Tag: community

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Community Community Development Education Health and Wellness History Hometown Heroes Sonia Montalvo

Holly Edwards: The Legacy of Lamb and Lion Lives On

by Sonia Montalvo | Photos by Anica Marcelino

Holly Edwards was a force—both gentle and unyielding—who forever shaped Charlottesville’s community. Even now, nearly a decade since her passing, the ripple effects of her civic-centered work as a nurse, City Councilor, and community advocate are felt in both big and small ways. Holly was not just a public figure; she was a servant leader who showed up in people’s lives, day in and day out, with compassion, wisdom, and quiet strength.

To her family, she was the matriarch who led by example; to her neighbors, a trusted advocate and friend; and to the community at large, she was a woman of action, embodying what it meant to stand firmly for what is right while offering warmth and kindness to those around her.

Saturn Edwards recalls their mother’s advice: “You gotta be tough,” emphasizing her belief in balance: “She specifically said that we have to be like a lion and a lamb. You have to balance your energy when you’re interacting with other people, and you have to stand up for yourself while also doing it with grace.” Saturn and their twin, Jean, were the youngest of Holly and Ken Edwards’s children, growing up in a close-knit family alongside siblings Christen and Shelby.

Video Credit: Anna Scholl

Photo of Holly  provided by family.

Jean, fondly known as Novella, reflects on spending after-school hours at Westhaven with Holly, who seamlessly integrated family with her community work. “She would pick us up, especially during the summer when she was working as a nurse, and be like, ‘I’m going to be in my office and do my own thing, but you guys can play with your toys.’” For the Edwards children, service was more than a responsibility—it was a natural part of life.

Christen and Shelby share similarly impactful memories. Holly supported and encouraged their interests: Shelby recalls her mother buying the book that the musical she starred in during high school was based on, while Christen remembers having empowering conversations with Holly about her teenage aspirations of becoming an Olympic swimmer like Michael Phelps.

Creating Community Care

Holly’s roots run deep in Charlottesville’s public housing communities, and Westhaven held a special place in her heart. Westhaven, Charlottesville’s oldest housing complex, was where Mrs. Edwards served as a Parish Nurse and Program Coordinator for the Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) at the Westhaven Clinic. Holly’s efforts brought healthcare directly to those who needed it most, ensuring equitable access for all. She didn’t limit her work to just one facet of community care—she also pursued political change.

Left to Right: Jean Edwards, Saturn Edwards (Front Row,) Shelby Edwards, Christen Edwards, & Ken Edwards (Back Row.)

During her time in local government, Holly Edwards served as Vice Mayor of Charlottesville from 2008 to 2010 during her term on the Charlottesville City Council. Elected to the council in 2007, she served until 2011. In her work, she fought for policies that mattered—equitable access to resources and healthcare, as well as support for the city’s most marginalized. But she also knew that leadership wasn’t just about standing tall; it was about lifting others. Her family understood her unmatched ability to listen, connect, and offer the right words at the right time.

Love and Lasting Impact

Ken Edwards, no stranger to community work, jokingly shares that he loved “the hype” surrounding his wife, Holly. As a Community Faith leader and long-time Government Service worker for the United States Postal Service, Ken has spent decades fostering spiritual growth, serving as a pastor at Union Grove Baptist Church and now the historic Zion Union Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. Alongside his late wife, the couple exemplified a life of unwavering service—Ken through his faithful leadership and commitment to public service, and Holly through her passionate advocacy for healthcare and social justice.

Reflecting on Holly’s tireless work, Ken expressed his admiration: “It was amazing how many people Holly touched in ways I never knew about… People would see her carrying the oxygen tank, taking care of the twins, and still showing up for the community. They were inspired to do more, to stop dragging their feet.” When asked about his own legacy, Mr. Edwards said, “I want people to know that I was friendly, I didn’t point the finger at anybody, I didn’t condemn anybody. I just tried to love everybody. Man, that’s what I want. If the church can get that right, guess what? We’ll be full every Sunday.”

Carrying the Torch

In 2017, Holly Edwards passed away, and the community continues to deeply feel her absence, with many still mourning the profound loss of her leadership and compassion. One of her many initiatives still utilized in Charlottesville today is her “Meet Me at the Bus” program, where she stood at the Westhaven bus stop with donuts and fruit, chatting with families as they sent their children to school. This practice has since been adopted by other organizations in the area to foster engagement with community youth and their parents.

Today, Holly’s children continue her legacy in their own ways. Shelby Edwards, a versatile professional, has made an impact in both the performing arts and the nonprofit sector. A performer and teacher in the theater world, Shelby has acted on stages from Virginia to Illinois. In a full-circle moment of legacy, Shelby also became the Executive Director of the Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) in 2020, the same organization where her mother once worked as a program coordinator. Now back in the Windy City, she continues her philanthropic work as a Director of Leadership Giving.

Christen, a leader in the education field, is involved in several equitable education initiatives aimed at supporting marginalized students and fostering inclusion. A graduate of North Carolina A&T and UVA, Christen was a part of the inaugural leadership team for  Charlottesville’s first Freedom School, which provides a comprehensive education on Black and Brown history, social activism, and community involvement. She also started the first equity committee in the Charlottesville school district. Christen states, “I wanted to be able to talk about equity, diversity, and inclusion… the voiceless need a voice, and if I’m gonna come back home, I’m gonna give back to Charlottesville because it’s the same community that built me up.” She now serves as a Manager of Research and Evaluation for the National Center for Teacher Residencies, a Chicago-based education organization.

Jean and Saturn, recent high school graduates, are making their mark on the community as well. Jean, currently a student at VCU’s School of Arts for Theatre, said: “I don’t know. I just feel like it’s still very early in my career. Even though I am very young, and like I can speak on some of these issues, I feel like I still have yet to experience all of it. I’m mostly looking forward to being at VCU. I’m a transfer student. I didn’t enjoy my previous college. It was much too small for my taste, and I knew I wanted more.”

Saturn, following in their mother’s footsteps of activism, has become a vocal advocate for Black queer and trans individuals, focusing on visibility and inclusivity within the Charlottesville community. Like their mother, who worked passionately to uplift marginalized groups, Saturn continues this legacy by setting an example of Black queer joy and resilience. “I’m really setting an example for what Black queer joy can look like,” Saturn says. “That’s why I decided to stay [in Charlottesville]… so other Black queer and trans youth can see me on my journey and say, ‘Wow, I can do that and be happy.’”

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Community Community Development Sonia Montalvo

We Can Show You Better Than We Can Tell You

By Sonia Montalvo  I Photos by Tristan Thompson

Disclaimer: This narrative is not the complete history of Gogo music in Charlottesville. This article serves as an in-depth look at the perspectives of Gogo music enthusiasts and community members who have contributed to its evolution and presence in Charlottesville. It aims to highlight their experiences, insights, and contributions to the vibrant and growing Gogo music scene within the city.

Gogo, the offspring of funk and soul music, originated in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s. Innovators like Chuck Brown, widely respected as the ‘Godfather of Gogo,’ paved the way for the music genre. Heavily influenced by African culture and characterized by its use of congas and timbale drums, which set the percussive tone of the sound, Gogo has become a cultural staple in the states of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, also known as the DMV area.

Comical debate on the internet has displayed the divided opinion amongst residents of the National Capital Region on what areas of Virginia are considered a part of the [V] within the DMV. Depending on who you ask, the delineation between what constitutes the broader state of Virginia, and the core DMV area can vary. Places like Charlottesville and its surrounding rural counties are often overlooked as they tend to differ in culture and distance from the bustling artistic influence of the DMV. However, Charlottesville’s long-standing Gogo bands, Ebony Groove and 100 Proof, beg to differ. Both bands recently sat down with Vinegar Hill Magazine to share just what they mean.

