Poster-board prophet: Yvonne Libron shares words of encour-agement. Photo by Jay Paul
"The first time I went out? It was Belvidere and Broad, and I had a friend with me. He was encouraging me, and I was like, ‘I can't. I'm scared. What are people going to think? What's going to happen?' I had so many questions, and I was so fearful — so intimidated, so scared, so shy. But as soon as I got that first honk, it was like, ‘Wow, somebody noticed.'
"It took the fear out. That worry — what will people think of me — it went away.
"Whenever I go out there, I initially have that flutter. But after that first honk, or that first vote of confidence, I'm like, this is what I'm supposed to be doing, and I feel good doing it. I feel good seeing people smile.
"I'm very proud of where I'm from. I want Short Pump to come to Mosby Court, and I want Mosby Court to go out to Short Pump. I want it to be: ‘Oh you're from Richmond, too. Just from a different side, but you're here. Thank God, you're here.'
"I've gotten advice, and I love that. I really grow from people's words or experiences. ‘Don't give up' — that's now on one of my signs. It says ‘Smile' on the other [side].
"That little bit of encouragement means a lot. I want everybody in Richmond to get involved. And then I want it to spread.
"You don't have to go to New York and wonder why people are out there selling New York hot dogs. You say, ‘Heck, yeah, I want that.' They take pride in their city.
"We take pride, but it's only to a certain extent. Go all-out. We have potential, we have the talent, we have the culture. That's awesome. That's us."
