RICHMOND, Va. — A Richmond woman is fighting through red tape and roadblocks to open a nonprofit aimed at stopping gun violence, picking up the keys to a new space in the Manchester area of the city as the Southside reels from a violent stretch.
Richmond has seen four shootings on the Southside — two of them deadly — over the past two days.
The founder of Village Against Violence, Shavon Ragsdale, has a passion for peace, but says the recent violence has left her frustrated and convinced the city is on the wrong course.
"It's not good for our city. It's not good for the youth. It's just not a good look for Richmond at all, but everyday I'm seeing breaking news stories or something that's not positive, so what I'm trying to do is just bring some positivity back to the city," Ragsdale said.
That positivity, she hopes, will take root at her new brick-and-mortar location at 1208 Hall Street.
Ragsdale is now seeking funding as she works to build a space focused on intervention — reaching people before the trigger is pulled and supporting families after the sirens fade.
"We'll offer free tutoring. One of our strongest programs is Hair We Go, which is a youth cosmetology program, where we teach hands-on experience," Ragsdale said.
Ragsdale became emotional during an interview, saying every delay and every funding obstacle feels personal because she knows exactly what is at stake. The nonprofit she is building, she says, is not just a vision — it is a response to grief, to fear, and to a cycle that keeps repeating.
"It's really difficult to just be overlooked and you're still out here, you know, just giving your all," Ragsdale said. "It's just a lack of love and support. I really feel as though if we could start loving each other more, you know, just start supporting each other more, that would change a lot."
Ragsdale is also an ambassador with Stop the Bleed, an organization that teaches people how to pack gunshot wounds and treat those who have been stabbed. She hopes to bring that survival skills training to her South Side nonprofit as well.
Village Against Violence is asking the community to support their GoFundMe.
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