The City of Richmond and cultural organizing nonprofit Performing Statistics have teamed up to give Richmond’s youth a space of reverence and reflection on the sides of Richmond's City Hall.

Freedom Constellations, a multimedia public art project led by artist Mark Strandquist featuring two large banners flanking the Marshall Street and 9th Street sides of City Hall, will include two Richmond Public Schools students involved with RISE for Youth (Ta’Dreama McBride and Clyde Walker) voicing a group of local youth’s vision for a future where all youth are free.

When the exhibit is installed, 160 foot tall portraits will flank City Hall. As visitors hold smartphones up to the portraits, augmented reality animation and audio will display the young leaders’ dreams for the future as they articulate the investments they say will keep the community safe, healthy, and free. They will hear the words and voices of young people in the form of a co-written poem: “In a world without youth prisons. I walk down the streets and… I hear happiness in the community, and I feel safe…”

The experience will ask visitors to imagine a world where every young person feels empowered, free, heard and hopeful, growing up surrounded by the support and love they need to thrive.

Exhibit installation will begin at the end of June. Visitors will be able to experience Freedom Constellations starting in July, with the augmented reality experience located on the corner of 9th Street and Marshall Street.

Quotes from Project Partners:

“We must build a future where every young person feels unlimited in potential and unimpeded by the burdens of systemic racism and poverty,” said Mayor Stoney. “Freedom Constellations will be a beacon shining brightly from City Hall in support of that vision.”

“Covering the sides of city hall with interactive portraits of youth fighting to make Richmond a better place is exactly the kind of monumental public art that Richmond needs in this moment,” says Mark Strandquist, lead artist for the project and creative director at Performing Statistics. “Through photography and augmented reality, Freedom Constellations elevates not singular historic voices, but a multitude of powerful and visionary youth in the city. It is deeply important that the city provide platforms for all youth to speak about their experiences, showcase their leadership, and share their dreams for a more just, whole, and free Richmond with all of us. We can never build that future if we can’t imagine it, illustrate it, design it, and youth need to be part of that process. These young leaders have given us all a huge gift; they’ve shared a beautiful blueprint for a Richmond where all youth have the support we all deserve. I hope we all use this as an opportunity to listen, learn, and find more ways to involve youth in all of our efforts to make the world and future a better place.”

“The Human Services portfolio in the City of Richmond is dedicated to facilitating the hopes and dreams that Freedom Constellations embodies,” said Reggie Gordon, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services. “Richmond’s youth provide a key voice in our conversation on building a more compassionate city, and I greatly look forward to the other conversations this monumental public art installation will inspire.”

“Being a part of something that’s bigger than myself is just extraordinary,” said Ta’Dreama McBride, a youth activist and subject of the public art installation. “I hope when you see this you’re inspired to make a change in your community – not just that, but a change in the world.”

This project was made possible by support from the City of Richmond Departments of Human Services, Social Services, Justice Services, Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, the Richmond Police Department, Richmond Region Tourism and Venture Richmond.

To learn more about Performing Statistics, please visit https://www.performingstatistics.org. 

For a live stream of the event, visit the city’s Facebook page here. Please contact Sam Schwartzkopf of the Office of Public Information and Engagement at sam.schwartzkopf@richmondgov.com with questions about the exhibit.

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Immediate actions include introduction of a resolution addressing the public health crisis

Mayor Levar Stoney, Police Chief Gerald Smith, members of Richmond City Council and other city leaders and community members gathered outside City Hall today to announce their intent to declare gun violence a public health crisis through a formal resolution.

The resolution outlines the current state of gun violence, which for generations has disproportionately impacted Black communities and underserved neighborhoods. It also highlights some of the work that the city and community partners have done and continue to do to combat gun violence, and calls on the state and federal governments to take specific steps to prevent gun violence in communities like Richmond.

“This resolution is a unified acknowledgement that gun violence is a public health crisis with deeply rooted causes,” said Mayor Stoney. “But the legislation is more than just an acknowledgement; it is a commitment to build on progress made and double-down on efforts in the works to address the social, economic and health inequities that often lead to gun violence.”

Continued the mayor: “The importance of gun violence prevention can be summed up in one belief: that every Richmonder, regardless of where they live, the color of their skin or how much money they make, deserves to feel safe in the city they call home. Anything less is unacceptable.”

The administration plans to ask for expedited consideration of the resolution on May 24, and multiple councilmembers have expressed their intent to co-patron the agenda-setting legislation.