As the decades of the 1970s and 1980s progressed, Gogo music flourished with bands such as Rare Essence, Backyard Band, EU, and many others, carrying forward Chuck Brown’s legacy and gaining momentum as it expanded its reach. Ivan Orr states, “It’s like, I don’t remember a time where there wasn’t Gogo around [in Charlottesville].” Orr, a group member of Charlottesville’s pioneer Gogo band, Ebony Groove, took to the strong influence that Gogo’s hard-hitting ongoing percussion and traditionally rooted call-and-response music had to offer. The band, began as a pep band for the basketball games at Charlottesville High School.  Ebony Groove is recognized by city residents as this area’s first homegrown Gogo band, and its founding members Kyle Reaves, Christopher Redd, Ivan Orr, Curtis Kenney, Jesse Turner, and Raymond Brooks met at Charlottesville High School in the marching band. With Jesse Turner and Chris Redd playing trumpet, Ivan Orr on saxophone, while Raymond, Kyle and Curtis were members of the drumline. A predominantly white high school around 1984, Ebony Groove members recall being some of the only Black members of a band with over 200 students. “Oh yeah. When we started, we were the first drum line [in the city] to play Gogo at halftime,” shares Curtis Kenney. Their impromptu performance next to the cheerleaders in the stands catalyzed the band’ to take their craft more seriously, and  thought they officially formed in 1987, their drumline performance created fans that have followed them throughout their musical careers.  Kenney states, “[Before], you sat in the stands and played and be quiet. But we, uh, got them to break the mold, didn’t we?”

While it is unclear just how Gogo entered Charlottesville’s town of 40,000 plus citizens, there are a few factors that have contributed to its spread and integration. The presence of the University of Virginia and Howard University, where students from both cities exchanged cultural influences, played a significant role. Jeff Louderback Sr. and Billy Wells of 100 Proof band recall vivid memories of Chuck Brown performing at UVA when they were younger, while members of Ebony Groove were introduced to early funk and Gogo albums like Trouble Funk, by family members who attended Howard University or lived in Washington, D.C. in general. “My sister lived in D.C. while we were in high school, and I would go to visit, but I mean, if you think back before that, though, like when we were kids, Gogo was here. I think all of us could say we had relatives there. So, they would come, you know, for visits, or we’d go and hear the music,” says Ebony Groove bandmate Raymond Brooks. This exposure fueled their passion and inspired them to master the music.

James Cain, a Howard University alum, and son of Charlottesville’s first Black woman lawyer, Margaret Cain, considers Charlottesville and D.C. the Pompeii and Rome of our time. Respected by Charlottesville Gogo enthusiasts for his historical insight, Cain sees strong parallels between the two cities. He explains that much like Pompeii looked to Rome for political and economic influence, Charlottesville aligned with D.C. from the 1970s to the 1990s, shaping its Gogo sound. Ebony Groove shares similar sentiments as they state that cultural cues for Charlottesville in their upbringing did not come from Virginia’s capital of Richmond, but rather from Washington, D.C. Ivan Orr states, “And what’s wild is, y’all can correct me if I’m wrong, but for us, we didn’t take our cues from Richmond. Everything, fashion, how we talked, it was all D.C. So, we looked at Richmond like bammas. Even when I went to school at VCU in, in 1989, people in Richmond didn’t even know what Gogo was.”

Cain attributes part of Gogo’s introduction to Charlottesville to the distribution of live cassette recordings from D.C. bands. He recalls following his cousin Kerry McLeod, who began distributing tapes to residents and DJs in 1981, as one of the key figures in spreading the sound in this method. Kerry, a D.C. native, spent time in Charlottesville’s historic Prospect Neighborhood with family, forging connections throughout the city and providing access to Gogo’s biggest players, which proved to be crucial in helping to embed Gogo music into Charlottesville’s social structure.

Ebony Groove would go on a strong run for the next 14 years, playing for the likes of the aforementioned Gogo legends like Rare Essence and EU as opening acts. The group has played all over, bringing fans young and old together to share in their sound. The band members as a collective believe that their playing style pays homage to the D.C. native sound while still putting their spin on the change-making music of Gogo.

The band played together officially until 1997 when life and its obligations for the respective members pulled them all in different directions, sending the beloved sound of Ebony Groove into hiatus until 2017. During the two decades in between their reunion, the spirit of Gogo and its influence in Charlottesville did what it could to keep its roots watered, with several bands emerging before and after Ebony Groove’s pause, such as Seductive Sounds, Reset Band, Double Faces, the X Band, and others. Herman Jones, an original member 100 Proof before its recreation and the Reset band, is working on shedding more light on the exhaustive history of Gogo in Charlottesville and hopes to create a documentary in the near future to tell the story. In the 2010s, a new Gogo band by the name of 100 Proof would emerge, and in 2024, they are still helping to spread the joy of Gogo throughout the city and across the East Coast.

100 Proof, comprised of band members Billy Wells, Jeff “J-Bug” Louderback Jr., Varina Taylor, Mark Williams, Tre Turner, Jeff Louderback Sr., Eric Johnson, Earl Anderson, and Vinny Lewis are committed to the sound of Gogo and upholding its rich legacy. Wells and J-Bug, original members of the group, have seen the band go through changes in their decade-plus run, but hold fast to their goal of showing up no matter what. 100 Proof members all have obligations outside of their time spent with the group in practices and shows. Some members are in several other bands, and others have familial obligations and full-time jobs, but what has always been clear for the group is that while their commitment takes sacrifice, there is a collective consensus among their members that Gogo is a necessity. “I got to have it, I got to hear the crank, right? With the drums, with the hi-hat going wild, and the conga. You know what I’m saying? It does something [to me],” says Wells.

To understand 100 Proof’s sound is to understand that they are a physical manifestation of standing on the shoulders of giants. Each member grew up musically inclined, stating that the church and familial encouragement were key aids in making them musicians today. The band also respects their predecessors, Ebony Groove, for what they’ve directly and indirectly contributed to the Gogo scene of Charlottesville and to them as a band. Bandmate Eric “EJ” Johnson, keyboardist for 100, hilariously acknowledges his full circle moment of their influence by sharing that Christopher Redd from Groove was his music teacher. The big brother, little brother dynamic of the two bands fosters a fresh camaraderie that highlights the developing family tree of Gogo in the town. J-Bug shares, “I think last year when we did the show together, we made sure that [people knew], they’re owed this. Like, come on, let’s do this, you know what I’m saying? Yeah, I don’t know too many people that, as far as Gogo bands around here, have shown what they have shown. We wanted to reach out to them and give our dues and respect, like, hey, it wouldn’t be possible. It might have been possible, but, like, we respect y’all, and thank y’all for showing us the way y’all do it, creating the way y’all do, so we have to respect that.

”

Though the band shares their love for their antecedent, it is beautiful to see that there is no compromise to the originality that Proof brings to the table. A mix of vocally trained notes from Mark Williams and Varina Taylor, the study and execution of the rap cadence from Billy Wells, the focus on clean notes from guitarist Jeff Sr., the diligence EJ provides on the keys, Vinny on the conga drums, and the equally yoked sound between the drums and the cowbell from Louderback Jr. and Tre Turner. Their chemistry has packed events across the DMV, but it’s right here at home where 100 Proof has solidified its mark as a cornerstone of Charlottesville’s music scene. Charlottesville, though observed as a liberal city, has seen its fair share of hardship. A town still navigating the effects of racial zoning, razing of communities, systemic oppression, and neo-Nazi-fueled riots, both 100 Proof and Ebony Groove have managed to somehow create spaces of joy for C-ville residents through the crank. 100 Proof has managed to pack nightclubs and event spaces from shoulder to shoulder with the public ready to see what they have to offer. Williams and Taylor believe Gogo is music in its rawest form. Say backyard music. “It started in the backyard. Basically, people, buckets, you know, putting drumsticks on buckets. Hitting cowbells, hitting whatever they can find,” Mark exclaims. Varina echoed Mark’s enthusiasm by sharing her memories. “That’s what I remember, like walking on the top of the hill on Prospect, and all of them would be at a certain specific house that was always lit, and they would just be tapping on whatever.”

