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City of Williamsburg swearing-in ceremony on July 1, 2016.
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Participating in a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s first Habitat for Humanity home to be built.
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Aspiring lawyer, newlywed and Williamsburg advocate, Benming “Benny” Zhang, 25, is well-known for being the youngest person in history elected to the Williamsburg City Council—not to mention, the first of Chinese descent.
The well-spoken and highly motivated William & Mary Law School student was sworn in July 1, 2016 at age 21. But anyone who knows Zhang wouldn’t be surprised. He’s always had a passion for community service bettering the lives of those around him. As he finishes up his final semester of law school, Zhang looks forward to joining the law firm of Kaufman & Canoles.
Though this article details Zhang’s perfect day, he may argue that his perfect day was in fact February 22–the day he married his law school sweetheart Kelsey.
Early Riser
Between civic responsibilities, monthly “open door” coffee hours at Aroma’s Café, classes and a new marriage, Zhang is a busy guy. In order to have time for himself, he likes to wake up at 6 a.m.
“I know that sounds crazy, but I really like the idea of having quiet, early mornings to get some stuff done—read the news, study and catch up on work,” he said.
Next, he makes coffee, but makes sure there’s plenty left for his wife.
“She absolutely needs coffee,” he laughs. “We both do. Whether it’s coffee from new local business Column 15 or Starbuck’s, we like to try a lot of different blends.”
Zhang then makes breakfast for the two of them, maybe the traditional scrambled eggs and bacon or something a little more unexpected like a grilled cheese.
Midday
After breakfast, Zhang walks to class. The leisurely one-and-a-half-mile stroll down Jamestown Road takes 15 to 20 minutes.
“It’s great exercise, but I also love soaking in the beautiful character of the town,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay here in Williamsburg after graduation.”
After spending a few hours in class or in court with a supervising attorney, Zhang visits Aroma’s for lunch. His go-to is a black coffee and curry chicken salad sandwich. Depending on the day, he may opt for a berry smoothie.
“We love Aroma’s,” said Zhang. “It’s where we had our first date.”
Finishing up the day
After a busy day, Zhang returns home where he and Kelsey start homework and catch up with family members by FaceTime.
“We are kind of homebodies,” he laughed.
They often cook dinner together, but when too busy they’ll order in from Sal’s by Victor. If they go out, Zhang stops in Amber Ox or takes Kelsey to her favorite restaurant, The Fat Canary.
To wind down, Zhang and his wife read together in bed and spend time with their pets, a 5-year-old tabby named Dianna Squeegles, and Sampson, a 5-month-old black, long-haired kitten—both adopted from the Heritage Humane Society.
“We like to do things together,” said Zhang. “Spending quality time together is so important.”