urban views weekly may 4, 2016

May 4, 2016 Scholar of the Week - Dante Allen

Are Your Thoughts Making You Sick?

2 Urban Views Weekly | May 4, 2016 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

VOL. 9, ISSUE 18

Urban Views Weekly, LLC6802 Paragon Place, Suite 410Richmond, VA 23230Office: (804) 441-6255Fax: (888) 439-2534

Ervin B. Clarke, [email protected]

Flora C. Clarke, Administrative [email protected]

Shelia O. Spurlock-Shaw, [email protected]

Nickkol Lewis, Art DirectorVisual Appeal, LLC | visualappealstudio.com

FUNdraising Good Times

Civic Beat

Windfall gifts: blessing or a curse?Windfall gifts are the secret fantasy of every fundraiser. These large, unexpected gifts can take a capital campaign “over the top.” In other instances, they are the saving grace for a struggling annual fund. But they can’t be counted on, and you don’t know if they will materialize. So, what are they – a blessing or a curse?

A windfall gift is truly a blessing. It can transform an organization, build a new law school or cancer center, pay off debt, launch new programs, or expand services. If the gift is unrestricted, the potential is limited only by the vision and capacity of the organization’s leadership. It can grow an endowment, increasing funds available for programs, advocacy or capital improvements for years to come.

While it may sound crazy, these gifts can also have a negative impact. Here’s what we mean. Let’s say your staff and board are “counting” on a windfall gift to reach a capital campaign goal. There’s always the possibility your organization could be the beneficiary of a windfall, but you can’t count on that unless there is a gift agreement in place. What if the windfall doesn’t come? How would you explain

that to your board, volunteers and staff? Capital campaigns require the consistent identification, cultivation and, when appropriate, solicitation of potential major donors.

An unexpectedly large bequest can also mean success for your annual campaign. At the same time, it can mask weaknesses or challenges in your fundraising. One way to counteract the unintended consequences of a windfall gift is to pull out these amounts when analyzing annual data. This will help you have a more realistic base from which to make projections. It can help

you get a clearer picture of your donors and their giving. This process will help you plan for the coming year without the expectation of repeating a windfall gift.

Some windfall gifts seem heaven-sent. Other times, they are the result of years of work. Many organizations have received large bequests from their consistent annual donors, never anticipating that a $100 a year donor could leave a six or seven figure gift. Other times, a donor may have attended events or served on a committee in the past. Their

continues on page 4

An unexpectedly large bequest can also mean

success for your annual campaign.

ROBOTS WELCOMETHE ALL-NEW OUTPATIENT CHILDREN’S PAVILION

And wizards. And princesses. Here, kids can still be kids.With specialists in every care category, the new outpatient Children’s Pavilion is equipped

to do what it takes to keep kids out of the hospital. With extensive amenities and ample

parking, parents will have a truly remarkable experience as well. Take a virtual tour of

the Children’s Pavilion at chrichmond.org/pavilion

3 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com Urban Views Weekly | May 4, 2016

Did you know that regular physical activity increases your chances of living a longer, healthier life? In this week’s Urban Views Health News, we chat with Dr. Candace Johnson, Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing in the Department of Family and Community Health Nursing. Dr. Johnson primarily teaches Community Health Nursing to nursing students and also teaches a community-based clinical section in the Richmond’s Southside community.

Dr. Johnson describes her passion for health research in the African American community and working with the participants (not patients) as her way to evoke change in her community. With a Master’s in Public Health, Johnson looks at the sociological and psychological components and contextual factors related to health behaviors that eventually lead to disease due to poor health decisions.

We had the opportunity to chat with her about the lack of physical activity in the African American community, and in recognition of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, how we can begin to better take care of our own bodies and the communities we live in.

May 1st marks the start of the annual National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, led by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. The month highlights the importance of healthy lifestyles, being physically active, and participating in your favorite sports.

That’s why National Physical Education and Sport Week – observed May 1-7 – is the perfect kickoff. May is the ideal time to get outside, be active, and enjoy nice weather.