Williams states, “It just goes back to the aspect of how, as a community, if you wanted to hear music, you played it back then… music wasn’t about, ‘Oh, you gotta have the best voice or you gotta sing the best.’ It was a communal thing. It was a spiritual thing. Everyone sang back then. Everybody played. It’s like a form of language. Now, now music has dumbed down because of that. Because people feel like they gotta have the prettiest voice. So they feel like they have to monetize it and things like that, and it was just really people just being raw. [Gogo,] It’s just raw and it’s uncut.”

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Community Community Development Education Health and Wellness Vanessa Johnson

Navigating Trauma: Insights from a Human Services Journey

Working in the Human Service Field for approximately 15 years, the more I serve children and families, the more I realize the significant role that trauma plays in their lives. In the field of community-based services, 90% of the families that are in services have some level of personal, cyclical, or multi-generational trauma within their families. Trauma within families has increasingly become a tragic legacy passed down from generation to generation, creating a society of individuals who have become burdened with the pains of their past, and as they try to create a life worth living; they discover that it becomes increasingly difficult without healing. This can make the very act of living difficult and overwhelming.

 It is important to understand how childhood trauma can impact the life of a child which could consequently impact their emotional and mental health into adulthood. Experiencing trauma at a young age can cause a child to see the world only through the lens of trauma which can cause a level of distrust and create a lack of desire to contribute positively to the world around them. Children exposed to trauma are prevalent with more than two-thirds of them experiencing some type of traumatic event during their childhood. More than one type of trauma is happening to one-third of our children and as a result, 20% of trauma-exposed children develop mental health issues like posttraumatic stress disorder. Along with posttraumatic stress disorder, children also experience depressive and anxiety symptoms which can cause substantial impairment in n their daily functioning and overall well-being.

There are major factors that contribute to the development of problems in children like significant behavioral problems within the school system. Many people, including those in the human service field, do not realize the significant impact that trauma has on the body, in particular the brain. Journal articles that explore childhood trauma history have linked it to abnormal brain activities, particularly in individuals with major depressive disorders (MDD),  show findings of the dramatic primary association of the brain’s resting state network and its connection to abnormalities in those with a history of childhood trauma. Childhood trauma that includes physical, sexual, or emotional abuse causes disorders like  MDD to manifest.  MDD symptoms include impaired daily function and suicidal ideation, insomnia, and disruption in cognitive functions like attention and memory. MDD is just one disorder that has been attributed to trauma.  Other disorders linked to MDD include posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and severe anxiety disorders. Obtaining knowledge of how the brain is impacted or even fractured in some senses as a result of trauma is important for those who are called to provide counsel and therapy to victims. This knowledge is important as we assist clients with their reconstruction and healing process.

My very own traumatic past has made me a lifelong student of trauma and its significant impact on the mind, body, and spirit. The work of understanding trauma can enlighten and educate a generation of people who look at children and adults with mental and emotional health issues as just people with problems. We as a society need to understand and recognize that their lives included experiences that they did not ask for and there is a real struggle to navigate through a myriad of dysfunctions and diagnoses that erupt as a result of experiences that someone else forced on them. It is not easy for society to discuss, but that does not mean it is not necessary. Our perspective of these individuals is often tainted by the behaviors that we see or the possible impact to our own lives, but I ask myself almost daily if that perspective would be different if they could see them through a trauma informed lens. Would it be seen as more significant if it happened to someone in the household or extended family? What will it take for society to aid more and condemn less; to complain less and contribute more? If it were you, what would you want society to do?

 

Vanessa Johnson has worked in the Human Service field since 1993. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in human service counseling with a focus on crisis and trauma. Vanessa is passionate about working with children and families in the Greater Charlottesville area and surrounding counties. Currently pursuing her Doctorate degree in Community Care and Counseling (Traumatology) at Liberty University, her ultimate goal is to educate other human service professionals on the emotional and mental impact of trauma on individuals. To find out more about Vanessa Johnson, please visit thrive2healservices.com

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Best In Black Community Community Development

Best In Black Cville 2024

Best in Black Cville is here for 2024! In collaboration with Soul of Cville, we are celebrating the exceptional contributions of Black individuals and businesses in Charlottesville and central Virginia. Best In Black Cville is our commitment to celebrating our diversity and excellence and shedding light on those who inspire through their hard work, creativity, and leadership.

Categories span a wide array of sectors, from business and entrepreneurship to arts, entertainment, and community service. Each nominee represents some of the best  our community has to offer, embodying Charlottesville’s true spirit of perseverance and innovation. The Best in Black Cville Awards not only recognize outstanding achievements but also foster a sense of unity and pride within our neighborhood.

Community members are encouraged to cast their votes and support their favorite nominees. Voting is simple and accessible, but don’t delay—voting closes on June 30th! Winners will be announced at a live presentation during the Soul of Cville kickoff on August 16, 2024. This collaboration with Soul of Cville amplifies our work of creating impact and bringing together a broader community to celebrate and uplift Black excellence.

This event is made possible by the generous support of the Black Professional Network and the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. Don’t miss this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable achievements within our community. Cast your vote today and help highlight the individuals and businesses that make Charlottesville and central Virginia a dynamic and thriving place to live, work, and create!

To vote, please visit:https://www.cognitoforms.com/DSID1/BestInBlackCVille

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Business Community Community Development Food and Drink Health and Wellness Hometown Heroes Nadirah Muhammad

Harvesting Bliss at Sweet Vines Vineyard

By Nadirah Muhammad I Photos by Stephon Wicks

Family, faith, fun: these three words can be heard ringing loud and true in the ears and hearts of anyone who pulls into the Sweet Vines Farm Winery driveway, marked by its signature pink sign and a darling red truck welcoming visitors to an oasis of grapes and glamor. A cozy, boutique winery, elegantly tucked away in the country quaint town of Unionville, Virginia, this hidden gem holds a larger-than-life family history and a winemaker with a fabulous story to tell.

Photo of Sweet Vines Owner, Seidah Armstrong

Seidah, the owner and winemaker at Sweet Vines, started her own winemaking journey in 2006 and has been passionate about the practice ever since. But what she didn’t know when she first started out was that this newfound passion was a longstanding family practice. Soon after falling head over heels for the winemaking process, Seidah  discovered that she was a third-generation winemaker, and both her great-grandmother and her great-great-grandmother were winemakers based in Mississippi. When asked how she felt about discovering the family passion she says, “It’s in my DNA. If it wasn’t due to a hobby of mine, it would’ve been a lost story. This rich history of my great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother can now be preserved because of what became a hobby and stress reliever of mine.”

Part of Seidah’s personal ethos is to never let that legacy run dry. She grounds her viticultural journey in family traditions, and wines such as her signature blend entitled “The Ancestors,” work to honor and tell the story of these three generations. Keeping a watchful and undoubtedly proud eye on every tasting, pairing, or event that takes place in the winery, plaques of her family can be found perched proudly on the mantel and adorned on the tasting bar, behind which Seidah preserves the magic of matriarchal winemaking. Whether it be a popcorn pairing, a wine etiquette class, or a regular tasting session, Seidah’s energy, enthusiasm, and joyful spirit leave an impact that you will continue reflecting on until you plan your next visit.

Celebrating the history and preserving the legacy while paying homage to her family and the long line of female winemakers that came before her is of the utmost importance to Seidah. But this family focus doesn’t just stop at the decor and the multigenerational appreciation; instead, it bleeds into current day-to-day business operations. Seidah considers her winery to be a family affair, with her husband, brother, cousin, and many others all contributing to the art of Sweet Vines’ wine. Partnerships and leaning upon one’s network of people and partners is a practice that Seidah holds in high esteem, and one that has helped grow and expand her winery. Additionally, Seidah is a proud member of the AKA sorority, and her brothers and sisters of the divine nine have been an incredible support system and an integral part of her success. It’s an inspiring tale of collaboration, support, success, being encouraged to pursue your dreams, and creating a space at the table for others to chase theirs.

