Book Talk and Signing, "Writing Our Way Our: Memoirs from Jail" with David Coogan

Saturday, November 12th 2016, from 12-2pm, at Book People Richmond (536 Granite Avenue, Richmond VA), David Coogan and several authors of the collaborative book, "Writing Our Way Out: Memoirs from Jail" will appear to discuss and sign copies. The book was written while its authors were incarcerated at the Richmond City Jail, and compiled by Coogan, who was teaching a writing class.

Free, open to the public. 

For more info and to RSVP, see this link. 

Book talk, "Scalawag: A White Southerner's Journey through Segregation to Human Rights Activism" with Edward Peeples: Book People Richmond

Friday, November 11th 2016, from 5-7pm, at Book People Richmond (536 Granite Avenue, Richmond VA), Edward Peeples, author of the Civil Rights movement memoir "Scalawag: A White Southerner's Journey through Segregation to Human Rights Activism," will speak on his book and sign copies.

"Scalawag" is a personal memoir of a white working-class man joining the struggle for collective liberation, but also presents a political history. A white man born to a single mother in Richmond in 1935, Peeples was raised under Jim Crow and taught the brutal ideology of white supremacy. But by nineteen, he rejected it, and became a "race traitor". He joined the Black freedom struggle, and began a life of political work.

Free, open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, see this link. 

Ana Edwards and Phil Wilayto of the Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality: "Save sacred ground for the future."

Check it out- Ana Edwards and Phil Wilayto, of the Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality, wrote a piece for the Richmond Free Press on the need to memorialize the sacred ground in Shockoe Bottom. A good read, which you can find here.

If you have not yet signed on endorsing the Community Proposal for a 9-acre Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park, you can do so here. 

Virginia Benefit Event for Gaza & Refugees in Lebanon

Just a reminder: this is coming up! 

Saturday, October 29th 2016, at 6pm, at St. John’s United Church of Christ (503 North Lombardy Street, Richmond VA), ANERA, Richmonders for Peace in Israel and Palestine:RPIP-RVA, and the Arab American Association of Central Virginia are holding an event to benefit ANERA’s work in Palestine and Lebanon. 

ANERA President Bill Corcoran will give a presentation titled “Reviving Hope: Stories from Gaza & Lebanon,” about the situation on the ground in Lebanon and Palestine. “In addition to refugees’ needs and current conditions, you’ll hear stories of hope and success. From Syrian refugee teens in Lebanon who are finally able to get an education and pursue their dreams, to families in Gaza who’ve transformed fallow lots into thriving family farms, these stories will inspire.” 

The event is free to attend, but you must register. All proceeds will go to ANERA’s programs in Palestine and Lebanon. See the link for directions on registration. 

For more information, contact Hani Almadhoun at halmadhoun@anera.org, Nancy Wein at (804) 214-1399, or Adeeb Abed at (804) 692-1943. 

"Money, Cash, VCU: Wealth Hoarding and the Corporate University" with Divest VCU for Climate Justice

This Thursday, October 27th 2016, from 8-9:30pm, in VCU's Founder's Hall (827 West Franklin Street, Richmond VA), Divest VCU for Climate Justice is holding an informative presentation on neoliberalism, the capitalist freedom-means-liberty-to-pursue-profit ideology of modern America, and how it influences universities. DivestVCU will propose means for students to get involved in fighting the deleterious influences of the corporate university.

Free. Though this event is of specific interest to students, it is open to the general public. The venue is accessible from the Shafer Court entrance.

For more information and to RSVP, see this link. 

2016 Mayoral Candidate Q&A

Today, October 24th 2016, from 6-8:30pm, at the Richmond Times-Dispatch headquarters (300 East Franklin Street, Richmond VA), there will be a discussion and Q&A session with three Richmond mayoral candidates. Jon Baliles, Levar Stoney, and Joe Morrissey will be participating and answering questions from the audience.

Free, open to the public. Refreshments provided.

For more info and to RSVP, see this link.

