R. Anthony Harris

A new Virginia report reveals deep cuts to victim services funding as shelters fill, counseling waitlists grow, and advocates struggle to meet demand. Safe Harbor and the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance warn that an overstretched safety net leaves survivors with fewer options when they need help most.

A decade after Jesse Smith's controversial Romantix mural sparked debate across Richmond, the artist has returned with Miami muralist Tatiana Suarez to create a playful new work. The new mural embraces the humor of the original while reflecting on the unexpected controversy that made the wall a local landmark.

Richmond’s Water Lantern Festival returns to Dorey Park on August 22, 2026, with thousands of glowing lanterns released onto the water at sunset. The evening also features live music, local food vendors, games and Lantern Stories, with this year’s event joining the festival’s new Radiant Tour.

Richmond’s food scene keeps students alive with cheap eats near VCU, VSU, and beyond. From massive pizza slices and late-night hot dogs to vegan burritos, ramen, and food carts, the city offers affordable, flavorful options. A mix of classic dives and hidden gems, it’s student survival with character.

After years of explosive growth with relatively little public resistance, Virginia’s data center industry is facing a more organized opposition. At a packed town hall at Studio Two Three in Richmond, activists and residents from across the region shared research, organizing strategies and lessons from communities that have already stopped projects. From concerns over water and electricity use to calls for greater transparency, moratoriums and more local control, the conversation showed how quickly the political landscape around data centers is changing. People are learning how the system works, organizing across county lines and showing up where decisions are made.

Richmond institution Ellwood Thompson’s built its reputation on local food, sustainability and community. Now its parent company is being taken over by a data center and AI infrastructure company, raising questions about what the nearly 40-year-old grocery store represents today and whether its longtime customers will follow it into this strange new era.

Broad Street Bullies founder Salad disputes the initial account of a confrontation between cyclists and a driver near VCU, offering the group's perspective on what happened before the fight and why Richmond's controversial Thursday bike rides will continue.

Richmond has plans for your Labor Day weekend. From underground music and Radical RVA Pride to First Fridays, local art, festivals, hardcore shows and late-night drive-in movies, here are 10 things worth doing around Richmond, plus a packed lineup of live music happening across the city all weekend long

Meet Tiera Craig, Diversity Richmond’s new executive director, as she discusses listening to Richmond’s LGBTQ+ community, the challenges facing local nonprofits, and her vision for the organization’s future. With a focus on connecting people, programs and purpose, Craig wants Diversity Richmond to become a stronger community hub for everyone.

At 22, Mary File Clem helped create Richmond’s Fan Free Clinic, Virginia’s first free clinic and the organization now known as Health Brigade. Patience Salgado reflects on Clem’s legacy, the mutual aid movement that shaped the clinic and why Richmond still needs people willing to simply do the work.