Growing up in the city of Petersburg, a city plagued with poor health conditions, she understood that to make a change in the community, she had to do something more than learning and practicing medicine. “Medicine is more about prescriptions and telling you what is wrong, and I wanted to deal with diseases before they occur.”

Her mother had Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease and the health issues affecting the African American community started to hit home for Johnson. Changing behaviors and looking at societal determinants affecting the African American community became a priority.

“What I began to notice in my own family and community is that we are dying from preventable diseases.”

Unfortunately, as statistics and research show, African Americans rank at the top for chronic diseases due to poor health decisions. From heart disease to obesity, our community takes lead in categories that are killing us. But, we can change these statistics by beginning to have the conversations in our homes, churches, schools and communities. Why are African Americans plagued by poor health conditions? It begins with talking and then changing behaviors. Let’s get active!

During the month of May, we challenge all adults to get 30 minutes of physical activity every day. It also reduces your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults:

• Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking fast, dancing, swimming, and raking leaves.

• Do muscle-strengthening activities – like lifting weights or using exercise bands – at least 2 days a week.

“People have to realize that getting healthy is a process.” comments Johnson. “It takes small behavior changes to make a healthy lifestyle sustainable.” Physical activity is for everyone. No matter what shape you are in, you can find activities that work for you. Together, we can rise to the challenge and get more active during the month of May!

Check out our next Health News column, as we continue the conversation with Dr. Johnson with a two-part series on the health of African American women and the societal barriers that keep us inactive.

sponsored by VCU HealthJ. Chevonte’ AlexanderHealth News

Celebrating the Month of May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

valve.vcu.edu


Laurinda Finn-Davis has been selected as the Virginia Department of Health Central Region Nurse of the Year! Laurinda’s team at the Richmond City Health District submitted her nomination highlighting Laurinda’s service to her patients, her staff, and her community at large. She will be recognized at the 2016 Public Health Nurse of the Year Ceremony in Arlington, Virginia during National Nurses Week in May.

Ms. Laurinda Finn-Davis, RN, BSN has touched the lives of each and every individual she has humbly served. She provides supervision, guidance and encouragement to all members of the health department clinical team. Her day starts with daily rounds and checking in with the nurses she supervises. She often goes above and beyond to advocate for her nursing staff, providing

a phenomenal role model to emulate. Ms. Finn-Davis epitomizes public service. Reproductive health has been her focus for several years and continues to be what she is passionate about; this is easy for her clients and team members to see when she discusses a case, meets with a patient or just provides a shoulder to cry on.

Nurses have long been considered vital members of the public health team.

Providing recognition for those whose practice and service extends beyond the reasonable expectations of the role is a common theme for hospitals and health departments during the annual National Nurses Week. The Richmond City Health District has the distinct honor of having its Nurse of the Year recognized at a regional and a state level.

Follow us!

Sign up for FREE Urban Views Weekly news updates.

Richmond Public Health Nurse is honored during National Nurses Week,

May 6-12, 2016

FUNdraising from page 2

Ask us how: (804) 441-6255

Let’s talk about growing your business.

TanyaFree.com/Urban Views Weekly Poll

Statistics reveal that less than half of eligible voters actually voted back in 2012. Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced a bill to make Election Day a national holiday.

What’s Your Take? Do you think making voting day a national holiday will increase voter turnout?

Check out the story and respond to this week’s poll at TanyaFree.com and the Urban Views Weekly FACEBOOK Page. Listen to the Tanya Free and Friends Talk Show Wednesdays @ 2pm on WCLM1450AM streaming LIVE @ TanyaFree.com and BlackTalkRadioNetwork.com. You can now watch us LIVE at TanyaFree.com and ustream.tv

Birthdays • Anniversaries • Weddings • Funerals

Place your next florist order with Bland’s Florist!

Celebrating 50 Years in Business

Flowers & Gifts for All Occasions

618 East Washington StreetPetersburg, VA 23805

(804) 732-5319 • (800) 426-4314

www.BlandsFlorist.com

current gift may be the result of consistent cultivation by many people: now is the right time for them to give.

