By Maeve Hayden, Tami Keaveny, Eshaan Sarup, and Courteney Stuart
Power is defined as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.” Keeping that in mind, we put together our annual list of the people and organizations that are leading the charge in our community. From abortion rights and gun violence prevention groups to a physician, a musician, and a culinarian, this year’s Power Issue highlights the formidable forces that are pushing Charlottesville forward in what is, we hope, the right direction.
Blue Ridge Abortion Fund
Since the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett in 2020, it’s been no secret that Roe v. Wade was at risk. With the release of the landmark decision reversing Roe on June 24, Tannis Fuller, executive director of the Blue Ridge Abortion Fund, is now at the helm of an organization that will provide truly life-saving assistance for people seeking to end a pregnancy. The Blue Ridge Abortion Fund covers travel and treatment expenses for low-income people, and will be serving an increasing number of them as states outlaw abortion and the pressure on Virginia clinics increases.
Costi Sifri
Weekly pandemic briefings turned UVA Chief Epidemiologist Costi Sifri into a local Dr. Fauci-like figure. Issuing clear information about the current epidemic statistics, warning about the emergence of new variants, and explaining the efficacy and importance of vaccines, Dr. Sifri has kept the Charlottesville area up to date.
Royal Gurley, Jr.
Last year, Dr. Royal Gurley, Jr. became the first Black man and the first gay man to be named superintendent of Charlottesville City Schools. Gurley had the difficult tasks of protecting students from outbreaks of the coronavirus and supporting those who fell behind academically during the pandemic. He has also worked to make gifted and talented programs more representative of the student body and ensure racial equity in the Charlottesville school system. Shortly after accepting the position, Gurley told C-VILLE he was drawn to CCS because of its focus on equity. “We need to make sure that we’re not creating any barriers for our students,” he said. “But also, when we talk about equity, what are we doing to move the needle for our students? Are we providing our students with opportunities they need in order to be successful?”
Minority Business Alliance
Previously called the Chamber Business Diversity Council, the Minority Business Alliance has been a key player in helping minority-owned businesses thrive in Charlottesville. The MBA offers a wide range of opportunities, including professional development, business educational sessions, networking events, and connections to resources and funding opportunities. The organization partnered with the United Way of Greater Charlottesville to offer $10,000 in grants to minority-owned businesses this year.
Lloyd Snook
Four words: Shorter City Council meetings.
Jody Kielbasa
We can’t talk about the arts without mentioning Jody Kielbasa. During his 13 years as director of the Virginia Film Festival, he’s steered it to new heights of success. More recently, as UVA’s vice provost for the arts, Kielbasa played an integral role in envisioning and working to realize the university’s new Center for the Arts, a sprawling, state-of-the-art performance and rehearsal complex that will foster a breadth of growth in local arts programming.
Lorenzo Dickerson
Local filmmaker Lorenzo Dickerson uses his lens to explore compelling experiences and histories of local African American communities. Through his film production company, Maupintown Media, Dickerson has shed light on the stories of Black patrons of The Paramount Theater, men incarcerated in Charlottesville, and the African American education experience in Albemarle classrooms. His new film, Raised/Razed, takes a deep dive into Charlottesville’s oldest Black neighborhood and its residents.
Legal Aid Justice Center
In the midst of a housing crisis made worse by a pandemic, many local residents are facing eviction, with limited rent relief coming from the state. The Legal Aid Justice Center stepped up to the plate and hired additional attorneys to help represent tenants facing eviction, while continuing its important work advocating for racial justice and affordable housing.
Kate Bollinger
Charlottesville’s Kate Bollinger didn’t intend to go to UVA, and she didn’t intend to pursue a music career. But she did both. The cinematography major played music as a hobby, and when she saw success with a few single releases, she kept on the path—and it’s the road taken that’s made her a rising star on the national scene (she just completed a run of tour dates that included sold-out shows in Brooklyn, Boston, and Chicago). Bollinger’s charming, whispery tunes incorporate jazz and R&B into lush pop so infectious The New York Times compared her to Feist and Norah Jones. She also got the attention of Kanye West, who gave Bollinger a credit on his song “Donda” for sampling the song “Candy” from her 2019 EP I Don’t Wanna Lose. With the spring release of Look At It In The Light, and more tour plans ahead, Bollinger is one to watch, listen to, and see locally. Right now.
The Buck Squad
The B.U.C.K Squad—Brothers United to Cease the Killing—is a nonprofit that was formed to reduce area gun violence by intervening in conflicts and de-escalating them before they worsen. By patrolling high-risk neighborhoods, the squad has been able to curb the spike in gun violence that occurred during the pandemic. “The whole thing is developing relationships within these communities, and letting folks know what you’re attempting to do to help [the] guys with these guns and selling drugs,” says Herb Dickerson, the group’s executive director. “Our personal experience and reputation proves that you can do different.” The B.U.C.K. Squad also runs a 24-hour hotline (365-4187) for assistance with domestic violence, substance abuse, missing children, and other emergencies.
Jaffray Woodriff
If Charlottesville has a Wizard of Oz-type character, it just might be Jaffray Woodriff. The hedge fund manager made his fortune as founder of Quantitative Investment Management, and while he doesn’t make frequent public appearances, he seems to have the power to snap his fingers and make things happen from somewhere behind a curtain. Look no further than the west end of the Downtown Mall, where his new CODE Building dominates the landscape. Woodriff is also the big money behind UVA’s new School of Data Science, and his passion for the sport of squash led him to donate $12.4 million to UVA to build a facility at Boar’s Head Sports Club.
Justin Shimp
The name Justin Shimp has been appearing with ever-increasing frequency on the agendas of Charlottesville City Council and boards of supervisors in multiple surrounding counties. The founder of Shimp Engineering, Shimp is quietly and persistently tackling affordable housing with projects like a mobile home park in Nelson County and a rezoning in lower Belmont.
Jennifer Naylor
What started out as a relaxing idea became a legend in the making. When Jennifer Naylor moved to Sussex Farm to enjoy chicken farming and grow her own food, she had no intention of becoming one of Charlottesville’s most popular culinarians. Urged by friends and family to sell her fresh eggs and kimchi, Naylor did just that at an area farmers’ market—and before you could say turnip kimchi (yes, that’s a delicious thing!), she added her Korean cooking specialties to the menu. The community lined up for her food, and the rest is history. Earlier this month, Naylor notched another expansion when her daughter Kelsey and Anna Gardner opened one of the year’s most anticipated new restaurants. Umma’s is a fusion of Japanese and Korean cooking that pays homage to Naylor as its iconic muse as well as contributor of traditional recipes and ingredients.
