Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney says he wants residents to give their input on the city’s equity agenda and COVID-19 recovery plan.
Stoney first announced his administration’s economic roadmap during his annual State of the City address.During his weekly press conference today, the mayor reaffirmed his commitment to an inclusive recovery strategy.
“Our equity agenda reflects how we can recover from this pandemic without leaving anyone behind – how we can recover the right way,” Stoney said.
The mayor says this plan will address the racial disparities the pandemic has highlighted in communities of color and lay the groundwork for repairing racial inequality in what Stoney calls the city’s most important era.
“We are serious about this document serving as a foundational guide for the next era of change making right here in the City of Richmond,” he said.
Stoney emphasized that the plan is in a draft stage. Residents can review the administration's outline in its entirety at rva.gov/rvaequity. There, Richmonders can submit comments and suggestions for the administration to review and incorporate before it’s finalized.
Included in the plan is the administration’s vaccination strategy. As of Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Health reports that the number of people who’ve been fully vaccinated has climbed to 497,401. Stoney said he believes the state is moving in the right direction despite vaccine shortages caused by the weather and federal distribution.
“I know there’s a lot of demand out there in the community of those who want shots in their arms, but I ask that they still remain patient, as patient as possible, as we do our best to work through some o the backlog that we may have an ensure that we can get the shot out as quickly as possible,” he said.
Stoney urged residents to continue to wear masks, maintain physical distancing and adhering to the city and state’s health guidelines – which include the 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and gatherings limited to 10 people.
