Welcome to our 6th district newsletter! We are thrilled to share with you the latest developments in our mission to make a positive impact in our community
Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to all of our constituents and partners who have continued to support us during my time on City Council. Your support and dedication have allowed us to keep moving ahead to gain more successes
We will always have work to do Let’s continue to work hand in hand to make our community a stronger, more vibrant Richmond!
Ellen F Robertson
Here’s what has happened in the last month and what’s to come!
In terms of our recent activities, we have successfully launched several impactful programs that aim to build upon the work of the Gateway 6 District th
We are also excited to share about our Inaugural Gateway Community Awards Banquet The event was a great success!
City Council has been busy and we are forging ahead with the tasks at hand With the recent adoption of the City budget, we can now approach our work with clarity - with a definitive path of what we are working with and where we can incorporate our highest and best efforts.
With new City leadership and reallocation of resources, it is
inevitable we will experience many changes to come Our resilience and perseverance will set the stage for the successes to come We’ve got a lot of work to do
Guess what? District 6 welcomes a new team member! Meet Kimberly Kyle.
Finally, we want to remind everyone our monthly District Meetings are held every fourth Thursday of each month If you are able to donate your time or resources, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Together, we can make a real difference in the Gateway Thank you for your continued support and the best is always yet to come!
Enjoy this month’s newsletter!
In this issue:
City News
What’s City Council Doing? Gateway Happenings
Around the District Stay In Touch
T g y y q n Friday, June 20th at the Hippodrome Theater It was a very special occasion acknowledging the icons who have made tremendous contributions and strides to educate the youth of our future. The theme for the event: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” - Frederick Douglass
The evening began with Councilor Ellen Robertson gracing us with heartfelt remarks on the importance of bringing to the forefront and celebrating the impacts of the dedication of time, energy, and innovation their efforts and partnerships have Sharing her own delight in the accomplishments of the awardees, it was evident - from one passionate public servant to others - she knows the w required to be invested and it shows.
Rev Dr Michelle K McQueen-Williams was a gracious keynote, delivering a soul-stirring message of positivity, inspiration, and empowerment. Her words resonated with the message “When you've got real power, you recognize that your service speaks for itself ” What a beautiful sentiment!
Pictured from left: Kimberly Kyle, LaToya Draper, Crystal Hartsfield, Curt Smith, Inett Dabney, Charles Spain, Ellen Robertson & Phillip Noel
2025 Gateway Community Icons 2025 Gateway Community Icons
Inett Dabney Principal
Inett Dabney
Principal
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Middle School
Middle School
Charles Spain Principal
Charles Spain Principal
Overby-Sheppard
Overby-Sheppard
Elementary School
Elementary School
Crystal Hartsfield Prinacipal
Crystal Hartsfield Prinacipal
Martin Luther King Jr. Pre-school Center
Martin Luther King Jr.
Pre-school Center
Dr. LaToya K. Draper Principal
Dr. LaToya K. Draper Principal
Oak Grove-Bellemeade
Oak Grove-Bellemeade
Elementary School
Elementary School
Dr. Paula Pando
Dr. Paula Pando
President
President
J. Sargeant Reynolds
J. Sargeant Reynolds
Community College
Community College
Ellen Robertson & Thomas Fitzpatrick: Letter to the Editor
Ellen Robertson of Richmond City Council and Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (H.O.M.E.)discuss zoning reform can address Richmond’s housing inequality in a letter to the editor of RVA Magazine They talk about double-digit figures illustrating involuntary displacement of Black residents and how outdated zoning codes fail to address the need for homes and impose limits on new construction. To read the full narrative, go to the Opinion page of www.rvamag.com. Aligned with the Code Refresh of the Richmond 300 Master Plan, this initiative has a goal to further key policy objectives as it relates to impact on housing and services for residents in the City
GRTC Goes Electric
In partnership with Dominion Energy, GRTC unveiled its new electric vehicle charging station This station will provide support for five of the 17 vans used in GRTC’s LINK Micro-transit Program. Under this program, residents in dedicated service zones will be able to take advantage of free rides. LINK is an on-demand service that offers riders rides much like private ride-share companies, but as a public transportation service.
What’s City Council Doing?
ORD. 2025-156
To rezone the properties known as 1220 Ingram Avenue and 1260 Ingram Avenue from the M-1 Light Industrial District to the TOD-1 Transit Oriented Nodal District and the B-5 Central Business District.
ORD. 2025-151
To authorize the special use of the property known as 1114 Hull Street for the purpose of a six-story mixeduse building, upon certain terms and conditions.
RES. 2025-R030
RES. 2025-R031
To authorize the utilization of the design-build procurement method for the construction of the Canoe Run Park CSO Storage Tank project.
To support an application to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for the purpose of participating in the Virginia Main Street Program as an Exploring Main Street community.
ORD. 2025-144
To authorize the special use of the property known as 3103 2nd Avenue for the purpose of one two-family detached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions
ORD. 2025-113
To authorize the special use of the property known as 3200 2nd Avenue for the purpose of up to one singlefamily detached dwelling, two twofamily detached dwellings, and four single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions.
Gateway Happenings
Tap Into Transit Day
July 8, 2025 @4:30 - 7:30 pm - 1500 Main Street Station
This event will launch the new articulated buses to accommodate increased ridership. Also, the Transit Access Partnership (TAP) will give those in attendance a chance to learn about how GRTC ways to support keeping transit fares free!
Mosby Resource Center 14 Anniversary Celebration th
July 18, 2025 @1:00 - 3:30 pm at Mosby Resource Center – 1536 Coalter Street
Celebrating 14 years of connecting the community to essential resources! Rain date set for July 25th
The Annie Giles Community Center – Soulful Summer Day Camp
July 7 - 11 & July 21 - 25 @10:00 am - 2:00 pm - 1400 Oliver Hill Way
Summer Day Camp for active adults filled with laughter, self-care, and soulful connection. Call (804)646-0666 to register.
essential life skills, mentorship, and employment assistance.
Participants are age 14 - 21 years old and have an opportunity to take on vocational training, learn responsibility and pride through community engagement, learning constructive alternatives to gang involvement and criminal activity, and mentorship to build character.
The six youth had very positive takeaways from the program and they look forward to incorporating all they have learned in their future endeavors Many have taken what they’ve learned and applied it to everyday life, working in paid work assignments with various contractors throughout the City. How awesome is that? Congratulations to our youth! Around the District. .
Meet Kimberly Kyle
The Gateway 6 District Team welcomes new Council Liaison, Kimberly Kyle Kimberly has been with the City or Richmond over 10 years and brings more than 20 years of combined federal, state, and local government public service. Her primary areas of expertise include human resources, workforce development, conflict resolution, and real estate and housing.
With extensive experience in community engagement and love for public service, Kimberly has seamlessly aligned with our 6 District initiatives and shares in our vision and strategic plan. She brings an immense enthusiasm with high energy, striving in partnership to get things done.
Kimberly holds a master’s degree in business, a bachelor’s degree in human resource management, is a licensed Virginia REALTOR®, and is a Virginia Supreme Court Certified mediator. We are so proud to have her!