"Some New Thoughts About Climate Change" with William Nelson of the Citizens' Climate Lobby

Today, October 24th 2016, at 12:30pm, at St. Luke Lutheran Church (7757 Chippenham Parkway, Richmond VA), William Nelson of the Richmond chapter of the Citizens' Climate Lobby, a grassroots organization which advocates for fighting climate change through reducing fossil fuel use by imposing a carbon fee, will give a presentation titled "Some New Thoughts About Climate Change."

There are active chapters of CCL in Alexandria, Fairfax, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, McLean, Heathsville, and Richmond. To learn more about the Richmond chapter, see the link. 

Free, open to the public. 

Interest Meeting for New Anti-fascist Group ASH, Antifascists of the Seven Hills

Sorry about the very short notice- I'm a little disorganized over here.

Today, from 6-10pm in Richmond (message the organizers to receive the address), the newly-formed local organization ASH- Antifascists of the Seven Hills- will be holding an interest meeting and pizza party. This new organization is a group of anarchists and communists dedicated to fighting fascism here on the ground in Richmond.

This is an especially necessary organization now, when we're seeing a resurgence of both fascist orgs (like the Traditionalist Worker's Party, which intends to establish a chapter at VCU) and proto-fascist factions with racist, anti-worker, and xenophobic politics. Go check out ASH, and join the fight.

For more info and to RSVP, see this link. 

Richmond Times-Dispatch Public Square #68: Mark Holmberg's "Act Right Movement"

Mark Holmberg - WTVR CBS 6 has an idea for ending police shootings that’s as simple as it is insulting: people should just learn to be well behaved so that cops won’t murder them. If for some reason you’ve always wanted to see a white man stand in front of an audience and present a patronizing Facebook status as though it was a policy solution, here are the details on where that will be going down:

Thursday, October 27th, from 12-1:30pm, at the Richmond Times Dispatch headquarters (300 East Franklin Street, Richmond VA), the paper is holding their 68th public square discussion. RTD columnist Mark Holmberg will propose his solution to the problem of police violence- an “increase in responsible behavior” he is calling the “Act Right Movement”- and three additional panelists will discuss it with him. Those panelists are local #BlackLivesMatter activist and educator Osita Iroegbu, Richmond Police Department Chief Alfred Durham, and Claire Gastanaga of the ACLU of Virginia.

Mark Holmburg outlines his “movement” in a September 2016 op ed you can read here: goo.gl/Bk8S6d. The highlights: police shootings are primarily the result of the victim’s behavior rather than officer misconduct, so if people just behaved themselves, police wouldn’t have to kill them. There is no race problem in America, just a poverty problem which is somehow not related to race. Talking about racism just gives Black kids “an excuse” to “feel like the victim.” In a somehow even worse op ed from July 2016 (goo.gl/w4TRe4), Holmberg flatly denied that police shootings have anything to do with race, wrung his hands about how “divisive” Black Lives Matter is, and finally declared that the movement against police shootings is actually responsible for as least as many deaths as killer cops. 

Free, open to the public. Contact Robin Beres at 804-649-6305, or mberes@timesdispatch.com, for more information.

"Landscapes of Renewal: Cherokee Adaptation and Environmental Governance" with Dr. Clint Carroll

Thursday, November 3rd 2016, at 5pm, in room 1030J at the West Grace Street Student Housing (830 West Grace Street, Richmond VA), Dr. Clint Carroll, Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will give a presentation titled "Landscapes of Renewal: Cherokee Adaptation and Environmental Governance."

Free, open to the public. For the original posting, see this link. 

Informational Session on Coyotes in Richmond City

Wednesday, October 26th 2016, from 6:30-8:30pm, at the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts (3411 Semmes Avenue, Richmond VA), there will be a community conversation and information session on the wild coyotes living in the City of Richmond. Wildlife experts will discuss coyote ecology and behavior, wildlife regulations, and how to best deal with wildlife living near humans.

A picture of a coyote, captured by a wildlife cam in the James River park in November 2015

Coyotes have been documented living in the James River Park, on Belle Isle, and elsewhere around Richmond- and wildlife officials say they're here to stay. While not usually seen by humans, coyotes have been known to prey on unaccompanied pets, as was the case this July when coyotes killed a small dog in Forest Hill.

