About Richmond's Honorary Street Name Designations
Honorary street names can be found throughout Richmond, and are intended to memorialize individuals for their civic, cultural, humanitarian, or historically significant contributions to the Richmond Community. These designations typically apply to a portion of a street, such as a city block, and are designated by Richmond City Council via the passing of an Ordinance. Honorary street names do not replace the existing name of a street and do not require an alteration to maps or addresses.
Alicia C. Rasin
From 1990 to 1997, Richmond experienced an exceedingly high annual murder rate – more than 100 murders per year, peaking at over 160 in a single year. During this period of violence, in the early 1990s, community activist Alicia C. Rasin founded Citizens Against Crime to help those affected. Citizens Against Crime aimed to comfort the victims of homicide and their families, and to work with Richmond residents and law enforcement in reducing violence in the city and making Richmond communities safer.
In 1994, then-Richmond Mayor Leonidas B. Young honored Ms. Rasin as the Mayor's Volunteer of the Year for her advocacy on behalf of victims of crime and referred to her as “ambassador of compassion” for her service to the community. The nickname stuck, and Alicia C. Rasin was known as "Richmond's Ambassador of Compassion" until her death on October 9, 2015 at age 62.
Designation Area:
The 1900 block of Princess Anne Avenue has been given the honorary designation of Alicia C. Rasin Avenue.
Download the Council Ordinance:
Learn more about this Honorary Street Designation by downloading a copy of the legislation. The Council Ordinance below is in PDF format:
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