Urban Views Weekly April 27, 2016

African American Repertory Theatre to give space and voice to Black Artists

Apr. 27, 2016 Scholar of the Week - Phantasia Mason

2 Urban Views Weekly | April 27, 2016 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

VOL. 9, ISSUE 17

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FUNdraising Good Times

Civic Beat

Where’s the money? How do you process gifts?

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. –Albert Einstein

Ideally your nonprofit is focused on raising the money you need to deliver on your mission and vision. You have a strong fundraising team with talented staff, enthusiastic volunteers, the right technology, and a communications strategy that gets the word out to all the right people. The money is coming in and everyone is feeling good about the progress being made. You believe you are on target to meet or beat your fundraising goals. Or are you? What do you know, and what do you not know?

Tracking gifts and grants received can be a challenge. That may sound odd, but if you think about it there are many ways that funds can be received, deposited and (hopefully) acknowledged. Here are three scenarios to consider:

• A donor personally gives the executive director or president a check. What does she do with it? Does she give it to the

accounting department? Does she ask her assistant to deposit it? How long does this take? How many hands does it pass through? Does she communicate any written or verbal directions from the donor? If the gift is for a new science lab, how would the accounting department know this? How would the funds be recorded so that expenses can be charged against the grant?

• A check arrives in the mail. What happens to it? Who opens the mail? Does the person

know who should receive checks? The executive director? The accounting department? Development department? If a check is directed to a specific department, who within the department receives it? If the check is given to the accounting department, how do people in development know that a check has been received? Do you use a shared database? Do checks need to be entered in two different systems? If you don’t enter gifts in the fundraising database, how do you know when a donor you have been cultivating makes a gift? How will you continues to page 8

“Ideally your nonprofit is focused on raising the money you need to

deliver on your mission and vision.”

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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 | April 27, 2016

GPA: 3.4

College of Interest: Virginia Union University

Major Community Service: Girls for Change, Church events

Strong Interests: Biology

Favorite Activities: Marching band, dancing, reading and writing

Since she was about five years old, Phantasia Mason grew up dancing in her church. She currently attends Heaven’s Haven International Ministry, a place where she can feel at peace. At her church, she not only serves as a praise dancer but also with other church events. Dancing is one of her most enjoyable ways of participating. “I am very interested in dancing because it helps me express different emotions,” Phantasia stated in an essay. Whether she is sad, glad or mad, Phantasia’s coach always encourages her to show her emotions through her dancing. She not only praise dances, but she also enjoys jazz, lyrical and even performs in her marching band.

Being a member of her school’s marching band is one of her favorite things to do in her spare time. She hopes to continue in band when she goes to college. Phantasia’s top college of choice is Virginia Union University. With an interest in science, she will major in biology. While she knows classmates who are going out of state for college, Phantasia was attracted to VUU because it is an in-state university and also because of the school’s pre-medicine program. With plans to go into the medical field, Phantasia wants to work with newborn babies. “In order to be able to be successful in that career I would first have to graduate high school with outstanding grades,” she stated. While she is still in high school, other than her activities with her church and

dancing, she also participates in extracurricular activities as a member of Girls for Change, Future Business Leaders of America, Project Discovery, the softball team and the track team. Through extracurricular work, Phantasia learned about teamwork, seeing how well everybody worked together and also how the organization members could act like a family.

Her other favorite activities outside of school include writing and reading. “Most of the time, I read from Wattpad which is an international reading app,” Phantasia said.

“Sometimes I enjoy writing mini stories to incorporate different things and obstacles in the world that many people don’t see.” Another way she expresses her creativity is through drawing.

One of Phantasia’s biggest inspirations is her older sister. “She was valedictorian of the same school I’m at and I know it can’t be harder than what she went

through,” Phantasia said. Her sister went to college as well, so Phantasia knows she can do it too. Attending college will be one of her biggest challenges but she has “learned from adults and teachers that studying and focusing is the way to success.” While she is still in high school, Phantasia is focused on staying committed to being the best student, making sure she is always ready to learn and constantly preparing for the future.

Scholar of the WeekBy Janeal Downs

Phantasia Mason of John Marshall High School

Scholar0of the Week™

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

$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

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

Go to UrbanViewsWeekly.com for application and details.


Prince Rogers Nelson died last week at the age of 57, just a month and a few weeks shy of his 58th birthday. Perhaps we will find out what the cause of his death was in a few days or weeks to come, but whether or not we ever truly know what killed Prince, right now we are all in shock at the suddenness and finality of the fact that he is dead. An intensely private person and an artist who truly defined himself, Prince’s legacy is an iconic one. He was a giant in the industry and a prolific songwriter, performer and philanthropic community member locally, nationally and internationally. He was a benevolent Prince.

He threw down the gauntlet when he stepped away from his huge million dollar recording contract with Warner Records due to artistic, philosophical and economic differences that pitted Prince’s artistic autonomy and self- definition in direct opposition to the typical capitalistic business interests of the music industry itself. He took the battle public by appearing with the word “Slave” written on the side of his face. Prince argued that because he was signed to Warner, they owned and controlled his name as well as any music released under that name. He compared that ownership and control to the legacy of slavery. So, Prince changed his name to that of a symbol and was referred to, variously, as

“Symbol”, “Squiggle” or “the Artist Formerly Known as Prince”. What a BRILLIANT move! Prince single-handedly changed the long-held power dynamic within one of the largest industries in the country. In so doing, he liberated not only himself, but also many other artists to follow in his footsteps.

He spent his career elevating and mentoring women. He surrounded himself with powerful female artistic talent, which was very unconventional. Prince’s long-time sound engineer was a woman. I have worked in recording studios from NY to Seattle and in the 25-30 years of doing voice over work for film, commercials and video characters for gaming and the internet, I have never had a woman do the recording or mixing. That was always some “man’s job.” In Prince’s studio, he always elevated and mentored women. Unless he was on stage alone, as in a solo performance, there were always women on stage with Prince. He was such a generous artist on so many levels. The way Prince shared himself and his artistry was definitely “old school.” So many people can testify to private concerts

where Prince played for hours and hours, and whoever was fortunate enough to see the Prince on the “legitimate” concert stage across the country, none were ever disappointed because he poured himself out so completely with two, three and even four encores for his adoring fans.

Whatever the cause of his death may have been, what must be said about Prince is that he truly LIVED his life. But not only did he live, he contributed so generously to enhance

the living for other people too. He was not a saint, he was a human being with flaws, but he was also a humanitarian, a trailblazer and a courageous and fierce advocate for social justice and those who needed a little help sometimes. He was not only a man named Prince, but he was a Prince and he will be missed.

Up Next Week: What’s happened to good manners?

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By Dr. TViewPoints

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D. Founder and Artistic Director

The Conciliation Project and Associate Professor Virginia Commonwealth University

[email protected] | www.theconciliationproject.org

The PRINCE has left us!

TanyaFree.com/Urban Views Weekly PollTreasury Secretary Jack Lew recently announced African American abolitionist Harriet Tubman will soon grace the $20 bill replacing President Andrew Jackson. Tubman beat out Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosa Parks, among others, by approximately 30% of the final votes cast. Former Republican presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson, criticized the decision and said that Andrew Jackson was a “tremendous president” and that perhaps Tubman should be honored on the $2 bill.

What’s your take? Do you agree with the decision to place Harriet Tubman on the front of the $20 bill?

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

“He was a giant in the industry... He was a benevolent Prince.”

Ask us how: (804) 441-6255

Let’s talk about growing your business.


The Deal

College graduation season is upon us. How about a gift that will really mean something to a student in your life?

The way I see it, the best graduation gift isn’t just a check in an envelope – it’s coming up with a few great, memorable ideas to help a new grad get a great financial start in life. At a time when money skills for young adults have never been more important, consider the following:

Buy them a session (or more) with a money coach. If you already work with a qualified financial planner or professional tax preparer, why not pay for a session or two for the new grad to help them work out their first budget as a working adult? Take the time to talk with the professional about specific financial issues the grad will need to address as well as their first, formal budget setup if they’ve never budgeted before.

Help them get a start on their retirement savings. Again, most of these gift ideas can come from one person or a group throwing in cash contributions. Consider taking your new grad out to open a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA. Early retirement investing is one of the most important lessons any new college grad can learn.

