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1/7 Yes, the Richmond City Council #RVACouncil should support Councilwoman Kimberly Gray's @kimgray4rva proposal to rename the Boulevard in honor of Arthur Ashe.
2/7 As she said: “I thought this may be an opportunity for us as a city to demonstrate to the world that we’ve evolved and we’re willing to be more accepting of all Richmonders, regardless of their skin color, who they are or where they come from.”
3/7 The Boulevard is CENTRAL: it begins near Byrd Park, cuts through Cary Town, passes the #VMFA, crosses #MonumentAvenue at the statue of Stonewall Jackson, and runs along The Diamond. Renaming the Boulevard to Arthur Ashe Boulevard would be a great honor for a true hero.
4/7 True, Ashe has a statue, an Athletic Center, and a mural near the Battery Park tennis courts. But his statue is also at the outer limit of Confederate statues in a traffic circle that makes it difficult to see or appreciate. And his athletic center is in bad shape.
5/7 Let's give Ashe's legacy pride of place in #RVA! If you live on the Boulevard, contact 2nd District Richmond City Council Member Kimberly Gray @kimgray4rva in support of the measure
6/7 and do it before 1:00 PM on October 16, when the Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Standing Committee is scheduled to meet at City Hall to consider the ordinance. If you own a business on the Boulevard, write a letter stating your willingness to change your letterhead.
7/7 It's a false choice to make the community or elected leaders chose between renaming the Boulevard or funding #RPS. Shout out to @LevarStoney, @VMFA, @ScottsAddition, the Monument Avenue Preservation Society, and the West Grace Street Association for supporting the change!
