Emily McMillen

Emily McMillen is a dedicated educator with fifteen years of experience primarily in urban public schools. She is deeply committed to advocating for equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for all students. Beyond education, Emily is an active and passionate member of the Richmond community, which she has proudly called home for over a decade.

A fervent advocate for pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods and inclusive public spaces, Emily believes that real political change starts at the grassroots level—by encouraging neighbors to connect, engage, and build collective power. Through initiatives like door-to-door outreach and no-cost community events such as the Tiny Porch concert series, neighborhood parades, and community bike tours, she fosters authentic relationships that empower residents to participate more deeply in local decision-making.

Emily’s approach is grounded in the belief that cultivating authentic relationships within neighborhoods lays the foundation for deeper civic engagement. By empowering residents—especially those who may lack the capacity to advocate for themselves—she works to create lasting change that benefits everyone in the community.

Sheba Williams – Founder and Director, Nolef Turns

Sheba Williams was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She is a Norfolk State University alum with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, she has professional licenses in Cosmetology and Barbering, and is a Master Instructor. In 2012, Sheba began working exclusively as a mobile barber stylist, traveling to clients anywhere from DC to NC. Meeting so many people from different walks of life and being actively involved in so many community service projects, Sheba found that more people than she realized had at least one thing in common with her… a felony conviction. Her passion for helping others be more than a conviction led to her founding a nonprofit, Nolef Turns in 2016. The organization was born to be a support system for those impacted by mass incarceration but quickly evolved into a day to day fight for removing the policies and stigmas around a past conviction. Sheba sits on several boards to include Virginia NORML, Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board, Commonwealth Catholic Charities Housing Development Board, Virginia Civic Engagement Table and she is the Henrico NAACP’s Criminal Justice chair. She is the owner of Styles by Sheba, the Institute of Forgiveness and Sheba Williams Consulting. Most importantly, she is a mom of three young adults. 

Resources from the episode:

Upcoming events in Woodland Heights:

• September 21st: Woodland Heights Tiny Porch @ 4-7pm (All details here: https://tinyporchconcerts.org/ Want to get more heavily involved? Click here!) 
• October 19th: Woodland Heights Tiny Porch @4-7pm  (All details here: https://tinyporchconcerts.org/ Want to get more heavily involved? Click here!) 
• October 26th: Southside Spooky Ride @6:30pm (Ride along, contact Emily for details. AND, whether you ride or not, we need you to add your spooky home and/or a spooky story to the map!) 
• November 15th: Southside Neighborhood Marathon Cheer Station at W 21st & Semmes: @7:45isham-11am! Let us know you’re coming and/or how you can get involved by emailing Emily. We need your help and support to keep those marathoners energized at ~the halfway point!
• Woodland Heights Holidays (in a very non-secular way, so we need your input in a help on the planning team!): Date/Time TBD,  Email Carole if you want to get involved, or fill out this Doodle for the first planning meeting (if you read this before the meeting is scheduled)! 
• Want more details or need help filling out a form above? Email me! (Emily)

Virginia Justice Conference: https://www.virginiajusticeconference.com/

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Follow our host and producer on Twitter at @sherishannon27 and @carololson.