Similarly, a strong marketing and communications strategy can create a heightened awareness that leads a potential donor to consider your organization or institution as a beneficiary. Capital campaigns are an ideal time to raise the profile of your nonprofit. The results can be unexpectedly large gifts from previously unidentified potential donors who become aware of your organization.

Take the time to consider what your nonprofit is doing to encourage windfall gifts? Do you encourage donors to include your organization in their estate planning? Are you consistent in your annual fundraising, cultivating and stewardship?

Keep working your fundraising plan; your consistency will pay off. And you just may be the beneficiary of a windfall.

Copyright 2016– Mel and Pearl Shaw

For help growing your fundraising visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Nurses have long

been considered

vital members of the

public health team.


An exhibition featuring portraits by one of the country’s leading contemporary artists will be on view June 11 through September 5 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Composed of more than 50 monumental paintings and sculptures, Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic raises intriguing questions about race, identity, and the politics of representation.

Recognized for his portrayal of contemporary African American men using conventions of traditional European portraiture, Wiley has expanded his vision to include women and cultures from around the globe. In addition to lesser-known early works, this exhibition also explores new developments, which include bronze busts, “paintings” in stained glass, and works from his World Stage series.

“Kehinde Wiley is one of the most popular artists in America today,” Director Alex Nyerges said. “The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was one of the first comprehensive art museums to acquire his portraits, and we are thrilled to present a larger selection of his work to the public. These paintings and sculptures

My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond will conduct a two-day workshop, May 20 and May 21 to promote the advantages of a professional mindset and professional attire to economically disadvantaged young men. After completing the workshop, MBK will provide each participant with professional attire to secure employment, but

“Suits for Success” is much more than simply a new outfit!

“Suits for Success” is one of our community outreach solutions that encourage young men to break the cycle of poverty; mentally, physically and spiritually,” said MBK Founder and Executive Director Stephan “Coach” Hicks.

“In addition to physically equipping each young man with apparel and accessories, our authentic manhood programs, career development tools and resources, and our network of support will equip, empower and encourage young men to thrive in

work and in life!”

This year’s theme is: “Expanding My Support Network”. The keynote speaker for “Suits for Success III” is Clyde Farris,

talk show host and author of

“Etiquette for the Black Male.”

MBK is accepting young men ages 16-25. The workshop will be held May 20, 6 pm to 9 pm and May 21, 9 am to 2 pm at the offices of My Brother’s Keeper of Greater

Richmond, 1618 Hull Street, Richmond, VA 23224.

The organization is also accepting donations of suits, dress shirts, ties, accessories, garment cleaning services, or men’s toiletries, as well as financial contributions. Those interested in making donations, being a presenter or recommending a participant should contact Stephan “Coach” Hicks by email at [email protected].

My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond Preparing Men for

Success with Suits For Success III

Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic

Mothers Day CruiseMay 6, 2016

• Interior Stateroom $444.40 per person

• Ocean View $499.40 per person

• Deposit $150.00pp Limited space

Fantasia Travels

(Prices are subject to change without notice)www.fantasia-travels/com

(804) 518-0868ASK FOR “URBAN VIEWS” DISCOUNT H CALL 271-1220

H H

“Suits for Success” is one

of our community outreach

solutions that encourage

young men to break the

cycle of poverty; mentally,

physically and spiritually.”

continues on page 8

eart disease, cancer, diabetes. Unforgiveness, anger, self-hatred, fear. Matters of the body

and matters of the heart are often treated in isolation of each other, but what if the two were in conjunction? The three aforementioned diseases are some of the leading causes of death within the African American community, making up 51.3% and 50.8% of deaths among Black men and women, respectively (CDC, 2011). Generations have witnessed relatives’ passing from such diseases, leading many in our community to believe their fate is inevitable because those diseases are unavoidable. But how would your behavior, affirmations, and attitude change if you knew that your thoughts could literally make you sick?

