Central Virginia’s Remarkable Woman for 2026: Cymone Hall

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Data analyst for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health, entrepreneur and college professor Cymone Hall was on a search for sisterhood.

"I was seeking a place for us," Hall said. "Once I touched down, I was like, 'Where are our people at?' Like, why are we not coming together? Where are the girls?”

The Ohio State Buckeye and Columbus native moved to the River City from North Carolina in 2020, but struggled to find friends as a single mother.

"I used my networking skills to break into the barrier, that is Richmond, because I don't know if a lot of people know, but Richmond is a very tight-knit community, so like if you don't know, you won't know,” Hall said.

She started meeting women at the grocery store and hosted networking events like PowerPoint business events and Fragrance swap parties, which kept growing.

(Photo: Cymone Hall)

"I was like actually physically texting like 25 people, and it was like overwhelming… I was like hey, this is where we are meeting, so this is where we're meeting, oh bring this, bring that,” Hall said.

So in 2023, Hall created Black Girls of RVA (BGRVA) on Facebook as a network to promote businesses, share advice and spread empowerment.

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"People just started to invite people like rapid fire, it was to the point where I was like, 'Oh, we have hundreds of people in the queue and we need help, like we need a team,'” Hall said.

In comes Vernetta Winston-Green, who's part of the Black Girls of RVA Board of Directors' empowerment committee.

"I heard of it from a friend and joined, and it's been completely life-changing," Winston-Green said.

The group’s team of about 15 has a board of directors that runs programming and an advisory board that connects the community to leadership.

“It's just hard, it's hard to make new friends, I'm now at 40," Winston-Green said. "I thought I would never make new friends at 40, but yes, it's just been great."

(Photo: Cymone Hall)

But it’s not always easy, having a group exclusively for Black women can come with challenges and pushback.

"My block list is crazy at this point," Hall said. "We need a space where we can feel connected, where our shared and lived experiences don't have to be over-explained to anybody. We don't have to explain Black culture to another Black woman."

In under two years, Black Girls of RVA amassed 10,000 members and became a 501(c)(3) organization -- a huge accomplishment that led Hall's husband, Jarred Hall, to write a letter touting why his wife is remarkable.

(Photo: Cymone Hall)

"He hears it all -- and he sees it all, and to know it was him who nominated me is a very special time,” Hall said.

Hall balances being a mom of three with her multiple jobs despite a rocky beginning.

"If I don't tell my story, people will just think that I just silver spoon, have it all together, 'Oh, you have a life like The Cosby Show,'" Hall said. "No, like I grew up in craziness, I think one of my first memories was my father chasing my mother with a knife in the apartment to kill her, actually, and I was, like, 3."

Hall feels her raw relatability is the secret sauce to the group's growth, and her team agrees.

"There have been plenty of times where I have just felt like today is just not it for me, but just to get a message from her or a text from her or from inside of the group," Winston-Green said. "She is really inspiring, like I am inspired by her."

Hall hopes to continue to be an inspiration.

"I hope to, you know, show little brown girls that they can do it too,” Hall said.

Hall says her goal for the group's third anniversary is to host a Black girl joy festival in the fall and their first Christmas gala.