If they’re continuing school, create a 529 plan or contribute to an existing one. Many new college graduates return to school to start a master’s degree or other advanced training. If such an idea makes sense for

your finances, consider opening or contributing to a 529 college savings plan to support their continuing education. A 529 plan is a college savings plan set up by a state or educational institution that offers tax advantages and potentially other incentives to make it easier to save for college and other post-secondary training for a designated beneficiary, such as a child or grandchild. A friend or a relative can set one up and name anyone as a beneficiary

– the new grad, another relative, even yourself – and there are no income restrictions on doing so. You’ll also be free

to change the beneficiary if necessary. One suggestion – before you act, talk it over with the new grad or

his or her family members to make sure this is the best approach for helping with their future education.

If your new grad loves a company, consider buying them a few shares. Again, evaluate this decision against your own

finances and parental opinion, but if there is a particular company the new grad has bought

merchandise from or otherwise has taken a great interest in, consider going with them to a brokerage

to buy a few shares in the company. Make it a lesson not only in the purchase process, but in the valuation, tax and ownership issues anyone has to deal with as a long-term shareholder. Even though they will probably own more investments in mutual funds over a lifetime, understanding the ownership of individual stocks will inform all the investing they do.

Bottom line: Money issues can be daunting for today’s new graduate. Why not disarm their concerns with some solid advice from experts you trust? By offering up basics in budgeting, saving and investing, you just might become one of their favorites.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

Personal Finance Gifts for the New GraduateBy Nathaniel Sillin

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African American Repertory Theatre Experiences New Birth

The African American Repertory Theatre (AART), originally led by the artistic direction of Derome Scott Smith, was founded in 2000. It first went by the name Living Word Stage Company, and was later changed to the African American Repertory Theatre in 2010. Smith’s mentor and teacher, the late Ernie McClintock, planted the seed in Smiths’ mind to create an organization that would give space and a voice for Black actors and Black artists.

AART has gone through some hardships over the past several years. Fortunately, Iman Shabazz, another McClintock pupil, has decided to take the reins and steer African American Repertory Theatre back to success.

Shabazz said, “Ultimately, what we really wanted to see, then and now, was an opportunity for African actors to work; and not just actors, but African artists overall. We’ve got countless companies in the city that are doing amazing work, but there are very few that we can be engaged in within a larger context. Beyond that, we feel it is a responsibility of ours to be able to tell our own story. Creating the company was born out of those necessities.”

McClintock started a theatre of his own, the Afro American Repertory Theatre, in 1965. Smith found solace in McClintock’s teachings regarding Black theatre and the Black aesthetic, and wanted to do his part in spreading those words to his community.

Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, artistic director of The Conciliation Project said, “There has to be an authenticity, a focus on Black culture as told by Black people. That’s just a small kernel as to why we need a Black theatre in Richmond. Especially with Richmond’s rich history of having been the capital of the confederacy, and the segregation that is a part of that history here. We’re still fighting that in the arts’ arena.”

Theatre companies have used practices that some call cosmetic diversity. The effort takes different forms, but one

of the most notable is called colorblind casting. This is casting an actor or two of color on stage within a traditionally “white show”, or producing a “black show” but having all creative direction come from non-people of color.

This type of cosmetic diversity does not provide the authenticity of Black expression from the Black aesthetic experience. It is believed to be a means for theatre companies to both remain in charge of production while simultaneously generating revenue.

Colorblind casting could take on the idea of “non-traditional” casting, which would be to hire a woman of color to play the lead in a show similar to Pride and Prejudice. Pride and Prejudice’s main character is Elizabeth Bennet and the story follows her as she deals with issues such as morality, manners, education, and upbringing in the countryside of England during the early 19th century. The “risky move” of putting a Black woman

in the role of Elizabeth does not suffice as Black theatre or following the Black aesthetic, because the Black woman would essentially be playing a white character. The Black aesthetic requires that Black people tell their own stories, not someone else’s.

Pettiford-Wates speaks bluntly on the issue of diversity simply for the sake of diversity.

“[The Black aesthetic is] this idea of telling our story to our people, so that we are unapologetically Black. We are not trying to assuage any sort of white fragility, we aren’t embracing that. We are just telling the story from our own perspective, and the focus is actually the Black audience,” she said.