Since 1995, Adult Nurse Practitioner Evelyn Hall-Harris has dedicated her medical career to bridging the gap between what we think, feel, and meditate on and how that manifests itself as sickness and disease in our body. Psychoneuroimmunology, its formal name, is a study of medicine that explores the connection between your thoughts (psycho), nervous system (neuro-), and how they both affect and impact your health (immunology). For over a decade, Evelyn owned Alliance Family Practice, where she created a medical environment unlike any in the Richmond, Petersburg, and surrounding areas. She challenged patients to dig deeper into the root cause of their illness, viewing physical symptoms as merely the outward sign of an internal emotional or spiritual conflict. The result? A legacy of encouraging members of the Black community to confront emotional trauma and experience healing from the inside out.

Hall-Harris, a Wrens, Georgia native, attended the Medical College of Georgia before joining the military in 1976 and embarking on a 25-year career as a Navy

nurse. Throughout her time on Active Duty, she noticed an interesting trend: wounded soldiers who went into surgery anxious, worried, and depressed experienced more complications during both surgery and the recovery process. Some even passed away during surgery or were never able to return to full duty. Conversely, soldiers who went into surgery hopeful and with positive expectations experienced a speedy recovery and returned to full duty in no time. “Many of the soldiers went into surgery for the same exact thing, yet some soldiers made it through and others didn’t. Then I began to take notice of their attitude going in, and I knew there had to be a connection,” Hall-

Harris explains. She also notes that she’d listen to soldiers’ attitudes and confessions before being deployed and oftentimes witnessed their fears and doubts realized. It was then that she dove into the study of psychoneuroimmunology.

To think that our negative thoughts and feelings don’t affect our health, Hall-Harris believes, only does us a disservice. In her 2012 book, entitled Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, she advises, “If you see yourself as a victim instead of a victor, you will send your immune system defeating messages. On the other

hand, when illness attacks your body and your heart says, ‘This sickness has no right to be in my body,’ this thinking sends your immune system a different message—mobilize and fight back!” She carried this message with her to and from military bases in Oakland, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, and Orlando, FL before settling in Richmond, Virginia in 1994 with her husband and four children.

After many years with the Veteran’s Affairs McGuire Women’s Medical Center, Hall-Harris utilized her Master’s degrees in Nursing and Business Administration to open Alliance Family Practice with the goal of providing patients with the medical and holistic keys to reaching optimal health.

Hall-Harris planted roots in Petersburg, VA in 2002 and like most people, her patients relied heavily on medicines that eased the symptoms of a disease rooted in something much stronger than the diagnosis. After time in the field researching root causes of diseases, she noticed more trends that she refused to ignore.

A common example she uses to emphasize how our thoughts and emotions manifest themselves in our bodies is the idea of blushing. When we’re triggered by emotional stress, such as embarrassment or anger, our blood vessels inflame and it manifests in the form of redness on our face. Blushing is a physical sign of what’s happening emotionally. Patients dealing with chronic pain were often battling with unforgiveness and trauma. Those who struggled with cardiovascular disease were harboring spirits of fear, anxiety and stress, anger, rage, and

Are Your Thoughts Making You Sick?H

6 Urban Views Weekly | May 4, 2016

Evelyn Hall-Harris

Are Your Thoughts Making You Sick?

resentment. Cancer patients often had unresolved bitter conflicts with others or with self, negative confessions, and/or a spirit of hopelessness. Her faith in God growing stronger everyday, Hall-Harris began incorporating her spirituality in her daily work with patients as a way to

provide comfort in often unsettling situations. She’s famously known for writing scriptures on the

ceilings of her exam rooms, a strategic move and pleasant surprise for

patients seeking solace during exams or procedures. Taking it a step further, she jots scriptures on individual prescriptions that coincide with each patient’s

particular medical or emotional need. “Healing takes place both in the natural and supernatural,”

Hall-Harris explains. “So they get the prescription for the body, and a scripture for the spirit.”

