Community
Jefferson School Reparations Run/Walk (3/2/24)
The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center (JSAAHC) is ramping up for the next Reparations Run/Walk on Mar. 2 at 7am to celebrate Liberation and Freedom Day.
As in previous years, they are raising money for 101.3 JAMZ, African American Teaching Fellows, Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP’s Youth Council, JSAAHC, Prolyfyck Run Crew, Tonsler League, and Vinegar Hill Magazine’s Black Business advertising fund. These organizations all have Black leadership and support the community directly. The near-8-mile run and 4-mile walk allow you to engage with some of the city’s important sites of African American history, while passing some of the African American businesses along the way.
In the past, Cville Dems have participated with their own team in this fun run/walk event. Please contact communications@cvilledems.org if you’d like to organize Dems for a team walk on Mar. 2.
Liberation and Freedom Day is a municipal holiday in Charlottesville, celebrated on March 3, to commemorate the day in 1865 when Union Major General Phillip Sheridan and his troops arrived in Charlottesville, liberating more than 14,000 enslaved people.
Good Luck to the New 2024 UDems Leadership Team
REPORT: MoveOn.org Banned Bookmobile Event (10-18-23)
Yesterday’s MoveOn “Banned Bookmobile” visit was very successful; dozens of people were on hand before the 4:30 program began and the crowd grew steadily from there. Nancy Damon, MoveOn’s local organizer/liaison, assembled a great group of speakers (and started the program off in great style herself!) and we got good coverage, including by CBS19, NBC29, and WINA. Before leaving mid-way (to get this newsletter out!), we got to hear “My Monticello” author Jocelyn Nicole Johnson, Rabbi Dan Alexander, current HD-55 candidate/former Charlottesville School Board member Amy Lauferand Albemarle School Board candidate Allison Spillman (make sure your Albemarle County friends turn out to vote for these two!), Albemarle County School Board member Katrina Callsen (and our future Delegate, go vote for her!), and a surprise address by Greene County candidate Sara Ratcliffe (your Greene friends need to vote for her in HD-62). Still to come were Mayor Lloyd Snook, Senator Creigh Deeds, and Judy Le (all three of whom also need our votes, Judy is running for Albemarle County School Board).
Photos from the event are below (used with permission of MoveOn and GettyImages), and we recorded the remarks of Jocelyn Nicole Johnson, Katrina Callsen, and Allison Spillman and have those videos our YouTube channel (subscribe to see past and future videos like these!).
The Banned Bookmobile is on a national tour to highlight the terribly frightening and undemocratic attempts by extremist Republicans to ban books in schools and libraries nationwide; per WVTF and the Virginia Education Association, there’ve been 400 attempted book bans in Virginia this year as of September, and one public library almost closed due to efforts to ban LGBTQ content (but they fought and won that battle!).
Thanks also to Barbara Shenefield for making the great event poster (graphic to your left)!
2023 Virginia Film Festival Relevant Movies
The 2023 Virginia Film Festival(next Wednesday 10/25 until Sunday 10/29) features more than 100 films at the Paramount Theater, the Violet Crown, UVA’s Culbreth Theater, and the CODE Building.
The films are organized into different series and themescentered on important issues ranging from Black excellence and indigenous cinema to the environment and critical conversations.
Here are a few of the films we’re excited about — the first one a documentary about Charlottesville people from a local director!
1. Sometime, Somewhere (Algún Día, En Algún Lugar)
Series and themes: Latinidades, Virginia filmmakers, critical conversations, nature & environment
Directed and produced by Charlottesville local Ricardo “Rick” Preve, this black and white film explores the unique journeys and shared struggles of Latino immigrants in Charlottesville. It explores some of the many factors behind immigration, from climate change and poverty to drug-related violence. Set against the backdrop of two historical traumas—9/11 and the Jan 6 Capitol assault—the film features firsthand accounts and stories of resilience. The viewing features a discussion with Preve. Showtime: Saturday, 10/28, 3:00 PM. Culbreth Theater. 97 minutes.
Series and themes: Black excellence, page to film, critical conversations, Gala screenings, LGBTQIA+
American Fiction tells the story of Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), a writer whose works get little attention until he writes a satirical memoir about Black representation in pop culture—”Black stuff,” as his book agent put it—that quickly becomes a smash hit. With a star-studded cast that includes Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown, the comedy drama that unfolds as Ellison endures the consequences of his fabricated persona earned American Fiction the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival. The viewing features a discussion with director, producer, and writer Cord Jefferson. Showtime: Thursday, 10/26, 8:00 PM. The Paramount Theater. 117 minutes.