Steeped in family history and shaped by Seidah’s faith and commitment to making wine accessible and fun for everyone, Sweet Vines Farm Winery is the perfect blend, spanning far beyond just the vintages. A welcome change to the Virginia wine scene, Seidah’s impact not only preserves her family’s history but paves the way for future diverse wine professionals who seek to follow in her footsteps. When asked to reflect upon the waves she has made in the wine industry thus far and the work that must be done in the future Seidah says, “This is a male dominated industry, African American women only represent 0.0001% of this industry, so there’s room for growth, and I think Virginia is paving the way.”

 

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Community Community Development Education Food and Drink Health and Wellness Politics

Cultivate Charlottesville Is Addressing Food Insecurity at the Roots

By Staff writer I Photos by Kristen Finn

Early morning in one of Cultivate Charlottesville’s partnership gardens located at City of Promise in the West Haven Neighborhood, it is easy to see the physical indication of true collaborative efforts. Cultivate staff, and city residents have worked together to care for the garden complete with a multitude of fresh vegetables including broccoli, greens, and even a banana tree grown using pieces from the parent plant belonging to Joy Johnson, the neighborhood’s eldest living resident. Residents of the neighborhood can come and take what they need from the garden at no charge. This garden, though special, is not a stand-alone passion project, but instead an integral part of the work done through the organization’s efforts to alleviate barriers to food accessibility in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Executive Director, Aleen Carey believes that in reference to the city surrounded by mountains, “We say it’s a foodie town. Everybody talks about gourmet restaurants, farms, wineries. So it’s well known as a foodie town, but it’s not yet a food equity town.” Stepping into the role of director in July, Aleen serves as the successor to the organization’s former Co-directors Jeanette Abi-Nader and Richard Morrison.

 Charlottesville’s food insecurity rate affects 17% of the college town’s population. Hearing this statistic may be shocking for some, but if on the side that the rate affects, is unsurprising for others. Food insecurity in short is the term used to describe the inadequate accessibility and availability of nutritional and safe foods to meet one’s basic needs. Since Charlottesville is home to about 46,000 residents, that means that well over 7,000 people face the struggles that food insecurity brings. Cultivate, a non-profit in the city, aims to address the issue by working with youth and community residents to create equitable and sustainable food systems. The community-focused and led organization works to accomplish this goal according to their mission,  through garden-based experiential learning, growing and sharing healthy food, amplifying community leaders, and advocating for food justice.

Cultivate Charlottesville Staff pictured left to right: Kellyn Kusyk, KJ Howard, Niko Lewis, and Jennifer Minor

Cultivate’s mission to provide healthy foods to the residents of the city who could benefit the most is achieved by utilizing three programs: City Schoolyard Garden, Food Justice Network, and Urban Agriculture Collective. Envisioned with each program uniquely impacting its participants, each of them works together to bring about the change the organization wishes to see. Partnering with nine  Charlottesville City Schools, City Schoolyard Garden educates students on how to grow their own foods, as well as offering them fresh produce to take home. If interested, students have the opportunity to also become Food Justice Interns for the organization which can also lead to growth  in the organization as they age,  with options available to become Community Apprentices and Advocates.

.  The Food Justice Network program partners with over 25 organizations inclusive of food pantries, hospital networks, educational institutions and housing initiatives, this tier works together to pool their resources and implement strategies to achieve food equity and accessibility across the city.

 The Urban Agriculture Collective (UAC)  is special to Cultivate because it is essentially the programs’ genesis. UAC focuses on working with public housing spaces and their residents to grow food free of charge. Carey states, “Someone said, “Oh, you guys haven’t been around for a very long time,” and I was like, wait, we’ve been around for more than a decade, but Cultivate is the thing that’s newer. So the individual programs, Urban Agriculture Collective, UAC actually started as something called Quality Control Council Farm (QCC.)”.  At the time Garrett [Square apartments],  and Miss Karen Waters. were the ones who got the QCC farm going. And then one of our current staff members Jennifer Minor was working in the QCC farm from day one. So she’s still a part of the organization.  It changed from Quality Control Council Farm to Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville. Now we just call it UAC because it’s part of Cultivate Charlottesville. But those guys started in 2007.” The alignment of these three programs assists Cultivate Charlottesville’s infrastructure to hit on all cylinders to battle food insecurity. Aleen shared that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlottesville faced a higher rate of food insecurity compared to the rest of the state. While the city’s average sits at the aforementioned 17%, the state’s average was just under Charlottesville’s, at 11%. Despite Charlottesville’s deep affluence and abundant food resources available in the well-endowed area, the stark disparity emphasized the need for the organization’s comprehensive approach beyond traditional food assistance programs, thus recognizing the importance of systemic change, Cultivate’s integrated approach focuses on not only offering food support but also advocating for policy changes.

Cultivate Charlottesville as an entity is taking on the hard work of establishing food security, but Aleen shares that even with all of their successes, there is still much work to be done. “Another thing that we say that can be a little, um,  touchy is when you look at the last 40 years, we have not effectively moved the hunger needle. Even though we’ve had some of our organizations, and non-profits in this area working on it, we have not changed it to some great degree. I think that Is the same for the United States, not just Charlottesville. I think that’s how it’s gone. So that’s where we say, if we want to be successful, you have to add the system work.” Carey went on to share that Cultivate wants the city at an organizational and political level, to continue thinking about what it will continue to take to make Charlottesville the food equity town it deserves to be. “…we have been nudging them for sure. We’re in our sixth year of an official partnership with the city that’s called the Food Equity initiative and that is money for us to do this work with them.” 

Setting their sights on expanding their reach, the non-profit is working with Charlottesville Parks and Rec to hopefully in the future obtain gardening space at the historic Booker T. Washington Park as well as Benjamin Tonsler Park. Due to Parks and Rec going through a strategic planning phase, the campaign is ongoing.

After a morning of working in the City of Promise garden,  Cultivate staff member KJ Howard asked his fellow colleagues who were loading the truck up to head to their next garden site, “Does anyone need any broccoli to plant at their site?” It is this statement alone that captures the spirit of community fostered by Cultivate Charlottesville, where the focus reaches far beyond individual gain to supporting each other for the shared benefit of the public.

 

Categories
Community Community Development Health and Wellness Sonia Montalvo

Birth Sisters of Charlottesville Seek to Make Women of Color Feel at Home

By Sonia Montalvo I Photos by Kori Price

Photo of C.B Holt house plaque

Walking into the door of the Birth Sisters of Charlottesville office, you begin to appreciate the intentionality behind Doreen Bonnet and Lisa Brown’s belief in wanting the space to “feel like home” for Black mothers. The perched “rock house” bungalow the group resides in, houses Charlottesville’s only Black women-focused Doula Collective where both Doreen and Lisa sit at the helm. Built in 1926 by Black Carpenter Charles B. Holt, the house was later passed on to his stepson Leroy Preston and his wife Asalie Minor Preston, both prominent figures in the area. In 2006, the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) obtained and restored the home. Through a chance encounter with an LAJC employee, Bonnet and Brown learned about the space, and in 2022 moved into the historical site. With eighteen dedicated doulas on the team, Birth Sisters of Charlottesville, or BSC, offers community-based doula services to  mothers of color during pregnancy and postpartum.

The work of Birth  Sisters of Charlottesville started in 2016 as a project called Sisters Keeper Doula Collective.  The organization is now spearheaded by Doreen as Executive Director who initially served as a doula under the previous name. During the reorganization period,  Doreen alongside members Charlsie Stratton, Zakiah Pierre, and current Deputy Executive Director, Lisa Brown did not want to lose sight of the goal of providing support to moms of color and the group decided they would continue to move forward. in 2020 the group reorganized as an official non-profit under their current name.

