Our Causes
VMFA Family Day: Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic
On June 11, 2016 the Richmond (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated helped open the doors of the VMFA to the public by providing free admission to Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic. This exhibit presented a stunning retrospective of the artist’s prolific career through nearly 60 paintings and sculptures. Wiley’s work raises intriguing questions about race, gender, and the politics of representation by portraying contemporary African American men and women using the conventions of traditional European portraiture.
Members of the Richmond Chapter volunteered at the VMFA Family Day by aiding with registration and assisting VMFA staff by helping with interactive youth activities and serving as museum guides.
Richmond Chapter hosts FMA2 Year-End Event
The Richmond (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated hosted the 2015-2016 Year-End Celebration for the Chapter’s “Umbrella” program, Franklin Military Academy ~ Focused, Motivated, Achievers (FMA2) at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in June of 2016. The Chapter partners with Franklin Military Academy, the nation’s first public military school located in the East End of Richmond, to deliver the FMA2 program.
The Richmond Links currently support 14 young ladies enrolled in Franklin Military Academy middle school. Last school year, Chapter members hosted the FMA² students and their parents at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. for the Alvin Ailey Dance performance, the Nutcracker at the Carpenter Center, and exhibits at the VMFA. Additionally, Richmond Links provided free dental screenings to the larger student body at Franklin Military Academy and cultural and educational activities for FMA² program participants including Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (STEAM) tours on VCU’s medical campus and at Bon Secours, health and wellness activities and many more experiential opportunities. In the 2015-2016 school year, 100% of the membership of the Richmond Chapter participated in supporting this umbrella program.
Richmond (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated Donated $100,000 to the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia on June 9, 2016
The Richmond (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated donated $100,000 to the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHM of VA) at the 2015-2016 Year-End Celebration for the Chapter’s “Umbrella” program, Franklin Military Academy ~ Focused, Motivated, Achievers (FMA2) . The Chapter partners with Franklin Military Academy, the nation’s first public military school located in the East End of Richmond, to deliver the FMA2 program.
Contributions to the BHM of VA will be used to support the museum’s mission to become a permanent repository for visual, oral and written records and artifacts commemorating the lives and accomplishments of Blacks in Virginia. The Richmond Links seek to help the BHM of VA to become a statewide resource on the many facets of Black history through exhibitions, discussions and celebrations of the contributions of African Americans in Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The BHM of VA hosted the FMA2 program participants and their parents at the year-end celebration. The Museum looks forward to hosting future tours and events for the partnership program with Franklin Military Academy.
The Fisher House
The Richmond (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated hosted a dinner for the residents and their military spouses of the Richmond, Virginia McGuire Veteran’s Fisher House. The occasion recognized the heroism and sacrifices of our countries military and their families. The Richmond (VA) Chapter provides donations from our Biennial Art in the Atrium Auction and Dinner fundraiser that will be held this year at The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
For the past six years, The Richmond, (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated has made Fisher House a beneficiary of their biennial fundraising efforts to continue to support and enhance the quality of life for injured members of the U.S. military. The total contributions from this Chapter to the Fisher House Foundation represent more than Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) to date.
The Richmond Fisher House is one of 65 residences located on major military installations and VA medical centers across the United States. They represent a network of comfort homes nationwide where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving medical treatment. Since their creation, Fisher Houses across the United States have served more than 19,000 military families per year. While the homes have been created with a grant from the Fisher House Foundation, they are dependent upon the generosity and donations of individuals and the local community to support and maintain Fisher House activities. The Richmond (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated are proud to support the incredible work of the Fisher House.
Richmond (VA) Chapter at the Black History Museum
Members of the Richmond (VA) Chapter attended a reception at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia where The Richmond Links were recognized for a contribution made to sponsor the Multimedia Resource Room on the museum’s second floor. This room features an interactive kiosk that helps capture the ever-decreasing attention spans of younger generations by using technology to share information about past generations of African Americans in Virginia. The Links, Incorporated, Richmond (VA) Chapter Multimedia Resource Room highlights innovative learning technology that focuses on engagement over lecturing and values creativity and innovation.
