, there’s something happening in every genre: from metalcore to emo, and experimental hip hop to techno. It’s all happening, it’s all connected, and it’s all LGBTQ. While many of the musicians deemed “culturally relevant” at large are the same cookie-cutter, cisgender, straight white people that they have always been, Richmond’s underground music scene — like so many others across the United States — is run and populated by LGBTQ people.

Perhaps the most prominent recent success from the Richmond LGBTQ community is six-piece metalcore collective .Gif From God, who recently signed to Prosthetic Records: an internationally-distributed metal label known for putting out such titans as Lamb of God, Gojira, and Animals as Leaders. The band has become notable online not just for their punishing riffs, but also for the reactionary homophobic and transphobic rhetoric they’ve received in response to their music. The band exists in an intersection between different communities of LGBTQ people in Richmond, sharing members between scenes — most notably vocalist Mitchie Shue, known widely for their post-metal project Truman, and bassist Sofia Lakis, who also regularly DJs techno music.

“I believe the identities I hold directly shape the way I perceive and experience the world,” said Shue. “Most of what I write about in .Gif is in reference to mistakes I’ve made, frustrations I’ve felt, and a deep feeling of intense hopelessness, surrounding the circumstances of my existence and the people I care about.”

Sofia Lakis performs with .Gif From God. Photo by Courage Music Photography

Both Shue and Lakis also play guitar in the six-piece “revenge” band Listless, which has recently made appearances at DIY festivals up and down the East Coast. Shue elaborates that much of the content in both of these bands is focused around holding individuals accountable, and that “actions have consequences, and the ways in which we carry ourselves through the world hold weight and meaning.”

“I feel like these identities have shaped my perspective and experiences in both obvious and imperceptible ways, but at the end of the day, I make music to please my own palette,” said Lakis, an out bisexual trans woman. “I draw inspiration from my environment and my experience of it, and that experience is affected by my gender and sexual identity to varying degrees in any given situation.”

As a guitarist in Listless, Lakis said that most of her inspiration comes from sources of anger. “A lot is derived from my identity rubbing against the grain of my environment, or a self-loathing somberness and resentment stemming from dysphoria, disillusionment, and trauma.” With .Gif however, she thinks of things as a bit “cheekier,” specifically with regards to the genre typing of the band as “sasscore.”

DJ Sofia Lakis. Photo by Sarmistha Talukdar

“Sasscore is hard to define in strict musical terms, but there is a sort of queer connotation to it,” she said. “That goes along with certain sounds and tropes that basically serve as the hardcore/metal equivalent of ‘camp,’ referring to the more ‘effeminate’ qualities of some emo/screamo, mixed with a kind of off-kilter ‘lol, I’m so random’ humor trafficked by myspace-era scene kid memes.”

On top of all this, Lakis also books a series of electronic music showcases under the name “Formula,” aimed at bringing together the many dance scenes in Richmond. She directly credits the LGBTQ community with the success of these events. “LGBT+ artists were at the forefront of this party because we were the ones facilitating it,” she said. “And to a large degree, LGBT+ artists are the ones leading the charge in the Richmond dance music scene.”

Shue and Lakis find themselves at the intersection of two of Richmond’s most prominent LGBTQ music communities, the Great Dismal collective and Ice Cream Support Group. Shue, through Great Dismal, is responsible for many of the most notable offbeat metal and punk shows happening in Richmond booking prominent bands like The HIRS Collective and Soul Glo. The shows also give back to the local community, by donating a portion of the proceeds from each show to organizations working towards positive change, like the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project and the Richmond Doula Project.

DJ Archangel. Photo via Soundcloud

Ice Cream Support Group is a collective of electronic artists organized by Angel Flowers (a.k.a. DJ Archangel), who regularly throw dance parties called “Ice Cream Socials” as fundraisers for some of the same organizations supported by Great Dismal. The Socials serve as an important springboard for DJs like Lakis, a place for them to experiment and find their sound. These groups represent a community which, while differing in some interests, comes together through the principles of what Shue calls “values-based organizing and mutual aid” — coming together around common goals and, despite their differences, supporting one another when they’re able.

Another vibrant new group on the scene is Space Litter Records, a community space run by Ana Davis and Sawyer Camden, both members of emo band Warrington. Since starting in February of this year, Space Litter has become a hub for DIY organizers across Richmond. They lend their space and time seemingly without limit and book their own shows, specifically with the intention to highlight marginalized voices. Davis explains that her identity affects the way she books shows, and that she specifically looks to book groups which aren’t entirely straight and white. “It feels good to see people performing who might not have had their parents pay for their instruments and lessons,” she said. “[People] who make DIY look and feel different for once.”

