May 8th, 2014

Here in Richmond, we find ourselves in a defining moment of our city’shistory. As Southerners on New Ground (SONG), a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer organization of people living and working in Richmond and throughout the South, we are constantly having to fight for our right to be safe and be who we are in public, and have safety and true representation in our schools. We are intimately familiar with what it means to have our histories erased.

That was why we mobilized our membership in Richmond around the fight against the stadium in Shockoe Bottom. A few months ago, under the banner of progress and economic development the Mayor, in partnership with Venture Richmond (a private development non-profit with massive contracts with the City of Richmond) re-introduced a plan to build a stadium in Shockoe Bottom.  This plan would encourage push out and criminalization of poor and working people , pour millions of tax-payer dollars into private corporate developers pockets and literally pave over Shockoe Bottom’s history of slavery. It is a proposed plan that has sought to use public funds to develop Richmond towards the interests of the wealthiest, and away from the interests of the poorest, while disrespecting the histories of Black communities in our town. It is also a proposal that is a terrible use of tax-payer dollars, especially when considering the needs of our city public schools.

Since the introduction of this plan there has been massive local resistance and opposition from all corners of the city and over the last week we have made tremendous progress. Groups like The Defenders, Collective X, Wingnut RVA, Food Not Bombs, ALO, Urban Collective, SONG and hundreds of residents and families.

Our demands have been clear:

1. Protect and preserve the history and legacy of Black communities’ resistance in Shockoe Bottom

2. Stop the stadium from being built in Shockoe

3. Use tax-payer money to fund and fix Richmond Public Schools

This is what we know right now:

1. City Council introduced new amendments that moves the stadium site out of Shockoe by pulling public money out of this project and re-allocating that  money toward Public Education.

2. This new proposal passed! (In a 5 to 4 vote)

3. That is HUGE progress towards our goals!

4. The Mayor has threatened to veto these amendments from City Council

5. The city is in turmoil and NOW we need to call him and let him know that we oppose the stadium in Shockoe and support public money going to Public Education!

We are ready and willing to do our part to co-create a 21st century Richmond that grapples with and solves the real problems in our community: a seriously underfunded public education system, a lack of stable jobs with fair pay, and widespread poverty and violence.  That work happens one step at a time. Will you help us win this step? Help us maximize the work that so many people in Richmond have put in already, and let’s take this particular fight all the way home!

We ask you to take action TODAY, tomorrow and as long as this fight continues by:

1) Picking up the PHONE and make an immediate call to Mayor’s office (804)646-7970  demand that he not Veto City Council’s proposal:

“My name is______, and I am calling to let Mayor Jones know that we need tax payer dollars in our schools and not going to private interests who are trying to pave over African and African-American history, the history of slavery in Richmond. We demand that your administration respect city council’s amendments to the Shockoe Bottom stadium proposal. We ask that Mayor Jones DOES NOT veto their decision. Thank you”

2) Be present at one or ALL of these events (thank you to the Defenders for these critical dates and information):

6 pm, Monday, May 12 – RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING – Richmond City Hall, Council Chambers. This could be a critical meeting when Mayor Jones may introduce stadium-related ordinances.

7 pm, Thursday, May 15 – STADIUM ACTIVISTS MEETING, hosted by the Defenders – William Byrd Community House, 224 So. Cherry St., Richmond. Bring your ideas and your commitment to work.

6 pm, Tuesday, May 27 – RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING – Richmond City Hall, Council Chambers. Could be a critical meeting when council would have to vote 6-3 to override Jones’s expected veto of the City budget, including council’s decision to deny the mayor money for the Shockoe Bottom development plan.
Please contact Salem Acuna at salem@southernersonnewground.org or call 804-933-9945 to get more involved.