The city’s Gun Violence Prevention Framework Workgroup (GVP Workgroup) is a key element of the city’s community-rooted effort to address socio-economic factors that promote gun violence within the City of Richmond. The GVP Workgroup is comprised of individuals and families from communities most impacted by gun violence, survivors of gun violence, families of loved ones lost to gun violence, and representatives from community-based organizations and grassroots entities working closely with impacted communities. The GVP Workgroup is currently working on recommendations to prevent gun violence, with an emphasis on enhanced opportunities for youth and young adults and empowering communities that have experienced high rates of violence and trauma to access networks or resources, support and healing.

The GVP Workgroup is focusing on individual-, community- and systems-level transformation, with a goal of creating safer, healthier communities where all people can succeed and thrive.

Considering the severity of gun violence as a public health crisis, VCU Health System is a key convening partner for the GVP Workgroup. Dr. Michel Aboutanos, the medical director at the VCU Level 1 Trauma Center and VCU’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program offered remarks summarizing the objectives and progress of the GVP Workgroup.

Quotes from Councilmembers

Council Vice President Ellen Robertson: “Gun violence is certainly a public crisis that extends beyond Richmond; it’s a national crisis that calls for us to use all the resources at our disposal to keep people safe. I’m fully committed to local action, as this is a normal we can no longer afford - and gun violence prevention and reform is what’s needed to help achieve that.”

Councilmember Andreas Addison: “We must be intentional and holistic in our efforts to stem the rise of gun violence and to care for our communities that have borne the brunt of its resulting trauma. We have much work and collaboration ahead, but I am proud to co-patron this resolution with my Council colleagues and the Mayor to kick-start this effort.”

Councilmember Katherine Jordan: “We’re way past thoughts and prayers. It’s time for more dollars, new laws and different strategies. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues today fighting for the resources, legislation, and attention this crisis demands.”

Councilmember Stephanie Lynch: “A coordinated effort to address the gun violence crisis in communities across the city is essential to addressing the systemic trauma these neighbors have experienced due to generations of red lining. The time for action is now – and we are here to listen to, support, and invest in our trauma impacted communities. It will take all of us rowing in the same direction, with that same goal in mind to achieve this in our city and region.”

Councilmember Ann-Frances Lambert: “I am proud to co-patron this legislation. Gun violence is a public health crisis that affects each and every resident of Richmond, whether directly or indirectly, and a community crisis requires a community response.”

Councilmember Michael Jones: “I'm proud to be a co-patron of this Resolution with the Mayor and other members of Council because I understand the importance of safer neighborhoods. A city must do everything within its power to ensure that no one dies at the hands of another. We must commit to programming that interrupts violence while investing in the future of our communities that have been impacted by gun violence.”

The event was livestreamed on the city’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/rvagov. Please visit the page for an archived recording of all remarks.

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Mayor Levar M. Stoney today is pleased to announce the appointment of Mona Adkins-Easley to the be the Director of the City of Richmond Department of Human Resources, and the appointment of Sheila D. White to be the Director of the city’s Department of Finance.

Mayor Stoney also announced today that Office of Budget & Strategic Planning Deputy Director Jason P. May will serve as Interim Director beginning June 15, following the departure of longtime director Dr. Jay Brown, who recently accepted a job as Deputy County Administrator for Hanover County.

Both Ms. Adkins-Easley and Ms. White had been serving as interim directors of their respective departments prior to their appointments. Mr. May will serve in the interim director’s position while the city seeks a replacement for Dr. Brown, who had served since 2014 through two mayoral administrations.

“Dr. Brown has served the city with distinction and we wish him the best in his new role,” said Mayor Stoney. “Fortunately, we have a deep bench, and I’m very pleased that we were able to fill these critical positions from within the ranks of our talented workforce. The City of Richmond is known for recruiting and cultivating stellar public servants, and I know Mona, Sheila and Jason are the right people at the right time to continue the successful management and upward trajectory of our city.”

Ms. Adkins-Easley is an experienced human resources executive who has spent more than 35 years in public service, including serving as the Associate Vice President for Human Resources at Virginia State University for 17 years and in the same title at Norfolk State University for four years, until her retirement in 2018. She joined the City of Richmond in October 2019 as Interim Director of Human Resources. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Norfolk State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Ms. White was serving as Senior Deputy Director of Finance before her appointment in February to the position of Interim Finance Director. A certified Public Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in both accounting and operations roles, Ms. White holds a degree in Accounting from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Mr. May has 11 years of experience in municipal budgeting and 19 years of experience in local government, having served as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Kannapolis, North Carolina prior to joining the City of Richmond in 2019 as deputy director. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Appalachian State University. 