On top of affecting Space Litter’s booking practices, Camden, a trans man, said that his identity affects his songwriting as well (even if indirectly). “I honestly only have one song that’s actually about my trans identity, and dealing with that as a human,” he said. “But my identity shapes my whole life, and I sing mostly about my depression and anxieties, with very few songs about love and relationships. Oftentimes that stems from my ‘gay/trans lifestyle.’”

Sawyer Camden of Warrington. Photo via Warrington/Bandcamp

Critically, Richmond’s underground hip-hop and rap scene is also making major moves, particularly since LGBTQ rapper Alfred. released their latest album LIKE YOU!! on the notable indie label Topshelf Records, in conjunction with the joint Richmond-Brooklyn operation Citrus City Records. They, along with producer/rapper Ty Sorrell and noise rap duo BLVCKPUNX (of which DJ Archangel is a member) are leading a new wave of hip hop artists in Richmond exploring gender and sexuality through classic and experimental forms.

“I see [Great Dismal and Space Litter] making an effort to make connections across different genres, and bringing people together by simply providing spaces where marginalized people can feel safe and welcomed.” said Judy Hong. “[They] have been so gracious to me by booking and supporting me during my time in Richmond.” Hong, a non-binary/agender Korean-American and frontperson of indie rock band Baby Grill, and the mastermind behind longstanding label Quiet Year Records, also spoke to the hardships of being a QPOC (queer person of color) in music. “Whether it’s while playing shows, recording, or working with music journalists, the relationships I have with the people around me have largely shaped my experiences.”

They stress that there are a great number of practical issues which limit the access for many marginalized people to participate in this type of music. “Who has the PA, the recording studios, the booking calendars, the online platforms?” they ask. “Who will take me seriously and show they can respect me as a person?” For them, finding ways to connect with people higher up in the music industry is a challenge. “It’s still cis, straight, and white-dominated, and I’m just not around many people like that anymore — but that’s who’s calling the shots in the music industry, that’s who I have to get the attention of and impress. It’s discouraging sometimes, for sure.”

Judy Hong of Baby Grill. Photo by Rin Kim, via Baby Grill/Facebook

Despite setbacks like policing of DIY venues and closures of venues like Strange Matter, Richmond’s LGBTQ music scene has persisted and thrived, particularly in the past year. There’s a pervading sense of positivity that enmeshes its members, a sense of community that’s uniquely entwined seemingly-disparate genres into one giant web of support.

“Moving to Richmond from Columbia, SC — four, going on five years ago — was one of the best things I ever did for myself,” said Lakis, who credits the community here in Richmond with empowering her transition. “The resources provided by local organizations like Health Brigade are what brought me here, seeking residency and a chance to begin some form of medical transition. Along with those resources, I found a community full of the most supportive and generous people I’ve ever met, and I’ve made more friends than I could’ve imagined in a relatively short amount of time.”

Hong’s feelings echo Lakis’s. “I have a lot of love for the queer and trans people of color in Richmond,” they say. “While there’s still a lot of violence against LGBTQ people here (and everywhere), there’s pockets of joy and solidarity that make being here worth everything.”

“Being a queer POC in Richmond is actually sick because there are so many of us around,” said Davis. “It’s nice not to feel like such a freak in a town full of them.”

“Also,” adds Lakis, “it’s a pretty good place for a girl to find a date.”

Top Photo: .Gif From God at Gallery 5. Photo by Erik Phillips

RRFP teams up with Rag and Bones Bikes for abortion access fundraiser

Molly Bloom | April 6, 2017

Topics: community, Richmond reproductive freedom project

If you’re looking to defend reproductive justice in style, come by Rag and Bones Bicycle Co-Op’s Comm Room this Saturday April 8 from 10-4 for a craft fair featuring local vendors and a chance to support the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project. A percentage of all sales will benefit the grassroots group which helps fund abortions for women in need across the Commonwealth.

A variety of merchants will be there with unique goods ranging from plants and handmade gifts to wearables. Radical arts collective Elbow Room will have prints, patches and pins. Park Avenue Yarnworks specializes in crochet accessories and novelties.  Gold Star VA will have vintage tees for sale while team Labor Power(s) will sell their own Stigma T-shirts pictured below.

