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In order to serve you better, please select your Dominion Energy location services.
In order to serve you better, please select your Dominion Energy location services.
Celebrating the achievements of African Americans and their contributions to the commonwealth.
Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia are celebrating the achievements of African-American leaders during their annual "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" awards program. The program honors prominent African Americans past and present who have made noteworthy and admirable contributions to the commonwealth, the nation and their professions. They also hold a student creative contest for high school students.
Physician, Richmond
Her mission to assure high-quality health care for underserved populations in central Virginia was achieved in 1987 when she opened her own practice in Charles City County. The facility later expanded to include diagnostic and disease prevention training and “a center of healing”. Today, the Central Virginia Coalition of Healthcare Providers is one of the nation's few minority-owned accountable care organizations in which regional medical professionals provide accessible, high quality, and affordable care for Medicare recipients.
Educator, Arlington
Unable to find adequate day care for her son in segregated Arlington, she established the Syphax Child Care Center in 1963. She also was a teacher and reading specialist who later served on the Arlington School Board. Her interest in documenting black history helped create the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington. Virginia Union University honors her work and memory with its Evelyn Reid Syphax School of Education.
Political Activist, Arlington
Studying African American history while growing up fueled her knowledge of political action and working against racism. Further studies while in the Peace Corps and college led her to establish the Virginia Leadership Institute in 2006. Her nonpartisan organization, now known as Vote Lead Impact, trains and mentors African Americans to run for elected office and provides scholarships for those seeking leadership development programs.
Virginia State Senator, Portsmouth
In December 2019 she became the first woman and the first African American elected president pro tempore of the Virginia State Senate, having served southeastern Virginia's 18th District since 1991. Other historic achievements include being the first Black woman to win election to the Portsmouth City Council.
Social Justice Activist, Harrisonburg
Through his work in community activism, the Mennonite minister focused on diversity, inclusion, racial justice and criminal justice reform. In 2016, in response to police shootings of unarmed Black men, Maclin co-founded Americans Resisting Minority and Ethnic Discrimination to document and raise awareness of similar events. His activism led to the establishment of the People's Equality Commission of the Shenandoah Valley, which helps citizens combat institutional racism.
Students were asked to answer the prompt below about social justice and what it means to them. A winner was chosen from each region of Virginia (Central, Eastern, Northern, Western).
Many Americans are confronting the long history of racial violence in the United States that is often ignored and that has manifested itself in our political and social systems. One definition of social justice describes it as justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. What does social justice mean to you? How has a lack of social justice throughout American history affected minority communities? What actions can you take in support of social justice?
Central Region
Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
11th Grade
Eastern Region
Oscar Smith High School
10th Grade
Northern Region
Rock Ridge High School
10th Grade
Western Region
Harrisonburg High School
9th Grade
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