To RSVP, see the link.

"Latin American Immigrants in Virginia: the Challenges They Face" with Dr. Jennifer Bickham-Mendez, Dr. Debra Rodman, and Ms. Carolina Velez

Tonight, October 18th 2016, from 6-8pm, in Room 1030-J on the first floor of West Grace Student Housing (830 West Grace Street, Richmond VA), there will be a panel and discussion titled "Latin American Immigrants in Virginia: the Challenges They Face". Panelists include Dr. Jennifer Bickham-Mendez of William and Mary, Dr. Debra Rodman of Randolph-Macon, and Ms. Carolina Velez of the Wayside Center for Popular Education.

Free, open to the public. The venue is wheelchair accessible with accessible bathrooms. For more information and to RSVP, see the link.

Sorry about the late notice. 

"Scary-Oke" Costume and Karaoke Gala to benefit Diversity Richmond

Friday, October 28th 2016, from 7-11pm, at Diversity Richmond (1407 Sherwood Avenue, Richmond VA), Diversity Richmond is holding Scary-oke, a costume and karaoke gala to benefit our very own LGBTQ community center.

From the event description: "Bring a song you think you can nail. Dress up sexy, funny, politically (in)correct, come-as-you-might-have-been, or just as you are. A panel of esteemed judges will select 2nd and 1st cash prize winners for costumes entries, and 2nd and 1st cash prize winners for karaoke entries, and $500 cash prize for winning costume AND karaoke combo. Let's get this Halloween weekend off to a great start, and support the programs of Diversity Richmond!"

$10 to attend, 18+ only. There will be a cash bar. To RSVP and for more information, see this link. 

Information Session on Services for LGBTQ Survivors of Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence: YWCA Richmond

Wednesday, October 26th 2016, from 12-1pm, at YWCA Richmond (6 North 5th Street, Richmond VA), the YWCA is holding "Healthy Love for All," an info session on services available to LGBTQ survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence. Attendees will learn about domestic and intimate partner violence related programs serving the LGBTQ community of the Richmond area.

Free, open to the public. Attendees are asked to RSVP through the link.

Black Panther Party for Self Defense 50th Anniversary

Yesterday, October 15th 2016, was the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. 

Established in Oakland, California by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, the BPP was a Marxist Black liberation organization. They fought against the overt violence of racist cops and the covert brutality of poverty, hunger, and degradation. They established survival programs to do the work the government wouldn’t, worked to oppose American imperialism abroad, published a newspaper, and agitated for their Ten Point Plan which ended “We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace!”

The FBI targeted the Panthers under the COINTELPRO program, subjecting them to surveillance, infiltration, perjury, harassment, smear campaigns, and assassinations. Despite fighting valiantly, the party was dissolved in 1982. 

From left to right: a BPP poster, Bobby Hutton (the first recruit, murdered at 16 by police), Elaine Brown (Party Chair from 1974-1977), Kathleen Cleaver (Party Communications Secretary), Bobby Seale and Huey Newton, and a gathering of the Free Breakfast Program. 

Showing of "Difficult Love": Sistah Sinema- Richmond

Sunday, October 23rd 2016, from 1-4pm, at Capital Ale House (623 East Main Street, Richmond VA), Sistah Sinema- Richmond will be screening "Difficult Love," a documentary on the the lives of Black lesbians in modern South Africa. From the event description:

“Difficult Love presents a lively personal take on the challenges facing Black lesbians in South Africa today. It features the life, photographs, work, friends and associates of "visual activist" and renowned photographer, Zanele Muholi (who also narrates the film). How real are the freedoms of this new democracy for this diverse minority? This documentary offers a moving answer - and a compelling plea for understanding and tolerance.”

$10 ticket cost. To RSVP and see where to buy tickets before the showing, see the link.

Book talk, "Hidden Figures" with Margot Lee Shetterly: Library of Virginia

Tuesday, October 2th 2016, from 5:30-7:30pm, at the Library of Virginia (800 East Broad Street, Richmond VA), author Margot Lee Shetterly will speak on her new book, Hidden Figures, which tells the story of the pioneering African American women who did the calculations (by hand!) that made space flight possible, in a time when Jim Crow laws ensured that NASA was segregated.