Doulas and their work can be traced back centuries, however, society is often confused about the role of a doula and their importance to the childbirth process. A doula serves as a companion to soon-to-be mothers by providing pregnancy and postpartum education, guidance, emotional support, and physical comfort through both pregnancy and childbirth. 

Women trained by BSC fill the unique role of community-based doulas, which differentiate from traditional doulas by offering holistic wraparound support to birthing persons. Lisa states, “A community-based doula  goes beyond just birth. There might be a client who is having issues with housing, so we don’t say “oh well that’s too bad, I’m sorry,” of course, we’re going to do what we can to help connect them to others who may be able to help.” The organization prides itself on being an active liaison between the mothers they service and the community resources they are assisting them with obtaining. The in-depth assistance the collective provides during their time with clients has helped new mothers find solutions to issues like but not limited to, food insecurity, domestic violence, and employment issues. “We don’t just give them a phone number. We try our best to make a connection with someone at another helping agency or someone that we are aware of who provides that kind of support.”

In Bonnet’s recollection of the genesis of Birth Sisters, she shares, “prior to us being incorporated, none of us really had any titles so we actually worked for free for almost 9 months. We did a lot of the administrative work; we were able to keep some of the doulas that were still seeing clients. Our funders at the time agreed to pay the doulas their stipends, but as far as the work that we were doing administratively, we went uncompensated.”

Once incorporated, the Co-Directors were able to fully step into their roles and begin their journey of expanding the organization’s impact within the community. The group’s work to disrupt sometimes-fatal norms and disparities of childbirth that affect Black women and women of color, is changing the Charlottesville area one mother at a time. “

Photo of BSC Welcome Womb Boutique

Birth Sisters offers their core services of prenatal care, postpartum care, and lactation to women with low and no-cost options available. Those who receive Medicaid can participate in BSC’s services free of cost. The organization also offers a “deep sliding scale” to others and shares that since their inception, they haven’t had to turn anyone away. The organization also provides support in other ways by hosting community events, offering services such as maternity reiki, and yoga, and even featuring a free Welcome Womb boutique stocked with essential items for mothers and their children.

Left to Right: Co-Directors Doreen Bonnet and Lisa Brown

The CDC reports that Black women are “three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women.” Working with thirty-seven families in 2023, BSC reports out of the thirty-seven families they served, there were zero infant and maternal losses. Though this serves as a major success, both Brown and Bonnet say one of their biggest milestones to date is shared trust. Brown exclaims, “They trust us, that in their most vulnerable time. That is why they are open to us coming into their home because they know that we’re not there to judge them. We are there to hold space and be there to support them through the process.”

Outside of the services Birth Sisters offer in-house, the work they are doing to partner with outside organizations to provide care for the women they serve is a true testament to their organizational mission of dismantling root causes of systemic maternal health disparities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Now in partnership with the University of Virginia, the women are working to bring about change in hospital protocols. “In terms of the things that we do outside of helping our moms directly, we do advocate with different parties and different organizations, hospitals, whatever, that have some kind of impact on the care of Black women during their birth. One of the key things that we were able to do is that, at UVA, doulas were considered visitors. [This] means that during the pandemic, we couldn’t even get into the hospital room. And  when we did, we were limited to the visitor policy. So we had meetings with the head of the OB departments at UVA, and as of today, we are no longer visitors. We are part of the care team. We have UVA badges. We can come and go as we need to.”  The Birth Sisters also have partnered with the University’s BIPOC med students in their Patient Student Partnership program. “We’re in the second year of  this program, where they [medical students] will be assigned to one of our clients as well and they support them by going to their doctor’s appointments with them and helping to educate.” At a State level, both directors serves on  state wide initiatives related to maternal health in Virginia to further their mission of advocacy. The Birth Sisters have also helped to create the Black Birth plan for Medical providers, to further educate them on the needs of Black women patients. 

While both Lisa and Doreen believe there is still work to do to eradicate the disparities Black mothers face during childbirth, it is impossible to ignore the institution they have become for the greater Charlottesville region. Birth Sisters of Charlottesville have the unique space and opportunity to continue advocating and championing women of color during their childbirth journeys.

Categories
Community Education Health and Wellness Tamara W. Dias

Between Generations: Millennials Navigating Student Debt and Elder Care

by Tamara W. Dias

On January 31, 2023, I sat in a coworking space, working on a few projects for my business. While preparing for my lunch break, I received a phone call from my mom. Though my mom and I talk on the phone often, it was unusual for her to call me in the middle of a workday. She was a School Counseling Director, so her days were usually jam-packed until the school day ended. I remember taking a slight pause as I answered the phone, because the timing of the call signaled that this was either some really good news – or the opposite – some really terrible news. The next sentence she shared would be the catalyst for one of the most trying years of my life.

“Tamara, your father is in the emergency room at MCV hospital. He’s had multiple strokes.”

In the immediate, I wasn’t sure what all of that truly meant. The only priority was jumping in my car, driving down I-64 back to my hometown of Richmond, VA, and getting to my dad. I quickly found out that due to my father’s mix of health concerns (including high blood pressure and diabetes), his stroke recovery would be anything but normal. The next few months not only opened the door to a six-figure neurological surgery and a six-week stay in the critical care unit, but it also pulled back the curtain on the challenges faced by adult children who are quickly thrown into the role of caregiving for their aging parents.

New York Life’s 2023 survey revealed that 66% of self-reported caregivers belong to a demographic often referred to as the “sandwich generation.” This demographic is defined as millennials raising children of their own while also adding in the role of caregivers to their aging parents and loved ones. The startling percentage is an increase from the 2020 reported number of 39%.New York Life also found that for the older group of millennials, their role as caregivers meant mainly providing financial and housing support.

In the heart of modern financial dilemmas, many millennials find themselves precariously balanced between the weight of their past and the obligations of their future. It is a unique generational challenge, characterized by a tug-of-war between paying off student loans—a stark reminder of their educational investments—and stepping up as financial caregivers for older family members. This dual responsibility is not just a financial burden; it’s a profound life ordeal that reshapes the very fabric of adulthood.

The statistics are stark, essentially painting a picture of an age bracket laden with financial responsibilities unheard of in previous generations. Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, account for a jarring 43% of the nation’s outstanding student loan debt. The average person apart of this group carries close to $43,000 in student debt, a figure that looms over decisions ranging from homeownership to starting a family. Yet, even as they navigate this debt, many are also stepping into roles as financial caregivers for their aging parents and relatives, a reality that adds complexity to their financial landscape.

Nearly three months after my father suffered from his strokes, I found myself having to figure out his housing and financial situation. His doctor reminded us that he would have months ahead of rehabilitation as he learned to walk, talk, and eat on his own. This meant that he could not return to living alone, as he had been doing for the past 20 years. I assumed the role of caregiver by default, and as a millennial with multiple college degrees, financial goals of my own, and who was hoping to soon start a family – I realized that I was drowning trying to keep my own life together and managing his ever-changing health and financial needs.

The blending of these dual burdens—chipping away at substantial student loans while simultaneously providing financial support for aging relatives—represents a narrative that has yet to capture the spotlight it deserves. It illustrates the complex predicament of an ensnared age group between the critical phases of advancing their careers and caring for their elders, each phase exerting its unique financial pressures. This duality often creates a sense of isolation among millennials, fostering a belief that their fiscal hardships are solitary battles to be fought in silence. Yet, this is far from the truth. As this particular demographic navigates these turbulent waters, it becomes increasingly clear that their financial and emotional challenges are part of a broader collective experience, one that merits broader recognition and a more robust support system. This narrative is not just about the individual battles but about a generational shift in responsibilities, expectations, and the very definition of financial stability.