Serving the Petersburg area also meant serving military personnel stationed at Fort Lee. This provided the

opportunity to connect on a familiar level and share stories that allow even the highest ranking officers to align their thoughts with thoughts of healing and wholeness in order to serve their country effectively. It also allowed her to remain connected to the very place from whence she got her start, 15 years after retiring. To further assist her patients—especially those stationed at Fort Lee—Evelyn created the New You Weight Loss Program, a natural weight-loss program that works with members to set and reach weight loss goals, goals oftentimes needed for military weight requirements. In addition to a detox plan, meal guide, exercise schedule, and weekly weigh-ins, the program includes nine scriptures that relate to health, weight loss, persistence, and achievement that patients are to meditate on through the duration of the nine-week program. From matters of serious disease to weight loss needs, Hall-Harris believes that your thoughts and confessions must align with the outcome you desire. When there’s a disconnect, there’s a dis-ease in the body, which ultimately sustains the disease.

Though Alliance Family Practice closed in 2014, the Petersburg-based weight loss program is still running strong today. She took her medical ministry on the road in 2015 and became the CEO of Alliance Healthcare Consulting, making house calls to both longtime and new patients and offering both medical and spiritual

counsel to those in need. By praying with her patients, Evelyn has built a trust with members of the community, and they’ve learned to play an active role in their healing,

thanks to her counsel and spiritual guidance.

Her message extends beyond her patients and reaches foreign land. Since 2000, she’s traveled to Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Brazil, and Haiti to participate in medical missions. In addition to providing healthcare to countries without working medical professionals, Evelyn seeks to get to the root of their issues. She’s

studied extensively the root cause of disease, and shares the connections she makes to all willing to listen.

Today, Hall-Harris also serves as the Pastor of Healing the Heart Ministries, a mobile ministry that allows her to speak at universities, local churches, seminars and conferences, spreading the word about psychoneuroimmunology and encouraging the masses to align their words with their thoughts and actions to have

victory in every area of their life. “As Proverb 14:30 states, ‘A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body.’ I’ve watched too many patients literally stress themselves to death and speak disease into their own life. They say things like, ‘She makes me sick’ and then wonder why they’re in fact…sick! Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and that’s essentially the message I spread to my patients.”

7

Photo: Janna M. Hall

Photo: Freddie A Davis

By Janna M. Hall


Kehinde from page 5

Urgency or Emergency?

When unexpected health mishaps arise, many people’s first reaction is to head to an emergency room. But when those illnesses and injuries aren’t true emergencies, not knowing the best option for care can end up costing both time and money.

So how can you know where to go when medical attention is needed?

Urgency or emergency?Urgent care centers provide a way to keep up with patients’ daily healthcare needs, serving as a vital link between the emergency room and primary care physicians.

“Urgent care is growing across the country because it provides patients with an alternative to the emergency room, which can be too costly and time-consuming for situations like common illnesses and minor injuries,” said Dr. Robert Kimball, president of the board of directors, Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA). “While ERs are best equipped to handle life-threatening illnesses and injuries, it’s important

that patients are aware that there are more affordable options available for less serious situations.”

Due to shorter wait times - 90 percent of urgent care centers offer a wait time of 30 minutes or less, according to the 2015 UCAOA Benchmarking Survey - and much lower prices, urgent care centers are a more convenient and affordable option than, but not a substitute for, an emergency room.

When care is needed for true emergency situations, such as heart attacks, strokes, major bleeding or severe burns, it’s vital to go to an emergency room immediately, as urgent care centers are not equipped or designed to treat life- or limb-threatening conditions.

Dollars and senseWhen patients visit an emergency room for a non-emergency, they risk incurring a substantial financial loss. Emergency rooms are more expensive, charging an average of $1,300 for treatment of non-life-

threatening situations, while urgent care centers charge an average of just $150, according to a Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Plus, 27 percent of all emergency room visits could take place at an urgent care center, which would save American consumers approximately $4.4 billion annually, according to “Health Affairs.” Additionally, many insurance plans feature lower co-pays for urgent care services than treatment in an emergency room.

Understanding the options“With a growing variety of facilities available, patients need to take care to understand their options,” Kimball said. “The rise of free-standing emergency rooms is especially concerning because they look like urgent care centers. While they may seem convenient at the time, the emergency room prices can cause sticker shock for patients who aren’t aware of the distinction.”