“These [theatre] companies don’t mind employing Black art, but won’t put us at the artistic head, and that is what the African American Repertory Theatre is going to do.”

Both Pettiford-Wates and Shabazz agree that the goal of AART has always been focused on providing a very necessary Black space for not only actors, but artists as a whole.

Shabazz stated that a large component of running a theatre company is the stabilization of infrastructure. Considering this proved as a previous stumbling block, he has decided to make infrastructure, in addition to fundraising, AART’s primary goal at the moment.

Shabazz hosted a mixer in the winter, gathering many of Richmond’s creative minds to speak about the Black Aesthetic and its importance to both theatre and their community.

The next event for AART is the Gala

6 Urban Views Weekly | April 27, 2016

continues on page 8

By Taneasha White

As a Virginia Beach transplant, I came to Richmond to further my education to study theatre and theology. I found it easy to give praxis to the educational context of VUU’s School of Theology; Black churches were everywhere. Unfortunately, when it came to theatre I found the search to be challenging. Initially, I had no idea where to find shows that represented the Black Aesthetic when I arrived at VCU as a theatre graduate student. I define the Black Aesthetic as stories that are unequivocally about Black life. Later, I would discover the complicated terrain of the Richmond theatre community. And it wasn’t until I had a conversation with one of my mentors that I realized, this issue of the lack of Black directors represented in the Richmond theatre community needed to be addressed in a larger context. Thus my journey began to reach out to local theatre companies’ artistic directors to initiate this necessary conversation surrounding the question, “Where are the Black directors in RVA?”

Every artistic director I emailed responded promptly. They included Iman Shabazz of the African American Repertory Theatre, Joel Bassin of the Firehouse Theatre, Anna Johnson of the Cadence Theatre, and Deejay Gray of the Theatre Lab. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the numerous theatre companies in Richmond. I reached out to companies for which I attended performances. Our correspondences varied to include emails, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings.

Some questions were quantitative. These questions inquired about the number of Black shows produced at their location in the season, and the number of Black directors hired as a means to provide data to answer the question, “Where are the Black Directors in RVA?” Bassin and Johnson were the first to respond to my inquiry. Bassin shared he was new to the Firehouse this

year and his response included the following Black productions in their current season: Mark Pettaway’s No One in the Room (Nov 2015), Valerie Davis’/LandMinz production of A Change of Heart (Dec 2015), Heritage Ensemble Theatre Company’s rep of For Colored Girls and For Black Boys (March 2016), Woven Obits’ Carrying

the Load (March 2016), and Raymond Goode’s upcoming run of Through Their Eyes (July 2016). He also shared, “In previous seasons, David Emerson Toney and [Dr.] Tawnya Pettiford-Wates have directed Firehouse productions that probably wouldn’t be considered to be stories about Black life.”

Johnson described the Cadence Theatre as a

“young company”. In response to the initial set of questions, she said, “Over the past few years we have produced one play per year that specifically addresses black life (Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park, Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori’s Caroline, or Change, and Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop), although we are not married to a formula of choosing plays (i.e. plays written by women, plays that are written by African Americans, etc.).” It should be noted: all were placed in February/March of each season.

Let’s be clear, just because a Black story is told doesn’t mean it’s fully actualized. As we see with much of Richmond’s productions, it can be argued that there is something missing when a Black story isn’t told under

the helm of Black artistic leadership and vision. Race inhabits nuances about lived experiences that cannot be taught or gleamed externally. There is a fundamental notion that the Black director brings a particular truth, perspective, and voice only developed from inherent and lived experiences. This is not to say all Black directors are monolithic but to be fair to the Black story, the perspective of a Black director is essential. Furthermore, to fully answer the aforementioned question, we as theatre community must assess the hiring data instead of solely focusing on intent.

A few days later, I was able to have a conversation with Shabazz. Our conversation began with the question at hand to which he replied, “[Black directors] are absolutely without a doubt, here.” He went on to share that while several Black directors in the area are clearly capable of demonstrating their skill, few are given platforms to do so. With that being said, the African American Repertory Theatre under his leadership is preparing to relaunch soon and will yet again, “create the space and the opportunities

can and will exist.” This does not negate any work of other companies, but it will offer perpetual space for Black directors and artists to share their stories, which is not currently done in the city. He believes, “As a theatre community, there is certainly space to give way to all artists.”