Wine and cheese reception from 5:30-6pm, book talk from 6-7pm, and book signing from 7-7:30pm.

No cost is listed. To RSVP, see the link.

Book talk, "God of Earth: Discovering a Radically Ecological Christianity" with Kristin Swenson: Chop Suey Books

Tuesday, October 25th 2016, from 6-7pm, at Chop Suey Books (2913 West Cary Street, Richmond VA), there will be a book talk featuring Kristin Swenson on her book "God of Earth: Discovering a Radically Ecological Christianity." From the event description:

"What happens if we imagine the Jesus of Christian theology to be realized in the nonhuman natural world around us? Basic to Christian belief is the notion that God, the creator of all, inhabited the earth in order to call to us. God of Earth embraces this central premise of Christianity - Jesus as both fully divine and fully carnate - and then allows for the possibility that such a Jesus need not be limited to a human man. What if Jesus were "God of earth" - not only over earth but also in and through it? As Swenson tracks that question through the cycle of a church year, she invites readers to reconsider our relationship to the nonhuman natural world and so experience new dimensions of the sacred and new possibilities for hope and healing."

Free, open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, see the link.

Deadline to Register to Vote on November 8th is Tomorrow

Alert! The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration for the November 8th, 2016 General Election is tomorrow, Monday October 17th, 2016. 

You can register to vote, check your Virginia registration, and see what will be on your ballot here. 

Showing of "Chisholm '72– Unbought and Unbossed": Virginia Historical Society

Thursday, October 20th 2016, from 6-9pm, at the Virginia Historical Society (428 North Boulevard, Richmond VA), there will be a screening of the documentary “Chisholm ‘72- Unbought and Unbossed,” on Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to Congress (1968) and the first to run for president. This event is part of the Created Equal Film Series. From the event description:

“Chisholm ’72—Unbought & Unbossed (2005, 75 minutes) recounts the election of 1972 and the unlikely emergence of Shirley Chisholm, a determined, prim and unapologetically liberal black woman with a powerful message: Exercise the full measure of your citizenship and vote. Featuring archival footage, period music, interviews, and Chisholm’s own commentary, the film is a remarkable recollection of a campaign that broke new ground in politics, and truly reached out to the people—the poor, the young, minorities, gays, women, and other marginalized Americans.”

The screening will begin at 6:30pm, with light refreshments available beforehand. The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP and for more information, see this link. 

Teen Dialogue on Race and Policing with the Richmond Peace Education Center

Monday, October 17th 2016, from 4:30-6:30pm, at the First UU Church of Richmond (1000 Blanton Avenue, Richmond VA), the Richmond Peace Education Center is hosting a discussion on race and policing, open to teens. 

For more information and to RSVP, see rprec.org. 

Remember My Name: a Vigil for Lives Lost to Domestic Violence in Richmond

Tuesday, October 18th 2016, from 7-9pm, at Unity Richmond (800 Blanton Avenue, Richmond VA), YWCA Richmond is holding their annual, nondenominational vigil to remember those who lost their lives to domestic and intimate partner violence in our city.

Free, open to the public. To RSVP, see this link.

Showing of "Out in the Night," with Director Blair Doroshwalther and Renata Hill: Sistah Sinema- Richmond

Wednesday, October 19th 2016, from 7-10pm, at the Bijou Film Center (304 East Broad Street, Richmond VA), Sistah Sinema-Richmond and the Afrikana Independent Film Festival are holding a showing of Out in the Night (2014). Following the film Blair Doroshwalther, director, and Renata Hill, one of the New Jersey 4, will take questions.

The film is a documentary on the case of the New Jersey 4. In 2006, seven black lesbians walking in the Greenwich Village were sexually harassedand then attacked by a man, Dwayne Buckle. A fight broke out, and they defended themselves; Buckle received minor injuries. The media sensationalized the case as one of violent lesbians prowling for men to brutalize at random, and three of the women plead guilty to the charge of attempted assault. The remaining four- Renata Hill, Patreese Johnson, Venice Brown, and Terrain Dandrige- were charged with second degree gang assault, convicted, and sentenced to several years in prison. Hill's conviction was overturned, Dandridge successfully appealed, and Brown and Johnson's cases are pending appeal.

