Happy Healthy Aging Month!

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

Leigh Battle’s September Updates, Exciting News & Medicare Prep

Hi, friends!

I hope you have had a great summer as we look ahead to a beautiful fall season in Richmond.

As seniors, it’s important to do what we can to maintain our health as we age. This includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, reducing stress, following a preventive care and screening schedule, and more.

Leigh Battle

I love helping my clients navigate all of their Medicare choices, Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplements, hospital indemnity, and other needs. As always, I’m here for you and am happy to answer any questions you have.

Have a great Healthy Aging Month, friends!

🎉 I’ve Been Recognized as a 2026 Honoree!

100 Women of Color Virginia Gala

I am truly honored and grateful to be recognized as a 2026 100 Women of Color Virginia Honoree!

For more than 40 years, I have had the privilege of serving families as a Realtor throughout the Richmond community—helping my clients find homes, build brighter futures, navigate important decisions, and make connections that can change their lives.

Along the way, I’ve learned that some of the most meaningful things we accomplish aren’t measured by awards or titles, but by the people we encourage, the doors we help open, and the difference we make for the generations coming behind us. That is one of the reasons this recognition means so much to me.

The 100 Women of Color Gala & Awards 2026: Virginia celebrates women from across the state who are making an impact through business, education, entrepreneurship, public service, and their communities. Even more importantly, the event helps support scholarships, leadership opportunities, and mentorship programs for young women of color.

I am so thankful for the family, friends, clients, colleagues, and community members who have supported and encouraged me throughout the years. So many people have been part of my journey, and I share this honor with all of you. May we continue using our experiences, our voices, and our opportunities to help pave the way for the next generation.

  • When: Friday, October 23, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
  • Where: The Hippodrome Theater in Richmond
  • Purchase Gala Tickets Here

🎂 September is My Birthday Month!

As I look forward to celebrating my birthday on September 24, I wanted to share a quick reminder: new Medicare recipients can apply up to 3 months before or 3 months after their 65th birthday.

Anytime in that important 6-month window that you’d like some help navigating your enrollment process, I am here for you! Contact me to schedule an appointment.

📅 Save the Date for Medicare AEP!

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is just around the corner. Between October 15 and December 7, 2026, those eligible for Medicare will be allowed to enroll or make changes to existing coverage.

Start thinking about your healthcare needs for the upcoming year now. When the time comes, I’m happy to review your options with you!

Let’s stay in touch!

I am always here to answer your questions and help you navigate your choices.

Leigh Battle

📞 (804) 516-4822

✉️ leighbattlerva@gmail.com

🌐 Senior-2-Senior.com

Tired of Handling It All?

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

Transformation Expert Rita Ricks Launches a 60-Minute “Breakup” Experience for the Overwhelmed Woman

She remembers the appointments, manages the household, drives the projects at work, and serves as the emotional anchor for everyone around her. But who is carrying her? For the woman who is exhausted from being the one expected to handle everything, the solution isn’t another lecture on stress management. It is time for a breakup.

On Monday, September 21, 2026, Rita Ricks—Transformation Expert, coach, educator, and creator of RAISING CALM™—will host a highly focused, live online experience designed specifically for the woman who is ready to put something down.

Unlike traditional wellness webinars that leave attendees with more information and a longer to-do list, this event is entirely action-oriented. During this 60-minute guided session, participants will step away from the noise to identify one specific source of stress that is draining their energy. From there, Ricks will help them uncover the repeating pattern keeping that stressor active, and empower them to make a definitive choice: to continue it, change it, share it, or release it entirely.

“You will not leave this hour with more statistics or information about stress,” says Ricks. “You will leave with a decision, the exact words to communicate it, and a next step you have already practiced.”

Attendees will leave the experience knowing exactly what they are carrying and why they continue to carry it. The session is designed to be a safe, low-pressure environment; no prior preparation is required, and while personal sharing is invited, it is never required.

To preserve the intimacy and accountability of the space, this is exclusively a live experience. No recordings will be provided.

