FOUNDER OF RENEW RICHMOND JOHN R.F. LEWIS WAS A TRUE SUPERHERO

The Richmond community is hurting right now. The last few days have been brutal. The same day we got the news about the passing of Jo Doja, most of us heard the tragic news about the sudden passing of John R.F. Lewis too.

The world doesn’t make much sense right now.

I really only knew of John. I was blessed to document a few events that he organized. I briefly spoke with him a few times in group settings. The reputation John had and the legacy he leaves is beyond words.

When you’re that dude, you don’t have to go around telling people you’re that dude. That how I observed John Lewis from afar. He was really about that life. He was about service. He was about empowerment. He was about community. He was about teaching people how to fish, not sitting at the table for dinner. The more tributes I read about him and his work, the more I start to understand the heart he had and the challenges he faced in his work. He was a true superhero.

John stood as a champion for nutrition, sustainability, gardening, and food security.

While I don’t have the words to pay tribute to John properly, I will share that his loved ones need your support. There is a donation page to support John’s love ones. I hope you will visit the page and donate.

I will also share John’s TEDxYouth talk from 2015 and a short video from the 2016 George Wythe High School project he worked on.

My heart goes out to those who knew John well. Our community will never be the same. #WESEEIT