While Gray and I had a long conversation, the crux of it surrounded Theatre

Lab’s commitment to creating opportunities and platforms for those whose work may not typically get visibility. In relation to the Black Aesthetic, last fall Theatre Lab, with Mary Shaw and a host of local Black artists in collaboration with The Conciliation Project, which is under the artistic direction of Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, created the Black List Initiative. It consisted of producing staged readings of August Wilson’s entire Century Cycle completely under the leadership of RVA’s Black directors as well as providing a scholarship for an

7

continues on page 9

“Where are the Black Directors in RVA?” By Tanya Boucicaut


FUNdraising from page 2

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While trends provide a general framework, it is all about mixing and matching looks to create a personalized statement in your home. Seasonal trends can be expressed in a big way or through small accents that can exist with what you already have.

For inspiration to get started, they have forecasted three distinct trends for textiles, tabletop and furniture, and provided some simple ways to reenergize the home.

• Now and Zen: Natural materials and colors help create peaceful living spaces. To get the look, dress the bed with relaxed linen or a duvet with a soft, blurred floral pattern. Deep, rich indigo blues are also part of this trend direction and pair beautifully with pure white or neutrals. The blue and white combination will also be popular for table linens and dinnerware this season. Different shades of blue can be

layered on the table for added interest.

• A Touch of Whimsy: With warmer weather comes the focus on lighter colors, whimsical design and retro design influences. Embrace the trend with bedding and beach towels that feature bold graphic patterns and playful prints. For the season’s get-togethers, infuse the tablescape with textured glass, as well as dinnerware with layered pattern and diamond shapes. Mid-century influences also play a big role in furniture.

• Bohemian Escape: Inspired by tropical locales and faraway places, the palette for this trend is darker with a focus on nature. Boho influences will be seen through patchwork design, pom pom trims and fringe. To infuse this exotic look, add a decorative pillow in a rich tropical floral print or tribal motif. Green will be the “it” color of the season for housewares and outdoor entertaining.

For more inspiration and to shop for on-trend home goods this season from the best brands and designers, visit macys.com.

Family Features thank this person? Do the accounting and development departments reconcile their numbers on a regular basis?

• A volunteer secures a gift when meeting with a donor. What does he do with it? Do your volunteers know who to call in the development office? Do development professionals stay in close contact with fundraising volunteers? What if a donor agrees to a gift when meeting with a volunteer, and later transfers funds electronically? How would your nonprofit link the gift to the donor? Who would know to send a thank you?

Related to these scenarios, how quickly are checks deposited? How are checks, electronic transfers, and online gifts

linked to individual or institutional donors and their requirements? If you are with a university, how do departments or researchers communicate with the advancement division regarding grant applications, restricted funds, and matching requirements (if any)?

We recommend documenting your processes and periodically testing them. Take time to look closely at your policies and procedures. Make sure they are transparent, work for your nonprofit, and ensure accountability.

Copyright 2016– Mel and Pearl Shaw

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

AART from page 6

Evening of Stars on May 1, 2016. The Gala is being hosted in partnership with The Conciliation Project.

Taking place at the Grace Center Banquet Hall on 1302 Victor Street in Richmond, the event will showcase some of the Richmond metropolitan area’s finest actors, musicians, vocalists, dancers and spoken word artists. The goal is to give those in attendance a glimpse at what the city really has to offer, and what the African

American Repertory Theatre plans to highlight in the future.

In addition to the showcase and great catered food from Catering by Blair, a silent auction, raffle, and gift basket giveaways are also planned for the evening.

For more information or any inquiries, contact Iman Shabazz at [email protected]. To purchase tickets, visit aartofva.org.

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Black Directors from page 7

African American college-age student or college bound high school student. He also shared the importance of inclusion not just being a phase, but having inclusion be decidedly ingrained in a company’s mission.

