Regie Ford Candidate for Richmond City Council 8th District 2020

“Opportunity knock but, he ain’t call before he came.”

1, 2 Many

Common Sense

One Day It’ll All Make Sense

September 30, 1997

In 2006, I was employed as a Business Collections Specialist for SunTrust Bank at 901 Semmes Avenue. Walking into an elevator at break, I noticed a flyer advertising Toastmasters International. I decided to attend a lunch meeting of the group. I soon became a member of the James River Toastmasters. For those of you who may not know Toastmasters International is a non profit speaking and networking group which teaches speaking and leadership skills to it’s members. In my joining the James River Toastmasters group, I met Regie Ford.

I had several positions with Toastmasters however, the most powerful thing that I learned is my leadership is when I became the Vice President of Public Relations. I also taught Toastmasters Youth Leadership at Lucille Brown Middle School (Richmond Public Schools). Regie Ford would become not only my mentor but, my brother and my friend. Over the years he poured into me and invested in me. Sometimes he had more faith in me then I had in myself. Moving over to a newly formed group the Main Street Motivators Toastmaster (at the SunTrust Building at 9th and Main Street) I met Sandy Sanders (Contributor, Virginia Right) who later became my brother in Christ. Sandy and I followed Regie when he became the President of the Richmond Crusade for Voters. It was at the Richmond Crusade for Voters 2014 Political Forum at Virginia Union University I met Robert Sarvis and James Carr when they were the Libertarian Party Candidates for Governor and Congress. Since 2014, the Libertarian Party of Virginia became my party. In 2016 I became the first Black Communications Chair of the Libertarian Party of Virginia. And in December of 2017, I became the Libertarian Party Candidate for Virginia State Senate District 9 (first black Libertarian Candidate for political office).

Although Regie and I do not see eye to eye on all the platform issues, I know from my close relationship with him over the years that he would serve the 8th District with great honor and distinction. To the constituents of the 8th District, if you want change in your community Regie Ford is your pick. Do not blow your opportunity to make change a reality.