I am Richmond
on December 2, 2011
Richmond is so much more.
More than any summation. More than what any one person may feel. The truth has more depth than any perception.
Our “I am Richmond” video attempts to illuminate the essence of this great city with intimate imagery and honest commentary.
The diverse faces that comprise a cross-section of this city articulate what Richmond is and, in a profound way, who they are.
But more than the words, it’s the visuals. The faces are a medley of shades and ages and expressions. A kaleidoscope of contemporary life – smiles and frowns and street-corners and parks.
It culminates in the indelible phrase, spoken by the men and women and children who inhabit this time and place: “I am Richmond.”
Indeed they are – you are – along with more than 103,000 others who call Richmond home.
And perhaps we should all draw hope from that. As Henrik Ibsen wrote, “A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.”
7 Comments
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Richmond Confidential
Richmond Confidential is an online news service produced by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism for, and about, the people of Richmond, California. Our goal is to produce professional and engaging journalism that is useful for the citizens of the city.
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This video was edited well, and really captured some of the roughest, hardest, grimiest parts of Richmond as well as the diversity of the people who live here. However, the video failed to show the positive images of what Richmond has to offer such as: the Richmond waterfront and Bay Trail, Point Richmond, The Plunge, Marina Bay, the Ford Building and the Craneway, the renovated City Hall, the rolling hills of El Sobrante and Richmond Heights, the Mediterranean architecture of the North & East, the gardens of Richmond Annex, the new subdivisions such as Anchor Cove, the Anchorage, Metro-Walk and Country Club Vistas at Hilltop, the thriving new shopping districts of 23rd Street, Hilltop, Target Shopping Center, Pacific East Mall and Costco, the Dog Park, the Port of Richmond, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the arts and entertainment such as the East Bay Center for Performing Arts, Richmond Art Center, Cinco De Mayo, Juneteenth, Homefront Festival and more… Unfortunately the words didn’t match the visuals and the viewer is left with the same images often portrayed in the mainstream media; crime, poverty, depression, blight and despair. I am disappointed and expected more from Richmond Confidential.
As part of a family who has lived and grown up in Richmond for 60 years, I agree with the previous post by KJ !
I Am Horrified. Thanks for showing only ghetto stereotypes. Do you really think you are doing any one a favor with this? Or are you trying to firmly cement images of poverty, crime and blight in peoples minds? Could you have possibly taken the time to show there are college educated people who own well maintained homes people here? I think not. Seems to me that we want to stamp out that image and really underscore the “struggling inner city” image. Ok. Fine. But don’t get mad when people don’t think very much of this city, you are the people showing them All The Negative aspects.
Thank you all for taking the time to view, read and respond.
We are all passionate about Richmond, and we appreciate that. In this video, our intent was to showcase a few people and places in a an honest, authentic way. Obviously, there are limits to what we can capture in a short video.
Of course, there will always be differing interpretations, and we respect that and learn from it. Our video could not possibly capture everything that comprises such a large and diverse place. The points about what we should or should not have done are well taken.
We see a Richmond that brims with promise, hope and beauty in all its neighborhoods, from the relatively affluent to those with steeper socioeconomic challenges. The readers, students, residents, etc. who come together to create richmondconfidential.org have consistently strived to be an advocate for and asset to the community of Richmond.
We will soon post another video, a compliment to this one, titled “One Richmond.” It will showcase some of the city’s incomparable physical jewels in what we think is a fresh and appealing way. We hope you enjoy it.
Thank you again for your feedback. The exchange of ideas – especially thoughtful criticism – helps us all to learn.
Best,
Robert Rogers
I am Richmond!
great carnitas!
https://foursquare.com/v/portumex-restaurant/4b985472f964a520313c35e3
great sunsets, too!
https://picasaweb.google.com/114329552280067186896/RichmondMarinaSunset102311#5681788328011939202
Richmond is a Majority of Minorities…with an incredible rich diversity of peoples and landmarks. I think the piece should be renamed: “I Am North Richmond.” I echo the previous remarks of those who feel it only reinforce negative stereotypes of our fair city. If I did not know the author, Richmond Confidential, I would have considered it a “Character Assassination Piece!” timber
This is a good video!!. The editor had done a great job. Thank you for showing good sides of Richmond on the video too. I like that pp still have good attitude about Richmond that Richmond is home, historical, beautiful, great, safer than people think, has a beautiful sunset, has their own basketball team!!!(i copy those words from pp in the video lol) Those are good things about Richmond. And i believe the editor wants to put more good things about Richmond but only 2 minutes. Thank you for your intention and showing that Richmond has many good things and safer to live than pp think!! You are rock, Richmondconfidential Team!!! Love it 🙂