Free to students, $10 ticket price for all others. See the link for more information.

A New Headstone for Dr. Tancil: East End Cemetery Cleanup & Restoration Project

Saturday, October 22nd 2016, from 12-1pm, at East End Cemetery (50 Evergreen Road, Richmond VA), the East End Cemetery Cleanup & Restoration Project will be replacing the missing headstone of Dr. Tancil, and are inviting the public to attend.

From the event description: "Dr. Richard F. Tancil was born into slavery in 1852, and went on to earn an MD from Howard University. He set up a medical practice in Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood, where he also founded a bank. According to his great-granddaughter-in-law, the family archivist, he was beloved by his wife, children, and grandchildren, who remembered him as funny, generous, and kind."

From the Project's website: "East End is a historic African American cemetery in Henrico County, Virginia. Established in 1897 next to Evergreen Cemetery, East End is the final resting place of an estimated 13,000 people, among them some of the most prominent black Richmonders of the turn of the 20th century. Decades of neglect had obscured their graves and thousands of others beneath tangles of ivy, brush, and illegally dumped trash. Since June 2013, a small group of regular volunteers, along with many students and Richmond-area residents, have been working to reveal them, slowly uncovering not just long-buried headstones but an entire community."

Free, open to the public. To RSVP, see this link. 

A Conversation with Billie Jean King- Part of an LGBTQ@VCU Events Series

Thursday, October 27th 2016, at 6pm, at VCU’s Seigel Center (1200 West Broad Street, Richmond VA), Billie Jean King, the celebrated tennis star, feminist, and LGBTQ rights advocate, will speak.

From the event description: “King was outed in 1981 and lost all of her endorsements and sponsorships overnight. Over her career she has been a tireless advocate for LGBTQ people as well as for women in sports and society. King has created new inroads for women and LGBTQ people in and out of sports throughout her legendary career, and she continues to make her mark today as her enduring accomplishments reverberate far beyond the tennis courts."

 This event is part of the series "LGBTQ@VCU: Celebrating Forty Years of LGBTQ Activism at VCU.” You can see the other events here: http://humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/lgbtq-activism.

Free, open to the public. For the original listing, see this link.

“Lobbying for Peace: People Power to Help Extinguish the Middle East Fire”

Sunday, October 23rd 2016, at 9:30am, at the Friends Meeting of Richmond (4500 Kensington Avenue, Richmond VA), Kate Gould, the Legislative Representative for Middle East Policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation, will give a presentation on anti-war lobbying.

Free, open to the public.

Richmond Mayoral Candidate Debate at the Altria Theater

Monday, October 17th 2016, from 6:30-8:30pm, at the Altria Theater (formerly the Landmark: 6 North Laurel Street, Richmond VA), Chamber RVA is hosting a live televised Richmond Mayoral Candidate Debate, presented by Altria, NBC12, and WCVE. The debate will feature Jon Baliles, Jack Berry, Joe Morrissey, Michelle Mosby, and Levar Stoney.

  

The debate will be broadcast live on NBC12, WCVE FM radio and WCVW-57 from 7 to 8 p.m. WCVE-23 and WHTJ-41 will also rebroadcast the debate at 10 p.m. that same night. The debate may also be streamed and/or broadcast live across public and network stations or other broadcast affiliates.

The event is free and open to the public. See the link for further information. 

Screening of "Abortion: Stories Women Tell": Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia

Sunday, October 16th 2016, from 12:30-3pm, at the First UU Church of Richmond (1000 Blanton Avenue. Richmond VA), the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia are holding a free screening of "Abortion: Stories Women Tell." This screening is in honor of the 100th anniversary ofPlanned Parenthood. From the event description:

"ABORTION: STORIES WOMEN TELL offers an intimate window into the lives of women living in Missouri under restrictive abortion laws. Some women, on both sides of the issue, find the choice easy to make due to their own circumstances and beliefs, while others simply inform us of the strength and capacity of women to overcome and persevere through complicated and unexpected circumstances. ABORTION: STORIES WOMEN TELL presents a candid dialogue about one of the timeliest issues facing America today."

