October was a busy month for VPM! Each day, we set out to educate, entertain and inspire the members of our community with robust and diverse content. It’s also important that our communities see themselves through the stories we tell. To accomplish these goals, members of the VPM staff engage with communities to meet and collaborate with individuals and organizations that also seek to be a resource to all Virginians.
Below are some highlights of how VPM has served our communities in October.
Events
On Oct. 1, VPM partnered with 12 On Your Side and Chamber RVA to bring audiences live coverage of the Richmond Mayoral Forum. The one-hour debate was held at VPM’s studios in Chesterfield County. VPM’s Angie Miles and 12 On Your Side’s Curt Autry served as moderators.
The next day, VPM hosted a PRSA workshop at 23 Sesame St. on how to engage with Spanish-speaking audiences in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event included a panel discussion, which featured insights from VPM reporter multimedia Keyris Manzanares.
In August, Keyris was named a 2024 ‘Persona de Poder’ by Radio Poder 1380 (WPTK, Richmond’s Spanish radio station). She accepted her award on Oct. 12 in an event that was also part of their Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.
On Oct. 16, VPM hosted an event at its Sesame St. studios called “A Look at 2024 Elections: Local and National.” The event featured several panelists, including the host of RVA’s Got Issues Dr. Rich Meagher, Dr. Bob Holsworth, TV show host & producer Angie Miles and internationally acclaimed VPM journalist Jahd Khalil.
The following day, Sabot School 8th graders visited VPM to learn about some of the exciting new content that VPM is working on. The kids had the chance to visit the TV production studios and use the green screen. They were also able to test out their voices while recording in the radio studios.
Also on Oct. 17, over 200 people celebrated the launch of season two of Life in the Heart Land at an event hosted by co-producers VPM and Staunton-based Deep Structure at The Wayne Theater in Waynesboro.
On Oct. 20, nearly 200 children and their families attended the 3rd annual Children's Festival Down by the Bog at Booker T. Washington Park in Charlottesville.
Speaking Engagements
On Oct. 2, VPM President & CEO Jayme Swain delivered a speech to the Richmond Alumni Newspapers Group on VPM's plans to move downtown and its increased focus on news programming.
On Oct. 9, VPM reporter multimedia Keyris Manzanares was the guest speaker at a University of Richmond event called “Spiders Vote.” Her remarks focused on the work she and the VPM News team do as journalists during election season and voter engagement.
On Oct. 14, Keyris moderated the Spanish Mayoral Forum at T.C. Boushall Middle School. She facilitated a respectful and informative discussion among the candidates on Indigenous and Hispanic issues in Richmond.
Two days later, Keyris participated in a 2024 Elections Panel with Virginia political reporters at the T. Edward Temple Building on campus at VCU. The panel discussed the challenges of covering elections during a time of great disinformation.
On Oct. 23, Angie Miles spoke at the luncheon for the KPMG annual executive assistants event in Short Pump.
The next day, Jayme Swain moderated a conversation with U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia’s 7th district at the University of Virginia Karsh Institute of Democracy. The discussion centered around the role Congress plays in meeting Americans’ needs and how to build trust with citizens.
VPM continues to strive toward connecting with the members of our community to create a more informed and empathetic Commonwealth. If you have any questions about VPM’s work in the community, please contact Mary Arritt, VPM’s Community Engagement Manager.
