​This summer, we continued our programmatic activities for the Juneteenth celebration and newly minted holiday by partnering with several organizations such as the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VBGIGS, ViBe Creative District, and the Virginia Beach Office of Cultural Affairs. We also partnered with the Zeiders American Dream Theater and set up information tables with souvenirs for several Community Day events such as the Global Center for Diplomacy, the Green Run Homes Association, and the Western Bayside Community in Unity organization where we distributed over 120 “Grab and Go” school supplies bags to the youth. Simultaneously, we welcomed several nonprofit organizations as new cultural partners between VAACC and the Interfaith Alliance at the Beach, the Samaritan House, the Agape East Ministry, and Our Neighbor’s Hood Podcast.

The VAACC was also the recipient of three new grants from the VB Nonprofit Relief Grant, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the VB Arts and Humanities Commission! These blessings are helping us bring several unique programs to the community including an African American Reading Book Club for a high school honors class in Virginia Beach Public Schools. Our annual membership drive begins this month and your generous support will continue to maintain our operating budget. For all these blessings, we are extremely grateful!

We also are featuring in this e-newsletter our new members, introducing you to our staff, informing you about a new feature that spotlights unique, African American businesses located in Virginia, as well as upcoming events, especially an inspiring six-part Masterpiece Artist Series and the 2nd Annual Community Fall Festival on October 2nd. We look forward to sharing these happy events with all of you!

Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond
Founder and Chairman

​Join or renew your membership today to the Virginia African American Cultural Center! In addition to supporting our mission and all that entails, members receive discounted tickets to special events and VAACC merchandise and souvenirs on our website in the future. You can use the QR code at the bottom of the form below to go directly to our website. Let's make the VAACC a reality! Thank you!

Mark Your Calendars!

​Beginning in October and running through June 2022, the VAACC's six-part Masterpiece Artist Series will showcase and educate the public about professions and career paths from artists who have successfully become renowned in their fields.

Through our programs, the VAACC will continue to showcase the impact of the arts in the struggles endured by African Americans as well as celebrate the contributions through their contributions in every area of endeavors through our voices, actions and by telling our story, a significant part of America’s story.

“Let there be everywhere our voices, our eyes, our thoughts, our love, our actions, breathing hope and victory” -Sonia Sanchez

Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond
Founder and Chairman

​"The VAACC is proud to share that in an effort to help address the current virtual needs of our youths and families, we approved partnering with the City's Information Technology (IT) Department and their broadband consultant to install a smart pole on our property at 744 Hampshire Lane (near the basketball courts). We appreciate the IT team for collaborating on this public-facing project," said Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, founder of the VAACC and recently appointed chair of Mayor Bobby Dyer's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Commission.
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Implementing the smart poles has helped shed light in more ways than one. Beyond providing internet hotspots, the 24-foot poles are outfitted with LED lighting and designed to resemble regular streetlamps.

"This smart pole will serve the dual role of a broadband hotspot connection for education purposes, and solar lighting which provides more safety for the youth and their families visiting the basketball courts or the picnic shelter. This is great news worth celebrating for our Western Bayside community. The VAACC's three keywords are Curate, Cultivate and Communicate, and this installation certainly fulfills our vision for a connected, inclusive and educated community," said Dr. Ross-Hammond.

Last month, Mayor Dyer delivered his 2021 State of the City address, which underscored how technology will guide the City's future beyond the pandemic. Broadband expansion aligns with the City's commitment to advancing education, economic development and other key areas.

"Connectivity is more than a lifestyle – it's a lifeline," said Peter Wallace, the City's chief information officer. "The pandemic put a glaring spotlight on the digital divide and how it affects rural and urban neighborhoods. Wi-Fi is available at our libraries and recreation centers, but we need to ensure broadband services are accessible for all residents, even when these facilities are shut down or otherwise unavailable."

Wallace describes smart poles as a scalable, supplementary solution for a broader issue that requires additional resources, such as state and federal grants.

"Remote work and e-learning are impossible without reliable broadband," said Wallace. "Increased funding will support more families and students as they acclimate to virtual environments. The City's fiber has brought us a step closer to making universal high-speed internet access a reality for our residents but, receiving appropriate state and federal funding will guarantee we are able to improve and expand this vital infrastructure."

Smart pole deployment is a quick and convenient way for citizens to access high-speed internet, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City applied for and received Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to cover the associated costs for one year.

NORFOLK, Va. — Inspired by the events at the Capitol on January 6, organizer Karen Moultrie wanted to show that community unity is all around us.
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“I feel like the narrative is we are divided, and I don’t think that we are. This is about togetherness and oneness,” said Moultrie.

That feeling lead to an idea that became the Peace Walk in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights leader’s fight for racial equality in America.

