Interview and photography by Skip Rowland

CC:  [I recently graduated from] John Tyler Community College, Midlothian campus, with a degree in political science. It took me eight years to get that degree. A lot of hard work, though, but it finally did pay off.

From a young age I want to learn about American history and the presidents and historical facts and the growth of American political conservatism in the Republican party back in the 60s going into the 80s, and, mostly Virginia politics.  I met Doug Wilder and George Allen, Jim Gilmore, and Randy Forbes, Bob Beasley, and of course my hero, Lee Ware.

I’ve known Lee Ware since I was a student in Powhatan High School [10 years ago]. I’ve known him for all these years and I’ve come to understand and respect him.  He gives me advice on how to get into the political arena and how he sees politics; and he knows the ins and outs of the General Assembly based on the issues that he votes on. And I did an interview of him one time by the phone when I was in high school for an English report. I explained where he was born and [who his hero was] (Winston Churchill). He’s a great guy. He’s the essence of this county. Whenever there’s a problem he’s always there to help us.

I like to interact with people. I like to see myself one day maybe start running [for office] at the local level.  Board of Supervisors or School Board. Maybe see myself run for maybe Governor, maybe Senator, or maybe one day, maybe Virginia could use another president. But right now I’m just being a citizen politician.  I like to go these meetings and understand how this county operates and functions.

And I’m also involved in my church, ushering and greeting, at Red Lane Baptist Church; and I feed the homeless and I also help on the Virginia Society for Human Life. And there’s one other organization that I’m always committed [to] cause it comes from at my own level and it ain’t got nothing to do with politics but it’s a form of public service and that’s the Special Education Advisory Committee.  That’s the organization that deals with people with disabilities in the public school system and people with autism and how we can share what their struggles are in the school system and can help them achieve their potential and goals. It’s a lot of fun being on that committee. I started going there since 2008 and this is my second year on the committee and I’m just thrilled to be part of it!

[Live anywhere else?] Absolutely not. I mean Richmond, Washington
D.C., they’re great places, right, but I prefer living here, that’s where my friends are. I feel like Powhatan is a great place to live. I feel like where we’re sitting right now, the nature, the woods, everything else that revolves around us, it gives us like a real feel for this community.
I think that Powhatan is a great place to live and work and how you interact with people in the community and the friends that you meet every day. I get a sense of pride and a sense of belonging here in this county.