The event is free and open to the public, but because space is limited, you must RSVP through a link available on the Facebook event page.

“Recovering and Preserving Our LGBTQ Past” with Historians Richard Godbeer and Marc Stein: Diversity Richmond

Thursday, October 13th 2016, at 7pm, at the Iridian Gallery at Diversity Richmond (1407 Sherwood Avenue, Richmond VA), there will be an event titled “Recovering and Preserving Our LGBTQ Past.”

Two acclaimed historians of US LGBTQ history, Richard Godbeer (director of the Humanities Research Center and professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University) and Marc Stein (Jamie and Phyllis Pasker Professor of History at San Francisco State University) will speak on the importance of recovering and preserving local and institutional histories relating to the LGBTQ experience. In particular, they will speak on the 40th anniversary of the successful lawsuit to compel VCU to officially recognize its first LGBTQ student group.

Free, open to the public. Email RSVP@diversityrichmond.org to RSVP.

Richmond Mayoral Candidate Debate on Criminal Justice Issues

Thursday, October 13th 2016, from 7-9pm, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Richmond, VA) (815 East Grace Street), Richmond Justice is holding a mayoral debate on issues of criminal justice. All candidates will attend. From the organizers:

“Moderated by University of Richmond historian Julian Hayter, the debate will push candidates to distinguish their views from one another as they tackle tough questions about the justice system in Richmond. Individuals previously profiled by Richmond Justice will ask the candidates questions on a variety of topics: juvenile justice, homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, and the challenges formerly incarcerated individuals face in securing employment and stability. The public will also have a chance to submit questions.”

Richmond Justice (richmondjustice.org) is a year-long project examining the justice landscape in Virginia’s capital city. Each week, the site reveals a new portrait and story about a Richmonder whose life is shaped in some way by the justice system.

Free, open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, see the link.

Book talk, "Catching Homelessness: a Nurse's Story of Falling Through the Safety Net" with Josephine Ensign: Fountain Bookstore

Tomorrow, October 11th 2016, from 6:30-8pm, at Fountain Bookstore, Inc.(1312 East Cary Street, Richmond VA), Richmond author Josephine Ensign will read from her new memoir, "Catching Homelessness: A Nurse's Story of Falling Through the Safety Net." The book discusses Ensign's work with Richmond's homeless in the 1980s, during which time she became homeless herself. Proceeds from this event will go to The Daily Planet's Health Care for the Homeless program.

For more information and to RSVP, see the link.

Abolish Columbus Day

Image from the American Indian Movement of Colorado.

"Community Conversations: Linking Trauma to the African American" at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center

Tomorrow, October 6th 2016, from 6-8pm, at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center(122 West Leigh Street, Richmond VA), the museum is partnering with Civitas for a community conversation relating to trauma, the African American community, and law enforcement. From the event description:

“Jimmie Lee Jackson. Eric Gardner. Tamir Rice. Sandra Bland. Philando Castile. The list grows and the hashtags are numbing. How are we coping? What conversations are we having with our children? How do we show compassion to our African American co-workers? In partnership with Civitas, we will take an in-depth historical and mental health look at the crisis between law enforcement and the African American community, developing cross-sector solutions through a Collective Impact approach.”

This is the first of three iterations of this event; it will be held again on October 20th and 27th. The event is free, but registration is required.

To register, see the link for further instructions.

“Applying Indigenous Legal Traditions to Conceptualizing Water Justice" with Dr. Deborah McGregor

Thursday, October 6th 2016, at 5pm, in room 1030J of the West Grace Street Student Housing (830 West Grace Street, Richmond VA), Dr. Deborah McGregor, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice at the Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, will give a presentation titled “Applying Indigenous Legal Traditions to Conceptualizing Water Justice." 

Free, open to the public. 

