The Curators
Ebony Walden - Curator/Co-Editor
Inspired by Toni Griffin and The Just City Essays, Ebony Walden conceived the idea of an essay collection focused on Richmond in hopes of bringing together thought leadership and practice to advance racial equity in the region. Ebony Walden is an urban planner and consultant who leverages her experience to design and facilitate racial equity training, strategy and community engagement processes that explore race, equity and inclusion in cities. Ebony is the Principal Consultant at Ebony Walden Consulting, an urban strategy firm based in Richmond, Virginia and an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.
Meghan Gough - Co-Editor
Meghan Z. Gough is an Associate Professor of urban and regional studies and planning at Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Her work emphasizes civic capacity building and planning for more livable and equitable communities. Meghan’s contributions to research help to elevate the importance of community-based decision-making and partnerships in the development of plans and policies to support sustainable community development.
Duron Chavis - Videographer
Urban farmer, educator and change maker, from leading Happily Natural Day to poverty mitigation; to urban agriculture; to racial equity; Chavis articulates the role that cultural identity plays in sustainable community wellness. He challenges organizations and institutions to think outside of silos and to confront conversations of race and class courageously and authentically.
Chavis creates synergy between corporate social responsibility; public policy and traditional grassroots activism that builds community capacity for transformation. Duron crafts collaborative approaches to collective impact; where community work and personal evolution merge for sustainable systemic impact. Duron will spearhead the video essays using a similar platform as used in recent video series, Black Space Matters.