“I think deep down that we want to stand together, and we want to support each other. It takes events like this and other people coming out to say that we are actually united,” she said.

A group of a couple dozen community members, mostly youth, gathered at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in Downtown Norfolk Monday morning to show unity and celebrate the diversity that lies within the community.

“There’s people coming together today from all different backgrounds, different races, different religions, beliefs, and that was [King’s] vision for us to come together.”

In memory of Dr. King, Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, founder of the Virginia African American Cultural Center and former councilwoman for the City of Virginia Beach, called on his powerful words.

“The ark of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. This gives us hope and optimism that there are better days ahead for our community and our nation,” said Ross-Hammond.

The group walked for a mile on E. Brambleton Avenue to Boush Street and back while guided by Norfolk Police.
Some chanted, “Our voice is our crown,” during the Peace Walk.

The same words are emblazoned over Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on a mural created by the youth organization Teens with a Purpose.

Fittingly, Dr. King used the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance to achieve a more just and equitable country for all.
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As the fight for racial equality in America marches on in every corner of the country, we are reminded that much is still required to fully realize Dr. King’s dream.

​In the midst of the pandemic, we donated masks and continued limited outreach programs in the community. An observer commented, "Why are doing this? You are only a small organization?" It's the right thing to do, and we are all in this together.

Proof of this unity and compassion: VAACC was awarded a COVID-19 Recovery Arts grant, we launched a successful membership drive and have hired our first executive director.

These gifts recall the old saying: “Give and it shall be given to you.” We are very grateful that this community's spirit of humanity will allow us to enrich a mosaic of knowledge and experiences that will be shared through the Virginia African American Cultural Center - like the colorful hues of the autumn leaves.

- Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond
Founder and Chairman

She received her Master’s in business education from Columbia University, New York, N.Y. Rhodes-Copeland's professional background is in education and school administration. She worked at various schools in New York City and retired from ECPI College, where, for over 15 years, she worked in a variety of administrative positions. Her love for the arts was developed during her growing years with her family and at Norfolk State University. It was nourished in New York City through the many theater, opera, and artistic events she attended.

​She has made her mark in Virginia with the ownership of the Art Atrium II art gallery in Portsmouth; curatorship of many art exhibitions (outdoors and in local arts venues), her work with museums (chair of the Friends of African Art at the Chrysler Museum), and as the Executive Director of the  Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads. The Alliance provided support and training for various Hampton Roads arts and cultural organizations. Under her leadership, the Alliance won a state award from the Virginia Arts Commission (50 for 50 state recognition award in November 2016) for its work in the statewide arts community.
 
Rhodes-Copeland was presented the Martin Luther King Dreamer Award by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra in January 2017 as a tribute to her work in the arts community and her efforts to bring all groups into the arts. Recently, she ended her tenure as the co-chairman of the Regional South Atlantic Arts and Letters  Committee of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Her vision, hopes, and dreams for the VAACC include a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the Center's construction. "We can then walk through the doors and showcase the VAACC, a  facility that will house artifacts and serve as a contemporary venue to feature programs and exhibitions that enlighten and feature the contributions of African Americans in our State," Rhodes-Copeland said.  she sees her job as working with the Board to develop and execute procedures and programs that will increase the visibility and financial stability of the Center so that its distinction and prominence will be heightened throughout the state of Virginia, assuring the success of the Capital Campaign and the achievement of our ultimate goals and vision.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS!

Kudos to Board Members Shevette Jones for spearheading this Membership Drive. We brought in over 110 members at various giving levels. These members, along with our wonderful grantors and donors, supported our Operation Budget.

VAACC participated in the Athletes for Excellence seminars by presenting Cultural Enrichment programs on October 19th and 20th, at the new Virginia Beach Sports Center.

The youth from the Historic Seatack Community learned the importance of family history by working on a family tree activity. One youth shared his Native American heritage and another reflected on his Jamaican descendants. The parents were so thrilled with the activity that they asked for copies of the family trees to replicate with other family members. Indeed, knowledge is power!

Since our inception, VAACC has reached thousands through our interactive programs, artwork, co-partnerships, forums, lectures, social media, outreach activities and volunteerism. 

The Center will be sustained with an appropriate mix of earned and contributed income. We believe the Center is a project worthy of your support, especially during this pandemic.

We thank you for being a part of our celebration. You continue to inspire and energize us towards our vision that one-day VAACC will be the statewide leader in generating historical and cultural content through programs, artistic performances, and curated exhibits.

Stay safe and healthy, 
 
Founder/Chairman and Board of Directors
Virginia African American Cultural Center, Inc. 

The VAACC is a public-private partnership between the Virginia African American Cultural Center, Inc., and the City of Virginia Beach.​