Virtual Tour

COMING SOON!

Beloved Community Virtual Bus Tour

Virtually visit the sites along our 5 mile bus tour without ever boarding a bus!

Get an overview of the local racial history of Charlottesville
Learn the unhealed stories from people who grew up here
All with the goal of addressing inequity and creating Beloved Community

In-person bus tours will be offered as soon as it’s safe to get on a bus together

Map of Bus Tour

WHO ARE WE?

We’re a multi-racial group of people who came together around a common mission: to shine the light of truth on our shared history. We’re not professional historians or academics, but rather people who grew up here and want to create a better, more equitable community. Facing painful truths is necessary in order for us to move forward together.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
-- James Baldwin

Meet the team

Bus Tour Docents

DeTeasa Gathers

DeTeasa Gathers is a long-term employee of the University of Virginia and First Baptist Church -West Main, a UVA parent, serves as a Community Activist, a Founding Leader of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA, and is a member of the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers Community Engagement Committee.

Diane Brown-Townes

Diane Brown-Townes, MEd. Community Engagement Educator, Multivocal History Documentarian/Interpreter, Vocational Mentor, Researcher, Writer, Producer. Owns & operates BTE Productions, a professional multimedia service. The sharing and exploration of unfolding Stories. www.dianebrowntownes.com.

Kathy Spaar

Kathy Spaar is a long-time educator and spiritual director. She is involved in social justice work between the white and black church communities, and works to build bridges between the congregations.

Lyall Harris

Lyall Harris is an artist-writer who returned to her home state of Virginia in 2015. Themes in Harris’ work include motherhood, family history, and racial justice; www.lyallharris.com.

Sarah Kelley

Apostle Kelley began in the ministry 35 years ago and is the Pastor/Founder of Faith, Hope and Love International Healing and Deliverance Center, Inc. She also founded the "Another Chance Ministry" and is a retired nurse and computer programmer.

Valerie Washington

Valerie Washington studied Economics at Christopher Newport University before joining the staff at PVCC as an ABE instructor. She also works full time at the Haven as a Case Manager and is pursuing her Master in Urban and Regional Planning at VCU.

Advisory Members

Pat Edwards -- Special Education Teacher, Charlottesville High School (retired); Born in Charlottesville and grew up in the Starr Hill Neighborhood.
Helena Estes-Johnson -- IRB Compliance Coordinator, UVA Health Sciences Research; Born in Charlottesville and attended the Jefferson School.
Charlene Green -- Deputy Director of the Piedmont Housing Alliance; Former Manager of the Office of Human Rights
Gary Sandling -- Vice President of Visitor Programs and Services at Monticello
Jalane Schmidt -- Associate Professor, Depart. of Religious Studies, UVA; Organizer of the local Black Lives Matter movement.
Bernadette Whitsett-Hammond -- Psychologist, Charlottesville City Schools (retired); Member of the Preservers of the Daughters of Zion Cemetery; Native of Charlottesville.

Project Leaders

Elizabeth Shillue, Founder & Director of BCC

Michael Cheuk, Assistant Director of BCC

For Elizabeth's and Michael's bios, please visit our "About Us" page.