Understanding the nuances of this dual financial burden requires a deep dive into the socioeconomic factors that have shaped the age group’s experience. For one, the cost of higher education has skyrocketed, leaving numerous millennials with substantial debt on their shoulders. This financial strain is compounded by a competitive job market, where a college degree is often a minimum requirement, but not a guarantee of financial stability. Additionally, the aftermath of economic recessions has left the group navigating a landscape of financial uncertainty, further exacerbating the trials of saving for the future while repaying student loans.

On the other end of the spectrum, the aging population means that more millennials are finding themselves in caregiving roles. The financial aspect of this caregiving is multifaceted, encompassing everything from medical bills to everyday living expenses. For some, it means contributing to the cost of assisted living or in-home care; for others, it involves taking an aging family member into their own home. This shift not only affects millennials’ financial planning but also their mental and emotional well-being, as the stress of caregiving responsibilities can take a significant toll.

The convergence of these financial responsibilities creates a perfect storm, one that requires resilience, creativity, and, most importantly, a collective rethinking of financial planning. Financial experts advocate for a multi-pronged approach to managing these dual burdens, emphasizing the importance of robust savings plans, investment in long-term financial growth, and, when possible, open conversations about financial expectations and limitations within families. It is also crucial for millennials to seek out and utilize financial planning resources and support designed to navigate these complex challenges effectively.

Moreover, this situation underscores the need for systemic changes, including reform in student loan policies and more support for caregivers. There seems to be a growing call for policies that reflect the realities of modern financial loads, offering millennials a pathway to financial stability that does not come at the expense of their family obligations. The momentum for change is building, with advocacy for workplace flexibility, caregiver support services, and financial education becoming more pronounced. These systemic shifts are essential for not only alleviating their immediate pressures, but also for laying the groundwork for a more sustainable intergenerational support system in the future.

As millennials navigate these complex waters, there’s a rising sense of solidarity in our shared experiences. Through forums, social media, and personal networks, we find solace and strength in discussing our challenges and exchanging solutions. It’s a movement towards collective understanding and support, breaking through the isolation that can envelop us in these trying times. My own journey of stepping into the role of caregiver for my father after his strokes has deeply intertwined with this shared narrative. In telling my story, I have discovered not only an outpouring of empathy and support but also a wealth of guidance and shared wisdom from others traversing similar paths. This personal chapter of my life, marked by its trials and triumphs in caregiving, underscores the profound importance of our shared struggle and the resilience we foster together. It’s a testament to the power of our united voices, illustrating that even in our most personal struggles, we are never truly alone.

Categories
Community Community Development Entertainment Food and Drink Nadirah Muhammad Style Travel

Inclusivity Uncorked at Daze of Rosé

by Nadirah Muhammad 

With a wildly successful inaugural year already under its belt, this year’s Daze of Rosé Festival set its sights on a familiar goal: to continue being an annual celebration of Virginia Rosé that promotes inclusivity, art, and freedom of expression by gathering wine lovers together in a beautiful location.

The brains behind the operation, Matt Harmon, owner of Harmony Wine, a black-owned business focused on making wine accessible and approachable for all, reminds festival goers that, “However you drink, drink in Harmony.” With this mission in mind and a goal to increase inclusivity in the wine industry, this festival is a culmination of both Harmon’s work and his passion to ensure people from all walks of life can enjoy their right to “rosé all day.”

One step onto the Castle Hill Cider grounds on festival day and it is abundantly clear that Harmon’s vision has come to fruition. Tablescapes sprawling with abundant florals, dozens of local purveyors and diverse vendors, and various educational wine sessions are just a few of the highlights from the Daze of Rosé event. The main event? Getting to taste over 20 local wineries and vote in the People’s Choice Rosé Wine Competition, which perfectly embodies Harmon’s wish to make wine accessible to all and representative of the community, many of whom have traditionally felt excluded by the wine industry.

This festival is more than just an afternoon of wine and sunshine, but rather permission to appreciate the leisure and luxury of a space that often Black and Brown people have not seen ourselves represented in.

This annual collaboration between Harmony Wine and Castle Hill Cider works to eliminate the traditional branding of wine culture, which convinces us that a certain amount of knowledge, access, or experience is required to enter it. Instead, it invites us to convene, collaborate, and celebrate Virginia wine.

The festival’s driving message, to dress pink and drink pink, certainly rang true that day, as droves of wine lovers and enthusiasts lined up to participate in tastings within the barn, partake in wine education events in the loft, and take to the discovery lawn to enjoy additional offerings and dance the evening away amid the foothills of Central Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. 

 

Categories
Arts Community Community Development Entertainment Niya Bates

reReflector 04: Big Lean & “Ghost of Vinegar Hill”

by Niya Bates | Photos by Lincoln Carr

Featured photo:Lincoln Carr aka “Big Lean” reflected on a truck hood.

I think we have all been a little haunted by what Lincoln Carr aka “Big Lean” calls the “Ghost of Vinegar Hill” in one of his recent singles. Piano chords open the track before the beat kicks in. In the first verse of the song, he talks about his grandma selling candy apples out of her home on Prospect Ave and other family on Grady Ave and 12th street. He laments watching the streets “swallow n*ggas like Reese’s pieces”: his observation of how Charlottesville’s drug and street culture negatively impacts us all and results in good people dying too young. In the second verse he speaks on Black youth being “trapped like the slave bones down at UVA”. The hook declares:

“Small city, small mindset. N— don’t grow up out it. Dreaming of making it out, but don’t know how to go about it. To live in the Ville, to die in the Ville. It’s almost like my town’s cursed – the Ghost of Vinegar Hill.”

By now, most Vinegar Hill Magazine readers are experts on the history of Charlottesville’s oldest Black neighborhood and the former Black business district that was razed in 1964 during Charlottesville urban renewal campaign – allegedly in the name of improving Charlottesville’s image, providing better housing, and encouraging more development downtown. Sixty years later, we are left with a large surface parking lot in front of Staples and an affordability crisis that is pushing more Black residents out of the city. Few buildings remain of the once vibrant Black neighborhood: The Jefferson School, Vinegar Hill Theater, the Oddfellows Hall (now Common House), and a few houses in the neighborhood. A majority of the businesses that flourished in Vinegar Hill, like Inge’s Grocery and the barbershops, have long since closed. The families who once owned homes in the neighborhood have been pushed into public housing developments, expensive rentals, or are struggling against increasing real estate assessments to hold onto family homes in 10th & Page, Rose Hill, and Fifeville. These are some of the ghosts in Big Lean’s song.

If you’ve been following Lincoln’ musical journey for a while, you’re probably a fan of his mellowed out beats and easy rhymes about what it was like growing up in Charlottesville in the 90s and 00s. When he first got into music professionally, I remember seeing him perform at Satellite Ballroom and the Tea Bazaar when those were the local hip-hop venues that supported artists like The Beetnix (fronted by Damani Harrison), Jae Griff (Josh Griffin), and Linz Prag. They hailed from a generation of local musicians whose families had been in the area for a while, and who came up in Charlottesville after its early 1990s moment as a rising east coast hip hop destination. My favorite hip hop professor, Claudrena Harold, told me that Charlottesville and UVA were even featured in The Source magazine in a “Rap on Campus” feature in 1991. Lincoln got into rap because his father had VHS tapes of 80’s hip hop music videos by LL Cool J, Kool Moe Dee, Kurtis Blow, and others. His sister introduced him to 90s rap and hip hop, but Lincoln didn’t officially become “Big Lean” until the death of his friend-turned-brother in 2009.

Lincoln Carr along a fence in Richmond, VA where he currently resides. 

Lincoln’s family family lineage can be traced back in Charlottesville for at least five generations. He and his older sister, Shameera, have been doing their family’s genealogy and learned that one of their great grandmothers was Amy Bowles Farrow. She owned over 220 acres of land and is considered a founder of the Free State community, which was located near the present day Dunlora and Belvedere neighborhoods. Their family still owns some of that land, which is mentioned in another track called “Playa’s Anthem.” When asked what his family’s history meant to him as an artist, Lincoln replied, “The farther I go back, the more I see that my family has always been here in Charlottesville/Albemarle area and other parts of Virginia.  It’s interesting to see, because we were taught that we all just come from Africa, but I am finding more, and more indigenous and native roots.”

