A Good BeginningExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 294 / A GOOD BEGINNING
As we step into 2026, there is plenty of reason to feel hopeful about the year ahead. Not because everything feels easy or resolved, but because of the way people in this city continue to show up for one another. Across neighborhoods, sidewalks, kitchens, and creative spaces, Richmonders are quietly building connection where it is needed most. They invite others outside, share food, make room for art, and remind us that community is something we create together.
The three stories below offer just a small reflection of that larger spirit. As the new year begins, these are the kinds of actions that make us optimistic about what comes next, and why Richmond continues to be a place we love to call home.
Disco Bunny
Aaryanna Nijjar-Simmonds, better known as Disco Bunny, believes community can grow when we stop resisting what makes us different and start building with it. During a recent TEDxRVA talk, Disco Bunny posed a simple but radical question: What if, instead of fighting our weirdness, we collaborated with it? That curiosity sparked an idea that challenged how art is usually shared and who gets access to it.
Within months, that idea became the Art Vending Machine, Richmond’s first. The flagship machine began at SCRAP RVA and now a second machine also lives at Gold Lion Community Cafe, bringing accessible local art to multiple corners of the city. Together, the vending machines have featured more than 60 local artists, offering a low-barrier, accessible way for creatives to share their work.
Stocked with zines, prints, stickers, and handmade oddities, the Art Vending Machine uses a screened lottery system to keep participation fair and open. Look closely and you will notice house numbers, a doormat, and a light left on. This is not just a machine. It is a home for Richmond’s creative community.
Alex Na understands that sometimes the best way to create community is through food. New to Richmond in 2025, with a TikTok account, a tasty tiramisu recipe, and a genuine desire to give back, Alex casually offered leftover tiramisu from a birthday celebration last year. What began as a simple gesture quickly sparked something bigger, earning the affectionate nickname the Free Tiramisu Guy. That generosity has grown into a growing network of free tiramisu drops, community potlucks, and gatherings that bring people together while supporting local businesses and causes. Rallying around Alex, Richmond businesses have chipped in to help cover ingredient costs, and a meaningful partnership formed with RVA Community Fridges, with a portion of donations benefiting another local organization doing important work. Most recently, Alex joined forces with RVA Baddies Walk Club for a joyful RVA Baddie-Misu Day, proving once again that community can grow from something as simple as sharing dessert.
It all began with a call for community. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Richmond resident Molly Bish, like many of us, found it hard to reconnect, dust off social skills, and return to meaningful, in-person connection. So Molly did something simple and brave. A public call to action invited Richmond “baddies” to come together, get outside, and walk.
What started as a casual idea quickly grew into something much bigger. From that invitation emerged a steady series of organized walking meetups, now known as RVA Baddies Walk Club. Through these walks, Molly didn't just find community personally. Community was created for others, too.
In 2026, we hope you will step outside and give RVA Baddies Walk Club a try. It is a chance to get fresh air, meet new people, and connect with fellow baddies around Richmond. Whether you are a seasoned walker or simply showing up for the vibes, this is a place to laugh, chat, and belong. Expect an energetic walk, easy conversation, and plenty of moments to meet your future Richmond crew.
A group of Buddhist monks on a months-long Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington, D.C. is expected to pass through the Richmond area in the new year, with many reports suggesting an early February timeframe. Now more than two months into their journey, the monks describe the walk not as a protest, but as a shared practice. They walk to awaken peace within themselves first, allowing it to ripple outward to the families, communities, and people they meet along the way. Through cold weather and hundreds of miles, the monks have been welcomed with meals, quiet gestures, and moments of connection. Walking alongside them is Aloka, a rescue dog who once followed monks as a stray in India and went on to walk more than 100 days by their side. Today, he continues the journey across the U.S., recognized by the heart-shaped marking on his forehead. As the monks continue toward Washington, we will be watching and sharing updates as their journey moves through Virginia in 2026. May the year ahead be met with peace and awareness.