Free-standing emergency rooms are not physically connected to a hospital and are located in areas similar to urgent care centers, so it can be easy to confuse the two. A free-standing emergency room will offer emergency care - and charge emergency room prices. Patients should be sure to confirm the type of facility they’re visiting, as treatment at a free-standing ER may cost thousands of dollars more than an urgent care center.

To find a conveniently located urgent care center near you, visit whereisurgentcare.com.

Family Features

Courtesy of UCAOA

AFFORDABLE Apartment Rentals

1 and 2 Bedroom Units Starting at $425 per Month

No Application fee!We work with credit issues!

“Ask about FREE MONTHS RENT”

Zacharias Brothers RealtyPlease call 329-6249 or 271-1220

FOR

RENT

challenge centuries of stereotypes, and we hope our

visitors will feel engaged and make the connection between Wiley’s works and those in our galleries.”

Wiley selects the subjects for his portraits through the process of “street casting” by enlisting young men and women to pose for his paintings. These people, wearing hoodies, jeans, and baseball caps, are contrasted against ornate backgrounds that evoke an aristocratic style of portraiture. By replacing European aristocrats with black subjects, Wiley points out the absence of African Americans from such historical narratives.

The works on view will include selections from his ongoing World Stage series, where Wiley’s work has taken on a global perspective. In addition to establishing a studio in Beijing, China, Wiley has spent time in Africa, France, Israel, Jamaica, Haiti, and other countries. Portraits of women from the An Economy of Grace series include The Two Sisters, which was lent to the exhibition by VMFA Board of Trustees President William A. Royall, Jr., and his wife, Pamela.

To help visitors make their own connections between the works in the exhibition and works in the collection, VMFA has prepared a space, The Art Lounge: Connect Kehinde Wiley to VMFA, where visitors can access art history books, touch screens, and free cards to look deeper into Wiley’s artistic process. A map also will be available to help locate all 12 corresponding works in VMFA’s galleries.

The exhibition is organized by the Brooklyn Museum and curated by Eugenie Tsai, John and Barbara Vogelstein Curator of Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum. VMFA’s Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Sarah Eckhardt, PhD., is the organizing curator for VMFA.


Sign up for FREE Urban Views Weekly news updates.

Go to www.UrbanViewsWeekly and click Subscribe.


Scholar of the WeekBy Janeal Downs

$100 ScholarshipsAwarded Every Week

Do you know a High School Senior who can meet the following criteria?

1. Have a 3.0 grade point average or better

2. Participates in extracurricular community

service activities

3. Attends public school in Central VirginiaEncourage yourscholar to apply!

Go to UrbanViewsWeekly.com for application and details.

GPA: 4.0

College of Interest: University of Virginia

Major Community Service: Tutoring

Strong Interests: Law and politics

Favorite Activities: Playing sports and drawing

Dante Allen not only enjoys learning new things, but he likes argumentation, an important piece to being a lawyer. “I think my mental process is much different than anyone else’s, allowing me to think multiple ways about one topic,” Dante wrote in an essay. The competition that comes with being a lawyer is one reason why the job appeals to him. One of Dante’s main reasons for wanting to be a lawyer is his desire to protect peoples’ rights and provide justice. He refers to instances of police brutality with some officers not facing repercussions, and Dante wants to bring families some type of justice.

“These days, so many people fall victim to injustices, and I want to ensure that anyone I represent gets a fair trial, and set a precedent on how legal decisions are made,” Dante stated.

In order to become a lawyer, he plans to continue his education at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. While in high school, Dante has had the chance to meet a lot of great friends and teachers and he feels like he will have the same experience in college. As a pre-law student, two majors Dante may choose are philosophy or journalism. “Journalism, it’s like a way for me to still be aware of social trends and still be active,” Dante said. He hopes this major can also help with note taking, a good skill to have as a lawyer.

Dante currently maintains a 4.0 GPA. He is a member of his school’s National Honor Society and a political awareness club

called “Open and Awake.” “We just try to inform students about politics and what’s going on in the world because a lot of people don’t know at my school, so we just try and enlighten them,” Dante said about the political club. He also volunteers by tutoring younger children. Outside of school, some of his favorite things to do are drawing and playing sports, mostly basketball. He uses art as a way to express his creativity and basketball as a fun way to exercise.

