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A visit with Alicia Keys + Swizz Beatz
“Giants” features over 130 works by 40 Black artists, including this portrait of Alicia Keys by Kehinde Wiley. | Photo by RICtoday
When Richmond-area students filtered into the VMFA yesterday, nobody had told them there would be surprise special guests.
Local high school and college students held up handmade posters, shook pom-poms, and rolled with a live drumline — all to rally excitement for “Giants,” an exhibition of art from musicians Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.
Little did the students know, the celebrity power couple was behind the scenes waiting to step onto the stage, express gratitude, and answer questions from the audience.
With Unison, you can access up to $500K of your home’s equity with no monthly payments. | Photo via Unsplash
Your home equity belongs to you. Period. And there are ways to access these funds when you need them.
One way: An Equity Sharing Agreement that lets you turn your equity into cash, without a traditional loan. Think: No monthly payments or interest, and you share in your home’s future value changes.
With Unison as your partner, you can make those renovations you’ve been dreaming of, travel, pay off debt, or even fund retirement.
Looking for more holiday volunteer opportunities? We’ve been keeping up with RVA Community Fridges’ latest campaign, and there are plenty more ways to help around the River City. As a search shortcut, use the Community Foundation’s filter to find volunteer options near you.
Theater
“A loving tribute” and “a campy riff.” That’s what you can expect at “Golden Girls: Holiday Episode Edition,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players. Take a closer look at what sort of shenanigans will unfold at this ongoing stage production. Hint: There will be cheesecake. (Style Weekly)
Environment
Breaking (down) compost news. You know those purple compost bins around Richmond and Henrico? They’ve now been adopted into a new program with the Central VA Waste Management Authority. What’s next? Chesterfield residents will have access to bins for the first time, and folks will be able to compost more than just fruit and veggie scraps — see what makes the cut.
Seasonal
Taco Bell is selling a Baja Blast-flavored pie this Thanksgiving. The drink’s signature tropical lime flavor has been turned into a filling on a graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream. To each their own, but we prefer picking up seasonal desserts from small businesses like Shyndigz. (People)
Real Estate
The owner of Lucketts Store in Leesburg, Suzanne Eblen, transformed a once crumbling mansion into the house of her dreams. She purchased this 1799 Bluemont property in 2014, taking on the big project — and the transformation is not to be missed. (Virginia Living)
Contribution
“I get more from this daily newsletter than any other news outlet!” That’s what Tiffney C. said during our fundraising campaign last year. Every day, we strive to bring you positive, impactful news about our city, and you can help us in our mission with a one-time donation.
Civic
How many cities make a bold, public commitment to ending traffic deaths? Answer: only a few — and Richmond is one of them. Leaders, experts, and neighbors are working together through Vision Zero to build safer, fairer streets for everyone, backed by real action and shared responsibility.*
Are you taking advantage of all the savings opportunities for adults ages 50+? This list of tips can support your continued saving and help build additional wealth.*
It’s go time. Amazon’s Black Friday Week kicks off today as one of the best sales of the year. New deals drop daily, and these are today’s top five you don’t want to miss:
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The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
🥯 Which city brought home the 2025 “Best Bagel” award?
This one tripped some people up. With guesses spread across the board, we figured we’d give folks who didn’t get it a second chance. Maybe it’ll skew the votes. Maybe a hint will help.
Putting together today’s newsletter was a whirlwind, to say the least. By the end of the day, I had been in the same room as Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, and yes, I was star-struck.
You can read my post-pep-rally sentiments in today’s feature. In the meantime, check out the special exhibit if you can. Luckily, there’s plenty of time to plan a visit.
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