Other wearables include B is for Bead’s handmade jewelry. Both Soft Web Collective and Team Pelvis Costello will be selling plant starters and other homemade items.

Other merchandise for sale this Saturday includes embroidery, subversive cross-stich and zines. Stand up for your pro-choice values and come out this Saturday to Rag and Bones where you can support local artisans and reproductive healthcare at the same time.

‘Without access, there is no real choice’ – On International Women’s Day, RVA Reproductive Freedom Project needs your help to help women across the Commonwealth

Molly Bloom | March 8, 2017

Topics: abortion access in Virginia, community, Richmond reproductive freedom project

If you’re looking for concrete ways to show solidarity with International Women’s Day or throughout Women’s History Month, consider making a donation or fundraising for Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP).

Founded in 2004, RRFP’s mission is to further reproductive justice by providing financial and practical support for individuals seeking abortions. The grassroots organization helped its first client almost entirely with spare change, collected by its founding members, but has since grown to an annual operating budget of $40,000 used to fund abortions across the Commonwealth and nearby communities.

This year’s fundraising season, known as the Bowl-A-Thon, has already begun and will continue through April 30. The Bowl-A-Thon funds nearly all of RRFP’s work so community support is of critical importance.

The groups logo (top image) uses stars on the map to represents an individual helped by RRFP.

While making a donation is the easiest way to help, RRFP has a variety of exciting and fun events  scheduled this year such as Shop for a Cause at Rumors  Boutique this Sunday March 12, a show at My Noodle and Bar on Thursday March 30, and a Craft Fair on Saturday April 8 at Rag and Bones.

For those truly passionate about reproductive justice, RRFP is still seeking fundraisers for this season. Fundraising is easiest done in teams and can be as simple as a one hour commitment per week to sending  personal ask emails or as festive as hosting parties, putting on shows, or selling merchandise.

If you are interested in fundraising or are already fundraising but need additional support/information, join RRFP  for their Mid-Season Check In on Sunday March 19 from 6-8 pm at AMF Sunset Lanes at 6540 W. Broad St..

In addition to the $3 games, PBRs and shoe rentals provided by the venue, RRFP will have a 50/50 raffle and experienced fundraisers on hand to answer questions, offer advice and be your personal cheerleaders.

RRFP’s work is vital in helping those most impacted by a political climate which has become increasingly hostile to reproductive access.

Medically unnecessary regulations and restrictions on abortion such as the mandatory 24-hour waiting period have created financial and practical obstacles to abortion access. Without access, there is no real choice. To quote John Oliver “abortion cannot just be theoretically legal, it has to be literally accessible.”

These regulations create hidden costs in addition to the actual abortion procedure (which averages $451 in the first trimester) such as transportation, childcare and lodging. Contrary to anti-choice propaganda, tax payer money is not used to fund abortions due to the 1976 Hyde Amendment nor is abortion covered by private insurance.

According to NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, there are more restrictions on abortion providers today than in 1973 when Roe v. Wade was decided. Minorities, rural residents and lower income individuals are those most negatively affected by these obstacles. RRFP seeks to bridge the gap between theoretical legality and actual access to abortion by granting funds and providing other practical support such as transportation.

So, if you’re horrified  (as you should be) by the increasing stigmatization and Draconian regulation of one of the safest medical procedures , take a stand and get involved with Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project today either by donating, volunteering,  participating in events or becoming a fundraisers yourself.

For more information, check out RRFP on Facebook or Instagram.

Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project end’s fundraising season with annual Bowl-A-thon

Brad Kutner | April 23, 2015

Topics: abortion access, bowling, Richmond reproductive freedom project

Every year, the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP) celebrates the end of their fundraising season, the Bowl-a-thon, with a bowling party.
[Read more…] about Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project end’s fundraising season with annual Bowl-A-thon

The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project’s 2015 Bowl-a-Thon is in full swing

Marilyn Drew Necci | February 27, 2015

Topics: abortion access, bowl-a-thon, Richmond reproductive freedom project, RVA

The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP) has officially kicked off their 7th annual “Bowl-A-Thon,” a nationwide fundraising campaign coordinated by the National Network of Abortion Funds, active now through April 22. RRFP’s goal is to raise a total of $50,000 that will go towards providing funds, practical support, and access to clients seeking abortions in Virginia, the DMV area, and along the East Coast.

[Read more…] about The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project’s 2015 Bowl-a-Thon is in full swing

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