Dante named his parents as his biggest influences. “They know how hard it can be for someone to get by nowadays, and they want my life to be as stress free as possible,” Dante said. He wants to be successful and they drive him toward success. After going through their own experiences, his parents made it clear to him about the dangers of not getting a good education from an early age. Dante’s sister was the first person in his family to graduate college. Her college experience and her career, after graduating, have also motivated him to get his degree.

Dante wants the community to know that he is a really hard working person and he not only thinks about himself, but he wants to think about and do a lot for others as well. While he knows in the future he will win some cases and lose others, he said most of his drive in life comes from knowing someone will challenge him, which will mean life as a lawyer will never get boring.

Dante Allen of John Marshall High School

Scholar0of the Week™

Watch for our Scholar of the Week segment, Wednesdays at 6:30 PM on


Follow us!

ClassifiedsPLACE YOUR AD TODAY

804.649.6868Office: (

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM

A Better Choice Family Services, LLC A Penny For Your Thoughts Cleaning Service A Plus Home Health Care A W Smith Small Business Solutions Access Office Products Adrienne Whitaker AdviCoach Aflac Allied & Associates Alternative Adult Care, LLC American Tap Room Anchor Financial Group Appomattox Drugs Associated Insurance Systems Services, Inc. Atelier Ego/J. Hilburn Atlantic Logowear, LLC AudioTech, Inc. BB&T Wealth Be4Real Ministries, Inc. Benefits And Retirement Consultants, LLC Better Life Chiropractic, LLC Billie & Robinson Cleaning Services, LLC Black Cat Design Bon Secours Richmond Health System Boomer3 Solutions, LLC Brame Specialty Brian Taylor Buffalo Soldiers of Virginia Historical Society, Inc. BusinesSuites C’est le Vin Wine Bar Cat Eyez Ink Enterprise Catina Downey, CPA, PLLC CCHASM Chesterfield County Economic Development Chesterfield Innovative Academy for Girls Chesterfield Learning Center Child Shield, U.S.A. China Channel Limited CHN Realty Co. LLC Church Hill Cleaners City of Richmond City To City Auto Sales Clearent, LLC CMLB Business Solutions, LLC Comcast Cable Commonwealth Construction Company of VA, Inc. Compass Realty Crowd Funding

D & W Fashions D.I.Y. Travel Network D&K Painting, LLC Daily Grace LLC Damsel In Defense Davis Brothers Construction Company Dominion Medical Associates Dwight Snead Construction Company Dynamic Detailers Edward Jones Electra Properties LLC Electronic Payments of RVA Essence Cosmetology & Barbering Acadamy Essence of Braiding & Weaving Salon Eved Payments eWaste Tech Systems Exquisite Rentals Faith Printing FBG Enterprize First Citizens Bank First Financial Group Fiscal Fitness Tax & Financial Services, INC. Forrest White Printing and Graphic Design Fortis College Foust Insurance Agency, LLC Fred A. Dixon, P.C. - Law Office Fresh Wind/Fresh Start Re-Entry Ministry Program Fulton Bank George Mason Mortgage, LLC Girls For A Change Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. Green Auto Sales Green-Leaf Solutions LLC Growth Worx Harbor Touch Harrington’s Photography Harris Tax and Business Services, LLC HBW Advisory Services, LLC HiFlight Pursuits Hippodrome Entertainment, LLC Hometown Realty Homewatch Caregivers of Richmond Hosea Productions Hough’s Consulting & Counseling HRichNetworks, LLC ImagesByKecia LLC Imagined 2 Reality Promotions LLC In Divine Order, LLC Influential Family Services, Inc.