After my initial conversation with the artistic directors and it is evident by the number of collaborations mentioned, Gray put it best, “Richmond is standing on the precipice of something exciting.” I believe Richmond is on the verge of a new era, not of a Kumbaya colorblind casting haze, but one of calibration. A calibration that includes honestly assessing where we are as a larger theatre community through directly addressing the issues and impact tied to race, and strategizing plans to move forward. This calibration is in no way an attempt to seek validation; rather, it is an

assertion of the Black Aesthetic’s inherent value. My hope is that this calibration process could begin to take place as a forum or panel discussion soon.

If theatre is the embodiment of the human condition, then as community we must be committed to sharing and producing works to showcase all aspects of the human condition to include plays that represent the Black Aesthetic. An aesthetic, as Shabazz described, that “share[s] the infinite breadth of the Black story.” This would bring us back to the initial question, again I ask, “Where are the Black directors?”

Tanya Boucicaut is a candidate for an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy at VCU and an Adjunct Faculty of Writing at the School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

Expand your network and Grow your business. www.CVAACC.orgCentral Virginia African American

Chamber of Commerce


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RVA’s Bill McGee is a Billboard Top 20 ArtistLocal jazz artist Bill McGee continues to fly high—(on the Billboard charts, that is). Since he was featured in Urban Views Weekly the beginning of April, his popular track titled

“Cantaloupe and Watermelon” has risen from #24 to #18 in the smooth jazz category. McGee’s hit record from his newest album titled Still Bill has essentially moved up about three spots each week. For an independent artist like McGee, this type of recognition was beyond his expectations. “To be honest, of course you want all of your records to reach #1, but I was just glad to get to top 20.”McGee hopes that his Billboard success will provide the name recognition to make his future releases climb radio charts, too. So far,

“Cantaloupe and Watermelon” is the only track he’s released from Still Bill. McGee says he has at least two more records he wants to release from this album, but he’s unsure which record he will release next and is recalculating his promotional strategy.

“The record being as high as it is right now almost puts you in kind of a limbo, because you don’t really know what’s going on. Every time I get started working on a new release, this one goes up. If this goes up past #15, it’ll be a month before I even consider releasing a new record…What goes up must come down.”But according to McGee, promotion can only get you so far. He believes that the demand from people is vital to the success in music charts.

“You’re not in control of how long your record stays at #1 or even if it gets to #1. Somebody has to really like it. Basically, when you get up that high, you don’t get a lot of control over it. If they don’t want it to go higher, you can beg all you want to, but the radio people are only going to play it as much as they want to at this point.” The time of year also determines what type of songs McGee releases. He thinks that during the spring and summer people are out and about

more often and want to hear more up-tempo music. He also said in the fall and winter, generally tempos are a little slower. With summer right around the corner though, he plans on releasing an upbeat themed song. McGee is also in the process of recording more music for releases in the fall, including a compilation CD that features several artists from his record label (The 804 Music Group).Making Billboard Top 30 was McGee’s original goal. Several artists that were listed higher than McGee last week have now moved below him. As McGee rises towards spot #15, he said that to get in The Billboard top 20 makes it even more of an accomplishment for him.

“It’s like if you go on a diet and want to lose 100 pounds and you lose 120,” he joked. “I’m just happy to get where I am.”

Most former offenders want to be respected as present citizens. The price of citizenship is voting. Governor Terry McAuliffe’s executive order enables ex-offenders to pay the price of citizenship – and in so doing, both contribute to our democracy and redeem their dignity. The majority of people with criminal records would much rather be known for their record of voting.I applaud Governor McAuliffe’s courage in using his executive authority to give hundreds of thousands of Virginians an equal voice in the democratic process. Throughout the country, an estimated 5.8 million American citizens are prevented from participating in the voting process.

We firmly believe in second chances and that citizens who have completed their sentences be allowed to exercise the constitutional right to vote.History shows when people are denied the right to vote, the loss of representation weakens our neighborhoods and communities, and furthers systemic inequality. As some states continue to erect barriers to voter registration, we hope more states follow Governor McAuliffe’s lead. Restoring voting rights to incarcerated individuals who have served their time is imperative to a fair and just democracy, while punitive measures only serve to further disenfranchise and isolate ex-offenders.

NAACP Statement on Restoring Voting Rights

for Ex-Offenders in VirginiaBy Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President and CEO

By Janice Millan


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