Both grief and determination hung over a rally yesterday outside the Virginia State Capitol to support the family of a man killed by a Portsmouth police officer.
Capitol square rally supports family of Black teen killed by Portsmouth cop
The Virginia Defender
Established in 2005 as The Richmond Defender, The Virginia Defender is a free community newspaper, published quarterly for the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality. Print distribution is currently 12,000 and statewide. The online publication launched in Summer 2020.
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL TAKES A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
At a time when the eyes of the country and much of the world is focused on Virginia and its sorry history of racial oppression, Richmond City Council took a step this evening in the right direction: it voted to rename the street known as The Boulevard to honor Richmond’s native son Arthur Ashe.
Yes, Gov. Northam should resign – but he’s not the only problem
An editorial by Virginia Defender editor Phil Wilayto on Ralph Northam’s history of racism and the deeper problems this reveals about Virginia’s Democratic Party.
IN WAKE OF RACIST PHOTO SCANDAL, CALLS FOR VA. GOVERNOR TO RESIGN INTENSIFY
Braving unusually cold weather, more than 30 community members gathered this morning outside the Governor’s Mansion for a quickly called protest demanding Ralph Northam resign his position as the Commonwealth’s chief executive officer after being exposed as a racist.
WE CAN’T AFFORD THESE ENDLESS WARS – AND NEITHER CAN THE REST OF THE WORLD!
The U.S. is now openly at war in Libya, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Pakistan. It has military bases in 70 countries and a military presence of some kind in 150. The wars are not being fought for our defense and they do not make us safe.
In Our Opinion: 2019
On the upcoming year, an impending anniversary, and race in Virginia.
‘I’M GOING TO FIGHT FOR MY FREEDOM!’ AN INTERVIEW WITH ABBIE HERRERA
Our interview with Abbie Arevalo Herrera, a 31-year-old mother seeking asylum in the U.S. after fleeing her native Honduras. After a change in the law led to Herrera’s ordered deportation, she and her children sought sanctuary in a Richmond church, where they have remained ever since.
The Virginia Defender 