Students, Sodomy, and the State: LGBT Campus Struggles in the 1970s

Thursday, October 13th 2016, at 4pm, in the Richmond Salons 1 & 2 of the VCU Student Commons (907 Floyd Avenue, Richmond VA), Dr. Marc Stein will give a presentation titled “Students, Sodomy, and the State: LGBT Campus Struggles in the 1970s.” Dr. Stein is a Jamie and Phyllis Pasker Professor of History at San Francisco State University. 

 This event is part of the series “LGBTQ@VCU: Celebrating Forty Years of LGBTQ Activism at VCU.” You can see the other events here: http://humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/lgbtq-activism. 

 Free, open to the public. 

Virginia Raise Up For $15 Community Meeting

Tuesday, October 11th 2016, from 6:30-8pm, at 904 North 1st Street, Richmond VA, Raise Up! VA is holding a community discussion and planning meeting to discuss the work of the past few months, hear from community organizations about their work, and plan for the remainder of the year. From the event description: 

“There’s ongoing work around the Fight for 15 agenda that includes $15 and union rights for all workers, homecare and childcare for all, fighting racism, and justice for immigrants during the election season, and more actions and a major strike planned later this fall. We hope you’re able to join us to discuss all this and more about how to build our collective struggles and continue our march forward for justice!" 

For more information and to RSVP, see the link. 

CARITAS needs help sheltering Richmond homeless this holiday season

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports: CARITAS, the largest provider of emergency shelter for the homeless in the Richmond area, is looking for help housing 64 homeless individuals this holiday season. Thus far, the organization has been unsuccessful in finding a church or other organization to host during December 23rd-31st. 

You can read the story here. 

Right to Respect Speak Out and Rally Against Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Raise Up! VA

This Thursday, October 6th 2016, from 11:30am-2pm, at the East Broad Street McDonald’s (1800 East Broad Street, Richmond VA), Raise Up! VA is hosting an open forum and speak-out on women’s rights in the workplace. From the event description:

“Women face sexual harassment on the job all too often and it is time to include a woman’s right to agency over her own body and spirit as part of the conversation around worker’s rights.

"Everyone deserves to feel safe and protected in their workplace. No one should feel forced to compromise themselves or their morals in order to earn a living. This is a human right. Workers will be speaking on their experiences and their vision for a safe, fair working environment. Join us!”

To RSVP, see the link. For more information or to request a ride, call 856-261-4544.

Ajamu Baraka to announce support for Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park

This Monday, October 3rd 2016, from 5-5:30pm, at Richmond’s African Burial Ground (East Broad and 16th Street, Richmond VA), the Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality are holding a press conference. Ajamu Baraka, Green Party nominee for Vice President, will be appearing to announce his support for the Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park proposal.

For more information and to RSVP, see the link.

Indigenous People's Day showing of "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance": Rag & Bones Bicycle Co-op

Monday, October 10th 2016, from 7:30-10pm, at the Rag & Bones Bicycle Co-op, there will be a free screening of “Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance,” which portrays the 1990 Oka Rebellion. The organizers will also be accepting donations to send to the resistors of the Dakota Access Pipeline, and taking a group photo to send with a solidarity message. From the event description:

“This space will be provided as a counter to the continued celebration of "Columbus Day” as a national holiday, which continues to erase the history, humanity, and significance of First Nations people."

Popcorn, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. 

Free, open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, see the link.

Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce/Telemundo Richmond Career Fair and Multicultural Festival

Saturday, October 8th 2016, from 12-4pm, at the Science Museum of Virginia (2500 West Broad Street, Richmond VA), the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Telemundo Richmond WZTD are holding a job fair and multicultural festival. The event will feature job opportunities, music, art, resource booths, and more.

Free, open to the public. RSVP through the link.

Sabado, 8 de octubre 2016, de 12-4 PM al Museo de Ciencia de Virginia (2500 W Broad St., Richmond, VA) La Camara de Comercio Hispana de Virginia y Telemundo Richmond van a haber una feria de empleo y festival multicultural. Este evento va a ofrecer oportunidades de empleo, musica, arte, cabinas de recursos, y más.

Libre y abierta al publico. RSVP por el enlace.