What
Richmond, Virginia encapsulates hundreds of years of racism and white supremacy. Once a prominent market for the transatlantic slave trade and the capital of the Confederacy, it straddles the line between North and South. Today, it is a progressive city that has witnessed some of the gravest injustices in the history of our country, continuing to grapple with that poisoned past.
Leadership Greater Washington visited Richmond in 2022 during our series of DMV Bridge Journeys to see this reconciliation of past and present, and to examine how historic prejudices can give rise to new movements and activism. For many it was the highlight of the journeys - offering not just a window into history but also a blueprint for how to address centuries of racial injustice. So we’re returning in November to revisit many of the sites as well as offer new experiences to illustrate the city’s racial legacy – then and now – and how it has impacted the Richmond of today.
From a guided walk on the Richmond Slave Trail to a tour of the former sites of Confederate statues on Monument Avenue, participants on this Journey will develop a fuller knowledge of the centuries-long impact of racial injustice and white supremacy on this city. Richmond paints a complex portrait of how sins of the past can impact present reconciliations, and how a fuller understanding of our region’s history can help us push back against the racism that is still pervasive in present systems and institutions.
This trip is a learning opportunity and a guidebook for the leaders of today and tomorrow, creating a path for direct action and reparation.