Event Details:

  • Date: Monday, September 21, 2026
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: Live Online
  • Cost: $39 per participant
  • What’s Included: The 60-minute live guided experience, a participant workbook, and a completed Personal Breakup Plan.

Space is strictly limited to ensure a focused environment for all attendees. Women ready to reclaim their energy and draw a line in the sand are encouraged to reserve their place today.

To register for the event, please visit Breakup.

About Rita Ricks:

Rita Ricks is a Transformation Expert, sought-after coach, educator, and the creator of RAISING CALM™. She specializes in helping individuals identify their roadblocks, shift their mindsets, and step into lives of greater peace, purpose, and intentionality.

Black journalists shine at NABJ26’s Authors Showcase

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

NABJ’s 2026 Authors Showcase that recently took place in Atlanta featured more than 25 authors whose work spans family, journalism, media, hip hop, politics, military service, religion and more. This signature event of the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention gives members up-close and personal access to fellow journalists who aspire to write books or who simply enjoy reading the work of their peers. It also offers NABJ’s authors a platform to showcase their storytelling and writing skills beyond the newsroom.

NBC broadcast journalist and co-host of “Jenna and Sheinelle” was featured in the National Association of Black Journalists’ Authors Showcase on Aug. 14, 2026 during the organization’s annual convention in Atlanta. Jones discussed her new book, “Through Mom’s Eyes: Simple Wisdom From Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans.”
Photo by Cedric Brooks

This year’s notable authors, journalists and guests included Sheinelle Jones of NBC’s “Jenna and Sheinelle” talk show; Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of “The 1619 Project”; Lee Hawkins, formerly of The Wall Street Journal who discussed his book, “I Am Not Your Slave,”; and Marion Orr, a Brown University professor whose new book, House of Diggs, explores the life of the late Michigan congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr.

Additionally, Krishan Trotman, founder of Hachette Publishing’s Legacy Lit imprint, led a discussion about how journalists can expand their imprint through authorship. That panel included NABJ President Errin Haines along with broadcast journalists Roland Martin and Tiffany Cross.

Village Books, a Black-owned bookstore based in Atlanta, was onsite to stock and sell our authors’ books. They were wonderful to work with!

Below is a look at this year’s Authors Showcase participants and the journalists who interviewed them over a three-day period.

–Bonnie Newman Davis, Chair and Producer, NABJ Authors Showcase

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Photo Captions

1 & 2. Lee Hawkins, author of “I Am Not Your Slave,” and Robin Washington, Forward, discuss Hawkins’ book.

3. Booked and Visible: How Black Authors Build Buzz—With or Without a Publisher | Presented by Wayne Dawkins, Curtis Bunn, Jessica Tilles and Tanya Y. Mitchell.

4. Tiffany Cross discusses her new book, “Love, Me,” with Authors Showcase assistant Erin D. Stanley.

5. Nicole Carr shares details about her book, “The Price of Exclusion: Healthcare in a Segregated Nation.”

6. Sheinelle Jones, author of “Through Mom’s Eyes,” receives an Outstanding Book Award from Authors Showcase Chair and Producer Bonnie Newman Davis.
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7. Mashaun D. Simon, who authored “Faith Deconstruction For Dummies,” was interviewed by Delano Massey of Axios.

8. “Raps of Resistance: How Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole Reignited a Hip-Hop Tradition,” by Earl Hopkins and Dr. Jeremy McCool (left). Moderated by Ethan Sands (middle).

9. Legacy Lit, An imprint of Hachette Book Group, Presents “How Journalists Expand Their Imprint Through Authorship” | Presented by Krishan Trotman, Errin Haines, Roland Martin, Tiffany Cross.

10. “Black and Golden: Fifty Years of NABJ, 1975-2025” | Presented by the book’s editor Wayne Dawkins and contributor Gayle Pollard Terry. Moderated by Randall Pinkston.

11. Literary agent Laini Brown Jemison gives the inside scoop on book authorship and publishing.

12. Christine McWhorter, Ph.D. of Howard University, discusses her book, “Building Critical Race Media Literacy.”

13. Legacy Lit, An imprint of Hachette Book Group, Presents “How Journalists Expand Their Imprint Through Authorship” | Presented by Krishan Trotman, Errin Haines, Roland Martin, and Tiffany Cross.