Big Lean’s music, especially “Ghost of Vinegar Hill” speaks to ways that he feels like Black people in Charlottesville haven’t progressed as much as we should as a community. Some of the lyrics in songs point to changes in street code that put money and clout above loyalty and community, values he believes would help the Black Community find success beyond oppressive “ghosts” and past traumas. Lincoln hopes that his music catalogue will leave life jewels and inspirational stepping stones for his future descendants. When I asked him about legacy and the future, Lincoln had a few things in mind. On building generational wealth, he said, “learning my history and knowing that we owned land and were self-sufficient at one point, and then losing that as a family, has inspired me to bring that back to my bloodline and teach how to keep it.” He thinks young people in Charlottesville need more creative outlets and more support for the arts, especially Black-owned live music venues, engineering and technical training, financial literacy, and therapy. He says, “We suppress our traumas, which leak into the community.” In his songs he addresses racial profiling and policing of Black communities. He also believes that the community needs to do more to prevent youth from coming into contact with the police. Over and over, he stressed the importance of community and working toward being more self-sufficient.

Lincoln Carr aka “Big Lean” 

If his previous musical projects have addressed the ghosts that haunt us, the next complete project “Keep It Playa” is more reflective of the healing journey that Lincoln has been on personally. “I’ve been creating music for 14+ years now, so I’m really comfortable and confident with myself and my music.  Not that I haven’t always been, but I’m past the point of feeling like I have something to prove lyrically.  You can hear this in my relaxed flow on this current project.  Add some heartbreak, and loses, and you have this current project.” Lincoln’s story shows how we can all use family history as a source of pride and empowerment. This March, we celebrate the women like Amy Bowles Farrow, who left a legacy that continues to build and whose descendants are carrying the torch.

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Authors Community Community Development Education Entertainment Sonia Montalvo VA Festival of the Book

Diverse Voices and Literary Exploration Flourish at Virginia Festival of the Book

by Sonia Montalvo | Photos by Eze Amos

Virginia Festival of the Book serves as a cherished institution and vibrant creative hub, bringing authors and readers together to embrace the wonderful world of books. In late spring 20,000 plus literacy lovers convene in Charlottesville Virginia to revel in some of the biggest books of the year. This year’s Festival kicked off with a diverse array of events sprawled throughout the Charlottesville and Albemarle area. One such event is Soul In Celebration, a Black Women Centered gathering featuring decorated poets Cynthia Manick, January Gill O’Neil, and Amy Alvarez.

Photo of January Gill O’Neil reading excerpts of her book, Glitter Road

Soul In Celebration offered a deeper look into each of the poet’s new books as well as the lived experiences that helped to shape some of their pieces. While a common thread amongst the writers seemed to be Black Womanhood and place; O’Neil expressed during the panel, “Place is almost as important as anything else. It’s almost another character in the story…”  A Virginia native herself, January Gill O’Neil uses her time in Mississippi during a writing residency as the set for her poetry book Glitter Road.

All three authors and their literary works offer several different approaches and styles to the aforementioned themes, showing that Black is certainly not Monolithic. Manick shared pieces from her newest book No Sweet Without Brine. Her selected pieces during her reading touched on issues of identity, her love of family, and even taboo topics like the struggles of gynecologic visits for her as a Black woman by weaving together her personal narratives using rich and relatable language.

Photo of Amy Alvarez reading excerpts of her book, Makeshift Altar

Amy Alvarez’ debut book Makeshift Altar lends itself as telescope of sorts into the world of the Afro-Caribbean writer, born to Jamaican and Puerto Rican parents, the idea of intersectionality is explored with profound depth and insight revealing the nuanced layers of identity, culture, and heritage.

All three poets were able to share their unique voices with the festival audience before sitting down to discuss their lives as writers during the panel discussion. Also serving as the moderator for the Soul In Celebration event, Alvarez posed questions to the trio as a whole. When asked how they embody joy and pain into their writing, Cynthia Manick expressed, “When I think of the Black body right, we go through these phases of childhood where everything is full of wonder and then at some point you get told ‘you’re a girl, so…’ As you get older you think “well how can I be myself in all these spaces?” She goes on to say, “It’s learned actually, you’re doctrined to not be all of you, you’re doctrined to be as small as possible to fit into this slot, and we have to learn to be all of ourselves in all of our bodies in where we go. Poetry is a way to sort of reveal that and also get by it.”

Photo of Cynthia Manick reading excerpts of her book, No Sweet Without Brine

When asked by an audience member “How do you do it, where do the poems come from?” Alvarez stated, “Everyone has an interesting way of processing the world, we all have our own thing to process what’s happening. My spouse who is here, is a musician and processes the world through music. When I have an experience, I process the world through words…so whether it is joy, or pain, or rapture, it ends up kind of coming to me in a series of words.” She states that there are times when she has no idea where the poems come from. Using her poem about Breonna Taylor titled Lighting Candles on my Stoop/watching the wind snuff them out, as an example she expressed, “It came to me fully formed which is a very rare thing that ever happens for me.” Alvarez went on to share, “That’s kind of where it begins, it’s life. You live, you experience, and then how do you process as an artist?”

Virginia Festival of the Book will end on Sunday, March 24th, 2024. To find out more about the Authors and the schedule of events, please visit vabook.org

Categories
Community Development Education State Of The City William A. James Sr.

Vinegar Hill Remembered: Eminent Domain,Urban Removal, and The Demolition of a People’s Soul

by William A. James Sr.

When I first arrived in the City of Charlottesville on June 11, 1963, some of the buildings on Vinegar Hill were still standing, though all of them had been abandoned. I wondered what had happened to cause an entire neighborhood to cease to exist. I later discovered that Vinegar Hill was once a twenty-acre tract, that 158 families—140 of them were Black—had called home. Black people were first allowed to own property there even before slavery ended. Eventually thirty businesses were established in the community which were run by Black people in the community. These businesses and residences were bordered by Preston Avenue, going Northwest to Fourth Street, and on around to West Main and Garrett Streets, in a sort of triangle. Charles Giametta wrote in The Daily Progress that a “1960s’ Survey showed Vinegar Hill’s Black b+usinesses grossed $1.6 million (A Billion, today), in 1959. There were five restaurants, four grocery stores, three barbershops, two furniture stores, an appliance store, a music shop, a shoe repair shop, a jewelry store, a taxicab stand, a tailor shop, a drugstore, an office equipment store, a printing shop, a dry-cleaning firm, a laundromat, a hat-cleaning shop, a gas station, and two second-hand and antique shops.” In This Essay I explore some of the reasons why Charlottesville’s Officials demolished Vinegar Hill, thus ending the cultural and business soul of Black Charlottesville.

From 1861 to 1961, African Americans served as the trusted servants that Wealthy Whites in the City of Charlottesville and in Albemarle County had used to amass fortunes during Slavery. After Slavery, Ex-Slaves became Loyal and Trustworthy Domestics who took care of all of the Rich Whites’ familial needs as Butlers, Maids, Cooks, Barbers, and Nannies. Hundreds of the above Domestics were domiciled on Vinegar Hill from the 1800s to the 1960s.The basis of the problem was most of the above Domestics and Laborers had never been paid a living wage; therefore, their lifestyles reflected their economic status. Domestics had been renters, who were at the mercy of Absentee Landlords—especially those who lived on Vinegar Hill. Landlords cared little about maintaining the properties they were renting to African Americans by keeping them up-to-par.

