So proud! // Christine Turner of Chesapeake gets a huge hug of congratulations from her niece, Nijah Roberson, as she and other Virginia Union University candidates for graduation march toward Hovey Field last Saturday for the commencement ceremony.

Members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Metro Richmond — a coalition of the nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities — pick up litter in Jackson Ward on a recent weekend. Similar community spring-cleaning efforts have been taking place across the area. Last weekend, for example, volunteers cleaned up alleys in Barton Heights, while others spent time clearing growth from four African-American burial grounds located on the border between Richmond and Henrico County.

Swallowtail butterfly at Huguenot Flatwater Park

¿Que Pasa? Richmond // A colorful canal boat provides free rides to participants at the ¿Que Pasa? Festival, which translates to “what’s happening.” Organizers of the festival last weekend in Downtown used decorations to transform the Canal Walk into a semblance of the Floating Gardens of Xochimilco in Mexico City. The event featured music, dance, food, drink and arts and crafts celebrating Latin American culture.

Be a lion // Mykal Ashlee, a cast member of the popular musical “Disney’s The Lion King,” teaches dance moves to children at the Child Development Center at Greater Brook Road Baptist Church, 4208 Chamberlayne Ave. He stopped by last Friday to work with children, just two days before the traveling musical ended its run at the Altria Theater on Sunday.