14. Veteran reporter and writer J.J. Green shares with broadcaster Jasmine Styles the details of his new book, “The Noise War: How to Fight Disinformation and Find Truth When Everything is Lying to You.”

15. “Touchdown In Brazil” is the newest work by prolific author Omar Tyree (right), who is interviewed by retired broadcast journalist Sam Ford. Ford is also an NABJ Founder.
 
16. “Forgotten Souls: The Search for Lost Tuskegee Airmen” is authored by Cheryl W. Thompson, a former Washington Post investigative journalist. With Cheryl is veteran journalist Ron Nixon.

17. “The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family/Power” is Wilbert L. Cooper ‘s new book. He is interviewed by Daphne Duret of The Marshall Project.

18. Legacy Lit, An imprint of Hachette Book Group, presented the panel “How Journalists Expand Their Imprint Through Authorship” | Presented by Krishan Trotman, Errin Haines, Roland Martin, Tiffany Cross.

19. “Unearthing My Family Secrets of Land, Legacy – and Lettuce” is Lonnae O’Neal’s new book. O’Neal is a former Washington Post reporter. Ernie Suggs of the Atlanta Journal Constitution interviewed Lonnae about her powerful family memoir.

20. NABJ President Errin Haines and broadcast journalist Tiffany Cross share writing and publishing tips.

21. Gloria J. Browne-Marshall delivered a riveting presentation centered on her new book, “A Protest History of the United States.”

22. “We’ve Been Here Before: How Rebellion and Activism Have Always Sustained America” was written by the late Philadelphia Michael I. Days and his wife, Angela P. Dodson, a former New York Times editor. Days was a retired and highly revered news executive at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.

23. “Black and Golden: Fifty Years of NABJ, 1975-2025” | Presented by the book’s editor Wayne Dawkins, and former Los Angeles Times reporter Gayle Pollard Terry, one of the book’s contributors. Randall Pinkston, a former CBS News commentator, moderated the panel.

24. “Telling Our Stories: NABJ Book Pitch Session” by Laini Brown Jemison and Angela P. Dodson.
From Idea to Pen to Paper to Publishing and Getting Paid | Presented by Laini Brown Jemison, Wisdom Martin, Delano Massey and Angela P. Dodson

25. “The Financial GPS: Navigating Your Path to Prosperity by Sonia White,” who was interviewed by Eva Coleman.


26. Village Books of Atlanta, curated NABJ’s Authors Showcase bookstore this year.

27. Nikole Hannah-Jones chats with Authors Showcase audience members.

28. Village Books bookstore.Village Books of Atlanta, curated NABJ’s Authors Showcase bookstore this year by stocking and selling dozens of NABJ’s authors titles.

29. “Building Critical Race Media Literacy” by Christine McWhorter, Ph.D., seeks to increase students’ critical understanding of systemic racial inequities depicted in various media texts. The book also empowers students prompts students to question and act against systemic racial inequities by recognizing in media texts.

30. Deric Gilliard chronicles his work in federal government during the Trump years in his new book, “The Longest Four Years of My Life.”
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31. David L. Shabazz, an associate professor at Kentucky State University, authored “Pro Wrestling’s Black World Champions.” Pro Wrestling’s Black World Champions – 3rd Edition. The book includes stories of some iconic wrestlers and some historical moments that include Bobo Brazil and others.

32. House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of Charles C. Diggs, Jr. by Marion Orr (left), a professor at Brown University. At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan’s first Black member of Congress.

33. Robin Allison Davis discusses her book, “Surviving Paris: A Memoir of Healing.” After more than a decade as a journalist and television producer, Robin Allison Davis decided to shake up her life and move to France. But it wasn’t quite the life she expected. When she was just thirty-four, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Surviving Paris recounts her journey and how she got to finding herself healthy again, including all the detours in between.

