Race Capitol

What happens when a powerful utility company decides to sink its teeth into a small Black community in Virginia? In the first episode of our series on Dominion Power's land grabs, we look at the moves Governor Northam did and didn't make to stop one of his largest corporate donors from building an interstate gas pipeline through Virginia and a toxic compressor station in the town of Union Hill. We hear from Union Hill native, Richard Walker, as well as Dr. Mary Finley-Brook, a professor of geography at the University of Richmond, and Whitney Whiting, host of End of the Line, a podcast all about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

This week we learn about rank choice voting and why the 2019 election in Virginia has even more implications than 2020. We're on with Dr. Kimberly Matthews, Dr. Sally Hudson and Tram Nguyen.

The second annual Black Mental Health Week is back! Hear the details as organizers Tangee Moore, LCSW and Daryl Fraser, LCSW, and host Chelsea Higgs Wise give the deets on why Richmond has to fund and pass the creative problem-solving to Black mental health professionals.

The fifth ward special election candidates in Richmond, VA join Race Capitol and RVA Dirt for a two-hour candidate forum. Make sure youre registered for Nov 5th!

Can the master's tools dismantle the master's house? This episode we're talking "The System" with Senator Jenn McClellan and community advocate/activist Duron Chavis. What does that word even mean? Do we work within or break it down?

The arrival of purchased Africans to Virginia has been commemorated from the shores of Hampton to Jamestown to the NYC press. But it's been quiet here in the former capital of the confederacy, so we're doing what we always do and getting the conversation going.

Our guests bring the history of the African diaspora right to Richmond's doorstep. Chadra Pittman and Dr. Robert Trent Vincent unpack the 1619 story and its lasting legacy from the docks of Point Comfort to the auction blocks in Shockoe Bottom.

We also hear about the upcoming #aswad2019 conference, which will bring together over 1,000 scholars and experts on the African diaspora from November 5-9, 2019.

We're discussing the importance of supporting Richmond's Black youth in the culinary space with three creatives behind Potluk RVA, a fusion pop up restaurant hosting chefs in residence like Kofi Togbe of Flojoes. We talk with the brilliant founder of The Human Connection, Selamawit Hailu, along with Sean Powell, founder of Workshop RVA, and Chef Kofi.

This week we're getting ready for the “Schools Not Jails” event on 8/24 with James Braxton from RISE for Youth, education advocate Kandise Lucas and equity expert Dr. Stephanie Odera!

We cover the latest topics with 2 of our faves!

Taikein Cooper & Allan-Charles Chipman join us to tackle:

1. Coliseum

2. Domestic White Terrorism

3. Need More Jesus

PLUS “We Belong Here” featured as the show outro!

Wtf is an "ally" if not a congratulatory term white people use to pat themselves on the back for doing the right thing? This week we're unpacking the word with white people doing the work, Jase Hatcher and Joshua Ballew.