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Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Aditxt (Aditx Therapeutics, Inc.) (Nasdaq: ADTX), a biotech innovation company focused on improving the health of the immune system, will establish its first high-capacity AditxtScore™ Center in the City of Richmond in the second half of 2021. Aditxt plans to create more than 300 new jobs and targets making a capital investment of $31.5 million over three years to scale up its state-of-the-art immune monitoring center, including projected new jobs, laboratory equipment, and construction. Governor Northam and company officials announced the project during an event at the Virginia Bio+Tech Park, a campus of Activation Capital, where the company will occupy 25,000 square feet of Bio+Tech 8 with plans for future expansion.

“The Richmond region has emerged as a hub for cutting-edge biotech companies, and this thriving industry will be bolstered by the addition of Aditxt’s Immune Monitoring Center,” said Governor Northam. “The Virginia Bio+Tech Park is an ideal location for the company to continue its groundbreaking work to improve the health of our communities and help us better understand our own immune systems—something that has become extremely important over the past year. We are honored to welcome Aditxt to the Commonwealth, and we thank the company for creating more than 300 well-paid jobs for the people of Virginia.”

AditxtScore™ is pioneering a new approach to immune health monitoring that will provide a personalized profile of the immune system. By assessing an individual’s immune biomarkers, AditxtScore™ is able to measure indications of immunity to specific disease. AditxtScore™ applications include the recently commercialized AditxtScore™ for COVID-19, developed for use in detecting antibodies and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 antigens.

Since going public in June 2020, Aditxt has moved aggressively to fulfill its mission to prolong life and enhance quality of life by improving the health of the immune system. Alongside AditxtScore™, the company is developing the AditxtReprogramming™ therapeutic platform which is currently in a pre-clinical stage and is designed to retrain the immune system to induce tolerance with an objective of addressing rejection of transplanted organs, autoimmune diseases, and allergies. Aditxt expects to initiate clinical studies in patients by the end of 2021.

“Aditxt has the potential to significantly improve human health and longevity, and we are proud to welcome this innovative company to the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Greater Richmond offers world-class education institutions, research assets, and a pipeline of skilled talent that will support Aditxt’s mission, and we look forward to working with the company as it grows in Virginia.”

“Richmond is an ideal location for our first high-capacity AditxtScore™ Center given its skilled workforce, location, and infrastructure,” said Amro Albanna, Co-founder and CEO of Aditxt. “As we begin rolling out the AditxtScore™ platform and applications for immune monitoring, the establishment of an AditxtScore™ Immune Monitoring Network is vital to realizing our full vision for AditxtScore™, which is to transform immune diagnosis from reactive testing to proactive monitoring. We look forward to working with the community to complete this important step in the execution of Aditxt’s strategic plan, and we are grateful to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Governor Northam, his team, and all involved for their support and welcoming reception.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with the City of Richmond and the Virginia Bio+Tech Park to secure the project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved a $1.3 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the City of Richmond with the project. Aditxt is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and a Research and Development Expenses Tax Credit for qualifying research and development expenses.

Support for Aditxt’s job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce initiative created by VEDP in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System and other higher education partners, with funding support from the Northam Administration and the Virginia General Assembly. Launched in 2019, the program accelerates new facility start-ups through the direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation.

“Life science innovation is a growing industry in Richmond, and we continue to get better with the addition of Aditxt,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “The company’s anticipated investment into the City of Richmond and the potential 300 plus new jobs created will absolutely have a positive impact on the city’s economic growth. Equally important, the work the company does will have a far-reaching impact, advancing the health of our community and others around the world. Richmond is proud to be part of these advancements as home to Aditxt’s first high-capacity AditxtScore™ Center.”

“Aditxt choosing to locate its operations in downtown Richmond within the Virginia Bio+Tech Park is a signal that central Virginia has the talent, infrastructure, and resources needed for supporting life sciences companies,” said Chandra Briggman, President and CEO of Activation Capital and the Virginia Bio+Tech Park. “This announcement is significant for Richmond and the Commonwealth, and we are looking forward to welcoming Aditxt to our innovation ecosystem.”

“I am pleased that Richmond has been selected as home to Aditxt’s first immune monitoring center,” said Congressman A. Donald McEachin. “Today’s announcement is not only a testament to Virginia’s talented workforce and rich capacity for innovation, but it also exemplifies the power of public-private partnership in the Commonwealth to serve the greater good while creating well-paid jobs and expanding opportunities throughout all of our communities. I look forward to seeing Aditxt grow and prosper here in Virginia’s fourth congressional district.”

