Celebrating Being Stronger Together

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Published: Monday, April 24 2023

Written by Diversity Richmond

April is the time we welcome warmer weather and celebrate the return of springtime. Around Diversity it is also a time of celebration as we mark the two year anniversary of the merger between Diversity Richmond and Virginia Pride. We linked arms to become stronger together as one unified organization. Watch this video where James and Lacette talk about the exciting things that have happened since the merger and what we have to look forward to. 

Diversity Thrift is hiring a Weekend Assistant Manager

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Published: Friday, March 31 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

Diversity Thrift is seeking a part-time assistant store manager to manage the thrift store on the weekend. This position will be responsible for opening and closing the store, providing guidance to staff in warehouse as well as cashiers as needed. Duties include ensuring that the customers questions are answered as well as trouble shooting any problems that may arise while the store is open. This position will also assist with processing donations, pricing items, filling in on the cash register as needed.  The ideal candidate must have excellent communication skills, the ability to problem-solve as well as the ability to be flexible to the needs of the store throughout the day. Previous store management experience and customer service experience is needed as well, previous supervisory experience is desired. Starting pay is $17 per hour. Email your resume to .

Equal Opportunity Employer

Cristo Rey High School partnership

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Published: Thursday, March 23 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

Diversity Richmond has partnered with Cristo Rey High School for their work study program. Ten freshmen students volunteer at the store on Mondays helping organize merchandise and tidy up the store. Cristo Rey Relationship Supervisor, Willnette Pegram (pictured right) is on site while they work.

Black and Bold Reunion

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Published: Wednesday, March 01 2023

Written by Diversity Richmond

• 47 individuals
• 5 organizations
• 2 posthumous honorees. 

Two solo shows open March 10th at Iridian

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Published: Tuesday, February 28 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

The Iridian Gallery at Diversity Richmond is pleased to announce the opening of Omnium-Gatherum, a solo exhibit from painter Melissa Wilkinson. This show will run concurrently with Goodbar, a solo exhibit from New York artist Dan Halm on March 10 with a reception from 7-9 pm. Join us for this event to meet the artists and our gallery team. Light refreshments will be served with a cash bar. The shows will be open to the public March 10-April 22.

In Melissa Wilkinson’s paintings, she appropriates from existing images of Hollywood’s golden era, late 70’s/ early 80’s tomboys and heartthrobs, disco, and private Tumblr accounts. These personas have informed her identity and personal sense of self. By creating a type of reassembled painting, these queered images challenge gender and propose the absurdity of traditional presentations as both limited and binary. Her images become coveted objects, holding hours of considerate and loving application through a painterly meditation. Wilkinson explores micro-expressions, gender play, and her coming of age as a queer person. Influenced heavily by collage and digital intervention, these meticulous watercolor and ink wash paintings investigate what it means to labor on an object in the 21st century. Water media on paper creates a vulnerable object through the tender presence of her touch.

Dan Halm’s Goodbar series tackles the anonymous fictions created online by men looking for love, sex and/or companionship. The men featured in the series, a nod to the 1977 Judith Rossner’s novel Looking for Mr. Goodbar, as well as his hunt for the perfect mate were all downloaded from profile photos off the dating app Scruff. With the advent of digital apps replacing bars and clubs as viable options of meeting other men, the nuances of cruising and the art of the flirt seem secondary or non-existent. These grids of digital men, a never-ending candy store of options (bears, queers, muscle boys, twinks, daddies, jocks, etc.), encourage the user to scroll, engage or ignore; and often reduce the men on the other side of the phone to their perceived avatars.

Our beautiful new mural

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Published: Tuesday, February 28 2023

Written by Diversity Richmond

Drag BINGO! returns March 9th

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Published: Thursday, February 02 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

Spread the word and grab your dabber! Drag BINGO! returns Thursday, March 9th in our Event Hall, 1407 Sherwood Ave, RVA 23220. $20 admission gets you 9 games with $50 jackpots plus a $500 jackpot! Hosted by Grace Wetpants! Fun drag performances by Venetian, Milka Magnesia, and Tiffany Hunter-Monique! This is a non-smoking, all-ages, way fun event. Doors open at 6PM. Proceeds benefit the programs of Diversity Richmond.

Diversity Richmond is hiring a Program Manager

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Published: Thursday, January 19 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

Diversity Richmond
Program Manager (Full-Time)
Salary Range: $45,000 to $50,000

Diversity Richmond is seeking a full-time Program Manager to be responsible for developing
programs to support the organization’s mission and strategic direction of supporting the
LGBTQ+ community. This position will be responsible for creating and managing long-term
goals, developing budgets, and stewarding operating plans for programs. In addition, this
position will be responsible for writing program funding proposals.

