On Wednesday, September 24 at 6:00 p.m., the Virginia Leadership Institute will host a reception honoring three Virginia political leaders who have each played a monumental role in increasing the number of minority elected officials in the Commonwealth. The reception, honoring Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille, Assistant Attorney General Courtney Malveaux, and former Virginia Delegate Winsome Earle Sears, will coincide with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundations Annual Legislative Conference in Washington next week.
The bipartisan Virginia Leadership Institute was founded in 2006 and aims to, by the year 2026, increase the number of black elected officials in Virginia to 500, through providing education and training opportunities; providing mentoring opportunities; and, expanding communication tools and informational resources in the commonwealth.
The roll of Virginias elected officials sorely lacks the ethnic diversity that comprises our great commonwealth and ensures broader representation for all citizens, said VLI founder and chairman Krysta Jones. Our three awardees have worked tirelessly to eliminate barriers for minority candidates of all political stripes and they continue to inspire countless others who aspire to serve in public life. We could not have found a more distinguished roster of leaders to honor during our inaugural awards reception.
Euille is mayor of Alexandria and is the founder, president and chief executive officer of Wm. D. Euille & Associates, Inc. With offices in Alexandria, the firm has more than 30 employees and annual sales in excess of $15 million. Mayor Euille is a major donor to many service and non-profit organizations which serve youth; provide funding for educational and recreational initiatives; and which help promote self-sufficiency for those less fortunate. Through the William D. Euille Foundation, he contributes more than $50,000 for various causes; additionally, the firm Wm. D. Euille & Associates contributes more than $20,000 to the community.
Malveaux is an assistant attorney general in the Office of Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell. As an Adjunct Professor, he has taught Forensic Evidence at the Virginia Commonwealth University, and he now teaches Law Skills at the University of Richmond School of Law. Malveaux served as chairman of the City of Richmond Republican Committee, president of the Richmond Chapter of the Old Dominion Bar Association, and vice chairman of the Board for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Living History and PublicPolicyCenter.
Sears is a former Virginia state delegate who made history by becoming the first black female Republican, and foreign-born citizen, elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. A native of Jamaica and former U.S. Marine, Sears made political shockwaves by unseating a 20-year Democratic incumbent in her pursuit of the House of Delegates.