34. Booked and Visible: How Black Authors Build Buzz—With or Without a Publisher | Presented by authors Curtis Bunn (middle), Jessica Tilles and Tanya Y. Mitchell. Bunn is the founder of the National Black Book Club, Mitchell is author of the book “More Than a Dean, about Quiester Craig’s pursuit of business school equity at HBCUs. Tilles provides multilevel writing and editing services to authors through her company, TWA Solutions.

35. Randye Bullock—One-Sixteenth: My Journey to Racial Identity by Randye Bullock. In her book, Bullock opens up a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of race, identity, and belonging.


Photography by Cedric Brooks
 

 

 
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A Taste of Southern Comfort

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

Dear Bridge Builders,
Our Soul Food Dinner is happening this week, and we would love for you to join us for an evening filled with incredible food, meaningful conversations, and genuine connection at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.
Come enjoy a delicious Southern-inspired dinner catered by Shrimps at 17 West, connect with others during our engaging Circle and Sips, and have fun learning a few moves during our lively line dancing session.
This is more than dinner. It is an opportunity to gather, share stories, meet new people, and experience the joy of connection through food and culture.
Thursday, May 28, 2026
5:45 PM – 8:00 PM
The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen
2880 Mountain Rd
Glen Allen, VA 23060
What to Expect:
🍽️ Delicious Southern soul food
🦐 Catered by Shrimps at 17 West
💬 Circle and Sips conversation experience
🎶 Fun line dancing session
✨ A warm and welcoming community atmosphere
Tickets:
$60 for non-members
FREE for Dinner Club Members
We hope you’ll join us this Thursday for a memorable evening of food, culture, and connection.
Reserve your seat today.
Warmly,
The Culture Encounters

email: connect@cultureencounters.org

Take a Tour of Richmond

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

Courtesy, Venture Richmond

Looking for a new way to experience Downtown Richmond this season?

From canal cruises and food tours to bike rides, ghost walks, murals, and James River adventures, there are countless ways to explore the city’s history, culture, and neighborhoods. Whether you’re planning a weekend outing, entertaining visitors, or simply looking to see Richmond from a new perspective, these local tours offer something for everyone.

Explore Downtown Richmond by trolley, Segway, kayak, bike, tuk tuk, or even canal boat while discovering the stories, flavors, and landmarks that make RVA unique.

Find the full list of Downtown Richmond tours and experiences on our website.

The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia celebrates Women’s History Month

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

March is Women’s History Month – a time to honor the women shaping a more sustainable future for us all. In this issue, we spotlight three inspiring local Black women whose leadership and impact continue to open doors and create new pathways in our community.

Be sure to read about our current exhibits at BHMVA and dive into exciting events we have planned. Read on to learn more about these powerful stories, discover ways to get involved, and find out how you can join us in celebrating and uplifting the work happening right here in our community!

BHMVA’s biweekly newsletter keeps you in the loop about upcoming exhibitions, programs, and events. Please follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to make sure you have the latest updates.

Women’s History Month: Celebrating Influential Black Women in Virginia

Maggie Lena Walker

Born in Richmond, Virginia, Maggie Walker was an American business person and teacher. In 1903, Walker became both the first African-American woman to charter a bank and the first African-American woman to serve as a bank president.

Jennifer McClellan

Born in Petersburg, Virginia, Jennifer is the first Black woman to be elected to Congress from Virginia. She is currently an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 4th congressional district since 2023.

Viola Osborne Baskerville

Viola Baskerville, born in Richmond, Virginia, is a lawyer and politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates. She was instrumental in advocating for the creation of an Arthur Ashe monument in Richmond.

If you want to learn more about these women, or other influential Black women from Virginia, visit this link: https://www.virginia.gov/black-history-month/featured-men-and-women-archive/

Celebrating one of Richmond and Virginia’s Black history icons

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

“Arthur Ashe: An Enduring Legacy” spotlights both Arthur Ashe’s early life in Richmond and his travels throughout Virginia, the U.S., and beyond that made him a true Citizen of the World.

Artifacts, images, and documents help tell the story of how Ashe’s accomplishments, both on and off the tennis courts, impacted our global community.