“The potential creation of over 300 high-quality jobs and an expected multi-million dollar investment in our city is an exciting opportunity for Richmond,” said Senator Jennifer McClellan. “The AditxtScore™ Center will complement our expanding biotechnology and life science industry and our growing skilled workforce pipeline. I am looking forward to seeing the success of Aditxt in continuing the economic growth of our community.”

“I am happy to welcome Aditxt to the City of Richmond,” said Delegate Jeff Bourne. “The company’s work in the life sciences field underscores Richmond’s status as a growing city for innovation and investment. I am proud that Aditxt chose to call Richmond home.”

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Grenova Inc. to invest $10.6 million to increase production of pipette tip cleaning, washing and sterilizing machines

Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Grenova Inc., a Virginia-based sustainable biotech firm that designs, develops, and manufactures devices that wash and sterilize contaminated pipette tips for reuse, will invest $10.6 million to expand in the City of Richmond. The company will relocate its operations from Manchester to a larger facility in Scott’s Addition and increase capacity with new production lines in response to the shortage of pipette tips used for COVID-19 testing. Governor Northam joined company leaders at the site of Grenova’s future location at 1900 Ellen Road to celebrate the project, which will add 250 new jobs over the next three years.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this homegrown sustainable biotech firm expanding and adding to its workforce in Richmond,” said Governor Northam. “It is remarkable to see Virginia’s innovative life sciences businesses quickly adapt and respond to critical needs as we fight this pandemic. Grenova is an emerging industry leader that has achieved exponential growth in a short time, and I applaud the company for leveraging its technology and expertise to address a global shortage and reduce environmental waste.”

Founded in Richmond in 2014, Grenova’s mission is to help lower costs and reduce biohazard waste by delivering groundbreaking approaches in dealing with plastic consumables. The company’s product, Tipnovus™ enables laboratories to wash and sanitize pipette tips for reuse numerous times, cutting associated consumable costs by up to 96 percent. Ten pipette tips are used to fully conduct one COVID-19 test, resulting in a worldwide shortage of the plastic consumable. Grenova’s technology allows healthcare systems to safely wash and reuse the pipette tips used for testing, which has helped to end pipette tip shortages and improve access to COVID-19 testing while making labs more environmentally friendly. Due to demand for Grenova’s products, the company has quadrupled in size in the last year. Grenova sells products from its Richmond facility to laboratories and distributors across the United States, as well as in Europe and Asia.

“This expansion project is an important win that will create 250 new, high-quality jobs and help improve Richmond’s standing as a life sciences hub,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Grenova is a great success story for the Commonwealth, and we are confident the region will continue to provide the business climate and workforce needed for years to come.”

“Our growth is a sign that the world is ready to rethink, reimagine, and reinvent the way plastic consumables like pipette tips are washed and reused within the life sciences industry and beyond,” said Ali Safavi, Founder and CEO of Grenova. “We’re proud to make our bold solution possible from our expanded headquarters in Richmond thanks to the Commonwealth’s thriving ecosystem of world-class talent, resources, and infrastructure.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Richmond to secure the project for the Commonwealth. Grenova Inc. is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and funding and services to support the company’s employee recruitment and training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Grenova’s sustainable solution for lab testing consumable products is a premier example of how great ideas and ingenuity flourish in the City of Richmond,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “The City is thankful for the company’s capital investment and new job creation. Grenova’s new facility in Scott’s Addition demonstrates that entrepreneurial and life science ecosystems in Richmond are strong and continue to have a far-reaching impact.”

“The expansion of Grenova Inc. is wonderful news for Richmond,” said Congressman Donald McEachin. “Creating jobs and reducing biohazardous waste are two critical goals that are good for Richmond and for the Commonwealth. Once again, Virginia leads the way.”

“I am so pleased to see Grenova’s expansion to its new and larger facility in Scott’s Addition,” said Senator Ghazala Hashmi. “Grenova’s introduction of innovative technologies helps to address the global shortage of pipette tips during this pandemic and also highlights how we can reduce biohazard waste. This expansion will bring exciting new jobs opportunities and further talent development in Richmond.”

“I am happy to hear that Grenova Inc. will be expanding its operations in the City of Richmond,” said Delegate Jeffrey Bourne. “The work that the company is doing to reuse pipette tips is an essential cog in the machine that is our COVID-19 response. Grenova’s presence in Richmond continues to provide important jobs as well as contributes to Richmond’s status as a place for innovation and growth.”

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