Change takes place from the bottom up
When President Obama first ran on the slogan, “Yes We Can,” I was all in. I, as well as others, understood the importance of a collective effort to affect progressive change.

Investigate voter suppression
The CIA conclusion that the Russians intervened in our elections in order to help elect Republican Donald Trump has sent Washington into one of its fabled tizzies.

Ben Carson: A never-ending nightmare
When Ben Carson emphatically declared that he has no government experience that would qualify him to run a federal agency, most took this to mean that he would quietly fade from public attention. We should have known better.
Holiday wishes
To our Free Press readers, subscribers, advertisers and supporters,

Cherished Holiday Memories
The holidays for many represent a season of light during the darkest time of the year. Whether you spend this season celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, the memories we create with family, friends, loved ones — and even strangers — stick with us for a lifetime.

Capital City Kwanzaa Festival set for Dec. 30 at Altria
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Kwanzaa, the seven-day holiday created by Pan-African scholar Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Grambling wins Celebration Bowl
This has the makings of a bounce-back basketball season at Huguenot High School. After three straight lackluster campaigns in which the Falcons were a combined 17-42, the dark clouds are parting.

Huguenot revving up for basketball season
This has the makings of a bounce-back basketball season at Huguenot High School. After three straight lackluster campaigns in which the Falcons were a combined 17-42, the dark clouds are parting.

VCU Rams to meet Louisiana, Howard U. at Siegel Center
Virginia Commonwealth University’s basketball prospects are looking up — both short and long term. The Rams have survived a challenging early schedule with an 8-3 record that includes a close 80-77 victory last Saturday over visiting Middle Tennessee State University.

Lady Panthers’ Brittany Jackson making her mark
Brittany Jackson has not only inherited Kiana Johnson’s jersey number — No. 3 — but also her role as dominating guard at Virginia Union University.

Roof guilty in church massacre
The jury in the federal hate crimes trial of avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof found him guilty on all counts for gunning down nine African-American parishioners at a historic church in Charleston, S.C., last year.

Personality: Doris Walker Woodson
Spotlight on Maymont House Benevolent Society Award winner
Doris Walker Woodson was reluctant when asked to be the community outreach coordinator for Maymont’s project to tell the story of the people who worked as domestic servants for the Dooley family that built and owned the 100-acre Richmond estate from 1893 to 1925.

Free Press receives award from Diversity Richmond
The Richmond Free Press has received the Partners in Progress Award from Diversity Richmond for its continuing sensitivity to issues facing the LGBTQ community and its reporting, photography and editorials surrounding the June 2015 shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., in which 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured.

Federal appeals court upholds right of city employees to express opinions on social media
Police officers and other government employees do not completely surrender their First Amendment rights when they go to work.

Holiday schedule In observance of Christmas, please note the following:
City and county public schools: Winter break began Monday, Dec. 19. Schools reopen Monday, Jan.2.

It’s official: Electoral College makes Trump 45th president
Virginia’s 13 members of the Electoral College unanimously cast their votes Monday for Hillary Clinton, a show of support for the Democratic candidate on the same day Republican electors in other states officially elected Donald Trump president.

Michigan officials face charges in Flint water crisis
Michigan prosecutors on Tuesday charged four former government officials in Flint, including two city emergency managers, with conspiring to violate safety rules in connection with the city’s water crisis that exposed residents to dangerous levels of lead.

Gift of the heart
Earl Fleming, a Richmond makeup artist, entertainer and advocate who has given so much to others, receives gift of life from stranger
This Christmas, one of Richmond’s living legends, who has spent his life giving to others, received the most beautiful gift of all: The gift of life.
Tips to avoid the holiday blues
The six weeks encompassing Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s are for most a magically unique time of year. But for many, the holidays bring hurt. Caused by factors including the weather, separation, death, stress, unrealistic expectations, hyper-sentimentality, guilt or overspending, holiday depression can zap the merriment out of even the most wonderful time of the year.
‘German-Americans and Italian-Americans also were interned during WWII’
Re editorial, “The lessons of war,” Dec. 8-10 edition: