SPOTLIGHT RACE: Kimberly Pope Adams for VA-HD82
I grew up in the “Five Forks” area of Hopewell, and always looked forward to the annual pastimes of the Tri-Cities. Each September I would attend the “Hooray for Hopewell” festival outside the Appomattox Public Library. For Halloween, my older sisters would take me “Trick-or-Treating” inside Petersburg’s Walnut Mall (People’s Drug Store passed out the best candy!).
In Prince George County, our family would load into the van to attend the “Heritage Fair” at Flowerdew Hundred. I will always remember the excitement of “docking the ferry” in Surry County, for a scenic trip to Jamestown.
Most of my childhood was spent in a single-parent home. I was a latchkey kid at the age of 7, because after-school daycare was a luxury my mom could not afford. Evenings were usually spent eating dinner on TV trays while watching the 6 o’clock news. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.
I am the youngest of three daughters, born and raised in Hopewell. My daddy was a union worker at a local chemical plant, and my mom was the neighborhood Crossing Guard. Although my parents divorced when I was young, they both stressed the importance of education. They told me a public school diploma could take me anywhere, and they were right. With hard work and perseverance, I earned my high school diploma and scholarships to attend Virginia Tech.
After graduating Virginia Tech in 2005, I briefly worked at a local CPA firm. Less than one year later, intrigued by how our tax dollars are spent, I became an Auditor for the Commonwealth of Virginia. With no regrets, I have been a public servant ever since.
As an Auditor, Accountant, Assistant Director and Director, my job has always been to do the work, and do it right. That is part of what makes this campaign unique – we’re bringing a real accountant to do some auditing in Richmond!
https://kimberlypopeadams.com/