The position requires at least five years of previous experience working in social and human
services field, with specific experience in program development including creation,
implementation, and evaluation as well as one to three years of budget management
experience. The qualified incumbent must work well independently as well as a part of a team
environment and have a demonstrated ability to communicate verbally and in writing to
internal and external stakeholders. The incumbent must also have the ability to manage and
resolve conflict and make program decisions as necessary. A Bachelor’s degree in social work or
related human services field is preferred or commensurate experience of at least 10 years of
experience working in the human services field.

Interested candidates should email their resume to

Diversity Richmond is an equal opportunity employer.

Diversity Richmond is hiring an Administrative Coordinator

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Published: Thursday, January 19 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

Diversity Richmond
Administrative Coordinator (Part-time)
Starting Hourly Rate: $21.00/hr

Diversity Richmond is seeking a part-time Administrative Coordinator to provide administrative
assistance to our various program initiatives. This position will be responsible for managing our
volunteer program, assisting with managing Diversity Richmond’s emergency financial
assistance program, management of donor databases to include donor management and
communication. This position will also provide support to the management team by providing a
wide variety of administrative duties such as assisting with invoicing, payment of vendors and
budget tracking. The ideal candidate must have excellent communication skills, orally and in
writing, proficient in Excel, PowerPoint and database management as well as experience being
able to update and make changes as needed to our website. In addition, familiarity with RVA’s
LGBTQ+ community and the various partner organizations that support it is a plus.

Interested candidates should email their resume to

Diversity Richmond is an equal opportunity employer.

Calhoun Community Center receives large donation

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Published: Thursday, January 12 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

Iridian Gallery opening January 13th

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Published: Tuesday, January 03 2023

Written by Robyn Bentley

The Iridian Gallery at Diversity Richmond is pleased to announce the opening of SPECTRUM, a new exhibit from artist Dakota Summer Becker and What If, a new exhibit and retrospective from textile artist Robin Ryder on January 13 with a reception from 7-9pm. Light refreshments will be served with a cash bar.

We begin our 2023 calendar of programming with the colorful works of VCU Painting alum Becker, who is also a former gallery committee volunteer. 

Dakota Summer Becker (they/them) is a trans non-binary and autistic Richmond-based artist who specializes in creating hard-edge geometric color-fields with acrylic paint. Their work is an attempt to process their everyday lived experience. Dakota begins paintings as an act of self-regulation when they are feeling overwhelmed. By design, this approach lends itself to a process-oriented painting practice, in which they maintain a holistic mindset while also giving focus and care to individual parts. Small decisions accumulate on the visual surface, shaping the life and character of each painting. Ultimately, Dakota’s painting practice acts as an extension of their inner self; a customized coping tool for their neurodivergence.

Iridian Gallery Steering Committee member, Rob Ryder (he/him) is a trans artist who finds joy in the act of quiltmaking.  This is an interesting turn of events, since he actively shied away from anything that was traditionally viewed as women’s work before his transition. Like his experience of gender,  Rob’s quilts move between categories.  He sometimes makes traditional quilts, but more often his work is improvisational or experimental in both technique and materials used.  All of his quilts begin with some basic materials and the question “what if?” They finish with surface patterns that he draws using his sewing machine and thread to add another layer of expression to the quilt and act as a structural element holding the layers of the quilt together.  As layered objects created through a process of exploration and questioning, they are metaphors for his lived experience.

Ryder is a dedicated Iridian Gallery Steering Committee member whose volunteer work has been critical to our success in recent years. This show will run concurrently with SPECTRUM, a show by painter Dakota Summer Becker. Join us for this event to meet the artist and our gallery team. 

A conversation on LGBTQ senior living options

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Published: Tuesday, December 20 2022

Written by Robyn Bentley

Dreaming Home, A Conversation for LGBTQ+ Elders will be held on Thursday, January 19th from 6pm to 8pm in the Diversity Richmond Event Hall, 1407 Sherwood Ave RVA 23220. Register by January 13th by calling 804.925.2660. Email .

Senior living options and your input on what you want for your own elder home will be discussed. What do elders value most when they dream of "home"?  What senior living options are there and what are some things to consider about the different options?  Which senior living options appeal to you most?  The LeadingAge Virginia Dreaming Home project shares senior living options and allows diverse elders to reflect on which options connect with their values and desires.  Elders that attended recent Dreaming Home workshops shared that they heard options that they had never heard of before!  Are you a 60+ elder and interested in learning more?  Would you like some time to reflect on what you value most about different senior living options? Register today!