Inlight Impressions LLC Integrity Pest Solutions Intercept Youth Services J-Tyler Resources J.ELAY James Management Group, LLC JB Bryan Financial Group, Inc. JD PC Repair LLC Jones & Jones Audio & Video Joseph Jenkins Jr. Funeral Home Just Us 4 Travel Karen Wilson Natural Beauty Keller Williams Realty KG Productions, LLC Kirby & Associates, CPA Kjellstrom + Lee Construction LakeView Digital, LLC Legal Shield LegalShield Liberation Family Services Lighthouse 1017 Group, LLC (Smart Device Apps) Long & Foster Realtors Long & Foster Short Pump Office Long & Foster, Bellgrade Lynch Group International (LGI) Lyons HR Majestic Milestones Event Management Manifest In You, LLC Marion Marketing, LLC Mary Kay, Inc. Max Williams Photography McCall X4 Industrial Cleaning, Inc. Mequell Green Insurance Agency-Nationwide Insurance Metlife Miles Ahead Distribution, Inc. MLH Asset Management Monarch Mortgage Moore’s Auto Body and Paint Shop Moseley & Sons Home Improvement and Repair Moving From Crisis 2 Prosperity Mr. Roland’s Catering & Event Services My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond National Counseling Group NBC12 - WWBT NDUTIME Youth & Family Services, Inc./Center of Wellness New Town Realty, LLC

Nissan of Richmond/Chesapeake No Limits odeeps work Open Hands Massage Care Order In the House Organo Gold Organo Gold Independent Distributor Oyster’s Pearl Parallel Management Company Pat’s World Staging & Re-Design, LLC Peaceful Taste LLC - Mama’s Gourmet Sweet Potato Flavor Pearson Kia Perry Insurance Agency, INC. Poole & Associates, LLC Possible Now PPI-TIMEZERO, Inc. Prestige Construction Group, Inc. Primerica Financial Services Profected Shine Cleaning Service, LLC Prom Bring It, Inc. Pure Environmental Solutions Quality Moving Services Radio One, Inc. Richmond RE/MAX Commonwealth Reap Your Abundance, LLC Recruit804.com Richmond BMW Richmond Bulldogs Richmond Raiders Richmond Region Tourism Ricky Johnson & Friends RideFinders Right At Home River City Comprehensive Counseling Services River City Home Staging LLC RMT Construction & Development Group Rock The Remy - House of Beautiful Hair Ruffin Insurance Agency RVA African American Business Group S. H. Leverett Educational Consulting, LLC Sales Recruiters of Virginia LLC Sarah’s Catering Sass C Creations Saving With Solar Scott’s Funeral Home Seniors 1st Choice Adult Daycare Shay’s Shoe Haven Shoe Crazy Wine LLC Smooth Groove Center for Dance &

Entertainment SpeadMark Stewart Tax & Financial Services Stratford University Supreme Concepts T&G Enterprise LLC Tausha Carter Jacobs - AFLAC Independent Agent Taylor-Made Business Services, LLC Taylor’s Paralegal Services TCB Hair & Beauty The Callahan Group The Dry Clean Factory The Henrico Citizen The Insurance Lady The Konsierge Xperience The Law Office of Alex Taylor The PillDr Consulting Services Time2Grow LLC TLC by Kimley, LLC TLC Home Health, Inc. Top Flight Cleaning Service Transformation Consulting, LLC TRL Essential Services Trust Mortgage Corporation Twin Ridge Financial Ujamaa Box United Network for Organ Sharing United Unlimited Construction, Inc. University of Richmond Urban Development Corporation Urban Views Weekly VA Sports Management Virginia Blood Services Virginia First Financial Services, LLC Virginia Heritage Foods, Inc. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Virginia Office of the Attorney General Virginia Union University Viro-Technology Visual Appeal, LLC Vizions Consulting VR Direct Marketing WCVE Video Productions West Broad Honda West Broad Hyundai Woodforest National Bank WRIC-TV WUPV CW Richmond - Bounce TV Your Paperless Office, LLC

ww

w.C

VAA

CC

.org

Join

Us..

.

The Central Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce

Spend With Businesses That Support Your Community


VEGGIES & DIP TRAYS SHRIMP TRAYS CAKES & CUPCAKES

CUSTOMIZEYOUR GRADUATION CELEBRATION

THREE WAYS TO ORDER:ONLINE at MartinsFoods.comIN-STORE at any fresh departmentPHONE by calling 888-793-3663

urban views weekly may 4, 2016

Documents