Series and themes: LGBTQIA+, from page to screen
An existential depression confines screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) to his London flat until he meets Harry (Paul Mescal), a neighbor. The romance that blossoms between them inspires Adam to write a screenplay about his parents, who died in a car accident 30 years ago. Upon returning to his childhood home for inspiration, he finds himself re-meeting his parents just as they were before they died—asking them the questions he’s held onto since he was 12 years old. This dream-like ghost tale, based loosely on Taichi Yamada’s novel Strangers, is directed by Andrew Haigh. Showtime: Thursday, 10/26, 8:00pm. Culbreth Theater. 105 minutes.
4. King Coal
Series and themes: Nature and Environment
King Coal comprises a collection of poetic vignettes that depict daily life in Appalachia, primarily exploring how coal became deeply intertwined with the region’s communities even after its economic dominance waned. A young girl learning the region’s history serves as a narrative pathway for this documentary, while poetic narration and archival footage provide historical context for the complex legacy of coal in the area. Showtime: Thursday, 10/ 26, 5:30pm. Violet Crown. 80 minutes.
Local Environmental Groups (New and Old!)
Many of us in Charlottesville cherish the rich natural landscape surrounding our city. But protecting that beauty—and ensuring that we live on a survivable planet—takes dedication from countless volunteers and organizations. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved but didn’t know where to start, check out some of these local and national groups.
New groups and initiatives that have recently come to our attention:
- Resilient Together is a City, County, and UVA collaboration created to develop goals for Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plans that address the problems associated with our warming planet—like longer and hotter summers, more destructive storms, and invasive pests. Resilient Together just kicked off an 18-month initiative to draft plans that would be adopted by Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Click here to register if you’re interested in getting involved, or sign up for email updates here.
- Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) is an international organization that advocates for climate solutions and an empowered citizenry to ensure a livable world. Ellie Syverud, the leader of the local Charlottesville chapter, sends out a “Weekly 5 Minute Action” email that encourages people to contact their representatives in Congress regarding relevant climate legislation. Contact Ellie at charlottesvilleccl@gmail.com for more information.
And don’t forget about some of our longer-established favorites:
- The Community Climate Collaborative (3C) is a Charlottesville-based organization that takes a local-first approach to climate policy. It’s active across the state and advocates for community-led solutions to catalyze climate action. Join the 3C mailing list here or follow this link to contact 3C.
- The Piedmont Group is the local chapter of the Sierra Club, one of the oldest climate activism groups in the United States. It sponsors a range of programs each year to educate the public about environmental issues and the natural world. Check out its activities calendar here, and sign up for the Piedmont Group’s mailing list here.
- The Rivanna Conservation Alliance is a local nonprofit organized to clean and protect the Rivanna River and its tributaries. It offers programs for monitoring and restoring the river as well as educational and advocacy events. Sign up for the Alliance’s newsletter here, and consider volunteering at some of their events.
- The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit with an active presence across Virginia, from the Allegheny Highlands to the Chesapeake Bay. Contact the Conservancy here for more information, and check out some of their volunteering opportunities across the state.
- If you’ve ever enjoyed walking, running, or biking a portion (or all) of the Rivanna Trails, you’ve got the Rivanna Trails Foundation (RFT) to thank. The organization maintains all 20 miles of the trail, which encircles the city. It’s working on other initiatives as well, like a shared-use path from Charlottesville through Ivy, Crozet, and Afton, all the way to Waynesboro. Join the RFT here, or reach out to info@rivannatrails.org to learn more.
- The Botanical Garden of the Piedmont is tucked away in the northeast corner of McIntire Park. A $1.5 million gift last year has enabled the garden to begin architectural and design work in the park—adding a visitor center, amphitheater, childrens garden, and other gardens. Click here to volunteer, and click here to sign up for the newsletter.
- The Ivy Creek Foundation’s vision is “to inspire and engage our community in the stewardship of our natural resources and our rich African American cultural history.” The foundation is the steward of what was once known as the River View Farm, a community of African American farmers, pastors, craftspeople, and businessmen from the late 19th century. Follow this link for volunteer information, and email Executive Director Sue Erhardt at sue@ivycreekfoundation.com for general information.
