From Prison to Progressive Politics - Richard Walker for Delegate
As a formerly incarcerated individual himself, Richard has been instrumental in getting the rights restored of over 10,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians. He has worked to pass fair chance hiring policy in over 20 municipalities, including the Richmond School Board, and ultimately helped influence the signing of Executive Order 41, which banned asking about criminal history on job applications. Working with Flipp, Inc., Richard helped initiate the building of a Green Jobs Technical Workforce Training Center in Dillwyn, VA. In partnership with the Office of Community Wealth Building and Inspire Work Group, Richard has organized solar panel installation training to uplift young people ages 18-24 in rural Buckingham County and the City of Richmond. He has also advocated for broadband in Buckingham and the surrounding counties and successfully worked to get wi-fi access to the community of Union Hill. Richard has a long history of standing up for justice. He is the Founder and CEO of Bridging the Gap in Virginia, a non-profit established in 2009 with the mission to empower ex-offenders, veterans, persons in alcohol and substance abuse recovery, and those impacted by chronic homelessness. Through his work to help individuals overcome obstacles that hinder an effective transition following substance abuse treatment, active military duty, juvenile detention or supervision, and incarceration, Richard has assisted approximately 1,200 Virginians with employment.