Alan Bruns, Writing In, The Richmond Times Dispatch, Sunday, November 16, 1958, tells us that Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA), was studying 18-Acres, bounded by Main Street, Fourth Street N.W., and Preston Avenue, and had planned to clear the whole area, layout new streets, and utilities, and resell the land for commercial redevelopment. This was just four years after “The Brown Decision.”  Charlottesville’s City Council got busy putting into place policies that paved the way that led to the displacement of 158 Families,140 of which were Black, from their homes, businesses, neighborhood, and their Church. They started by enacting “New Building Codes,” so that all the homes and businesses were classed as “Substandard.”  People were no longer being considered at all. The City Officials used the word, “SLUM,” to discount anyone, or anything, existing on the Vinegar Hill Area. City Officials put forth a Plan to relocate all of the Black people from Vinegar Hill to Public Housing Units located far away from Downtown Charlottesville. The City, according to Bruns, “thought that the ‘SLUM,’ should be cleared immediately and all that land should be redeveloped. Using “Urban Renewal.”  There was little attention paid to the fact that Vinegar Hill had long been the heart of Black residential, cultural, and business interests for all of Black Charlottesville.

Vinegar Hill Post Demolition. Photos courtesy of Bushman Dreyfus Architects

Shortly After WWWII, Just as Black Veterans returned home to Vinegar Hill from the European War Theater, rumors that the Charlottesville Government was planning on Razing their Homeplaces to the ground, However, financial difficulties foiled the City’s Plans, up until May 17, 1954. Soon after the Supreme Court’s Ruling, the City Council appointed a Committee to do a fast-paced study to find ways to remove the Black people off of Vinegar Hill.

This Committee was composed of Key Members of the Retail Merchants Association, The Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce, The League of Women Voters, and their Representatives on City Council. The Committee did a Survey and found that, “The Vinegar Hill Area had 549 persons living in 154 Dwelling-Units. These Units had 75 Indoor Toilets, 70 Out-Of-Doors, and 60 Baths and Showers. Rent in the Area ran from a high of $65.00-per month to a low of $7.00-per month. In addition to residential structures, there were 24 Nonresidential Structures, while some were very newly constructed buildings.”

Eminent domain always follows a certain identifiable path; Castigation, condemnation, property confiscation, and forced removal,” The first phase is “Castigation.”  Here, the local government declares, loudly, that an Area is a “SLUM!” Then local government will, condemn the area, by saying that its buildings are all, “Predominantly Substandard.”  All of the condemned area’s properties then become confiscated. Local government will pay the owners of the confiscated properties whatever it considers reasonable value for their confiscated residential and or business properties.”  The previous owners are forced to move out after collecting the paucity of a settlement for their real estate plus an equally minimal amount of money for so-called moving expenses. Lastly, the buildings are razed. Once residential units and businesses have been torn down, local government seeks out private investors to come and commercially develop the area. Developers then construct “Condo-Complexes, Strip Malls, Motels/Hotels, or Grocery Stores, connected to national chains, and or, will erect State and Federal building facilities. Millions of dollars are made by big business owners and construction firms during and after “The Eminent Doman Processes.”  Displaced home-and-business owners rarely got paid enough from their confiscated properties and the end result of Eminent Domain is gentrification. Those living in Vinegar Hill, with few exceptions, did not have the Right To Vote, and therefore had no way to launch a political confrontation against those who were victimizing them. Due to their displacement, residents were forced into low-income enclaves called, “Government Projects.” In Charlottesville, these consisted of several housing complexes including but not limited to, West Haven, Friendship Court, and Prospect Avenue.

Blacks Had Always Been the Victims of Urban Removal on Vinegar Hill, says Mary Rawlings, an Oral Historian, who states that from the earliest days of the Hill’s history, Vinegar Hill was originally called “Random Row,” because of the way the first houses were located on the Hill. The name, “Random Row,” was incorporated into the Town of Charlottesville in 1835.Mary tells us that wave-after-wave of Irish Immigrants invaded Charlottesville during the mid-to-1800s, due to The Potato-Famine in Ireland. The Irish, at first, lived among the house servants and freed slaves, but gradually took over complete control of the entire neighborhood, renaming “Random Row,” to “Vinegar Hill” in honor of Ireland’s Vinegar Hill, revolutionary battle had taken place. Most of the Freed Slaves were pushed off Vinegar Hill before the coming of the Civil War in 1861. The Black residents who had been pushed away from the Hill moved back at the end of the Civil War. Ann Carter, another Oral Historian, says that “Blacks were on The Hill before the Irish.”

For over A century, Vinegar Hill was The Center of Charlottesville’s Black Community. A.E. Arrington was the Executive Director who oversaw its razing. Arrington said he had talked with the people on the Hill beforehand, and he had been assured that, “Those People on that Hill are happy to be moving into a place (West Haven), with indoor Heat, Plumbing, and Bathrooms. They know that I’m giving them a much better place to live in than they’re moving out of. I think they know that I’m doing them a favor…”  Arrington spoke mainly to The League of Women Voters who had no idea of what Vinegar Hill was genuinely like.

Mr. George Ferguson, Jr., a Member of the NAACP, was born on Hill’s Southern Edge where he grew up. George, Jr. eventually started a successful Undertaker Business on Ridge Street. He informs us that, “Vinegar Hill was far from being full of just Slum-Dwellers.”  There were the presence of Federated women clubs, secret societies, and fraternal orders, which met in various members Homes and at Zion Union Baptist Church. The young people on the Hill, says Ferguson, were extremely interested in the Church. Zion Union became a Center for Social and Political interaction for all who dwelt on Vinegar Hill. That is how the Whole Community became so Close-Knit.

By December 23, 1963, Vinegar Hill was a Ghost Town. All of the buildings were abandoned. By February 10, 1964, demolition equipment moved through the area, leaving behind nothing but rubbish, and the nostalgia of those who had lost their Communal soul..Charlottesville’s City Officials feared that The Voting Rights Act would become Law Next. So, they wanted to remove every kind of connection Black people had from the Downtown area, even the Removal of their House of Worship, Zion Union.

Zion Union Baptist Church stood at 212-214th Street N.W. across from Jefferson Elementary School, had been at that location since 1907. On June 6, 1962, Rev. I. A. J. Kennedy—due to old age—passed the Mantel on to Rev. Henry Floyd Johnson. Rev. Johnson had only served that Congregation two years, when he had to inform his Church Family that CRHA had taken ownership of Church and had decided that the building would be demolished. The Whole Congregation was immediately ordered to vacate the Church’s Premises. Rev. Johnson continued to conduct Services for a time at Jefferson Elementary for about a year and eight months until December 20, 1964.On August 28, 1966, the New Zion Union Baptist Church opened their doors in a Great-New-Brick Building on Preston Avenue.

By 1973 Alan Clements’ Citizens Commonwealth Corp had constructed the first building on what was once Vinegar Hill, which had remained vacant since 1963. Clements’ Corp had purchased most of the land on the Hill from CRHA. In 1972, Citizens Commonwealth Corp had its first building constructed on Vinegar Hill. Black businesses and residents were all gone! In their Places were a white-owned businesses. Wyatt Johnson and his Brother had run a Shoe Repair Shop near Vinegar Hill. Mr. Johnson was one of the displaced Black people who was able to purchase another Home, after his forced removal from the area. Although he only received $7,400.00 from CRHA for his Home and Business, he had saved up enough money to build another home for $15,000.00. Most of the displaced people off Vinegar Hill were without the resources to buy New Homes, and ended up having to move into the City’s First Public Housing Project (West Haven).

  So, I watched, day-after-day, in the 1960s, as the wrecking cranes, bulldozers, and dump trucks tore down and hauled away the Cultural Soul of Black Charlottesville. I was thinking, “They’re murdering that community by killing its businesses and destroying Its residences. What I witnessed made me sick to my stomach. It has stayed with me ever since. Because we were too quiet about the above, the same thing kept happening to Star Hill, Gospel Hill, Fifeville, We must not let them shove us around any longer! BLACK LIVES MATTER!