A technology-based, immersive presentation of memorable moments in Ashe’s life, this exhibition will be presented through BHMVA’s partnership with UCLA, Ashe’s alma mater.

Tickets available here.

Also check out!

Congressional Black Caucus Reaffirms and Honors the Enduring Legacy of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2026


Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), First Vice Chair Troy Carter (LA-02), and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:


As the nation continues to reflect on the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., the Congressional Black Caucus reaffirms our deep gratitude for his extraordinary contributions to American democracy and global human rights. His impact cannot be confined to a single moment of remembrance; it demands continued recognition and renewed commitment to the ideals he advanced.


For more than half a century, Reverend Jackson stood on the front lines of the movement for justice, equality, and human dignity. From marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement to building institutions that empowered millions, his life’s work helped move our nation closer to its founding ideals.


Through his courage, his voice, and his unwavering faith, Reverend Jackson earned a place of honor not only in history but in the hearts and minds of tens of millions of people around the world. People of every race, creed, color, faith, culture, and background found inspiration in his message that dignity belongs to us all. He spoke to the poor and the powerful, to the young and the elderly, to those in small towns and those in the largest cities. His life reminded us that justice is not reserved for some but must belong to everyone.


Reverend Jackson helped organize the Poor People’s Campaign and was present during some of the most defining moments of the civil rights era. After Dr. King’s assassination, he carried the work forward with determination, ensuring that the movement did not end but continued to grow.


Through the founding of Operation PUSH and later the Rainbow Coalition, he built one of the most influential social justice movements in modern American history. These efforts expanded economic opportunity, fought for fair employment, strengthened access to education, and gave voice to communities too often unheard.


He registered and mobilized millions of voters, helping reshape American democracy by expanding participation in the political process. His historic presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 broke barriers, inspired new generations of leaders, and brought millions of Americans into civic life who had never before felt seen or represented.


Reverend Jackson also carried the cause of justice beyond our borders. He helped secure the release of American hostages abroad, advocated for peace in areas of conflict, fought against apartheid in South Africa, and stood in solidarity with oppressed people across the globe. His voice for human rights was heard around the world.


At home, he championed workers, farmers, students, veterans, and families striving for opportunity. He stood with sanitation workers demanding dignity, defended family farmers facing foreclosure, advocated for greater access to education, and called for economic fairness long before those conversations reached the national stage.


His message was clear and enduring: every person matters, every voice counts, and our nation is strongest when we lift those who have too often been left behind.


“Keep Hope Alive” was not simply a phrase. It became a moral call that inspired generations to believe that progress is possible when people stand together.


Many of us serving in Congress today walk paths that Reverend Jackson helped clear. He challenged America to live up to its highest ideals, pushed leaders to act with courage, and reminded the nation that democracy works best when it works for everyone.
The Congressional Black Caucus honors his extraordinary contributions to this nation and to humanity. His life stands as a testament to faith in action, courage in the face of adversity, and an unshakable belief in the power of people coming together to build a more just society.


Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., made America better. He made the world better. And his legacy will continue to guide generations yet to come.

Artist Conversation @VMFA

/ Bonnie Newman Davis

Courtesy VMFA

Derrick Adams and Valerie Cassel Oliver Fri, Feb 27 | 6:30–7:30 pm 

Join us for a conversation between artist Derrick Adams and VMFA’s Valerie Cassel Oliver, Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. They will explore Adams’s studio practice and his determined effort to provide a creative haven for Black artists through The Last Resort Artist Retreat, his project in Baltimore, Maryland.

You can see Adams’s work at VMFA in the exhibition Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys and in the museum’s 21st-Century Galleries.

Get Tickets.

About the Artist


Derrick Adams is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Adams’s work celebrates and expands the dialogue around contemporary Black life and culture through scenes of normalcy and perseverance. He has mounted public installations, commissioned through Monument Lab, in Washington DC, Chicago, and New York City. In addition to being included in notable exhibitions such as Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, his art resides in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and VMFA among many others. Adams has been the subject of solo exhibitions at several museums, and in 2026, a mid-career survey will open at ICA Boston on April 14.