Facebook Cerina Fairfax, the wife of Justin Fairfax
Cerina Fairfax, the wife of Justin Fairfax, the lieutenant governor of Virginia, runs a family dental practice.
Justin Fairfax would become governor if current Virginia Governor Ralph Northam heeded calls from some to resign. Northam is embroiled in controversy after admitting – and then denying – that he was one of the men featured in a racist yearbook picture from 1984. Justin Fairfax would become Virginia’s second black governor in Virginia history. That would make Cerina Fairfax the First Lady of Virginia.
However, the situation took a new turn when an old sexual assault accusation against Fairfax emerged. You can read more about the first accuser here. Fairfax denied it:
However, by February 8, 2019, a second woman had accused Justin Fairfax of raping her when he was a Duke University student – an accusation he also denied – and there were calls for his own resignation. You can read about the second accuser here.
That has all eyes on Justin Fairfax, 39, a Democrat, and his wife.
Here’s what you need to know about Cerina Fairfax:
1. Fairfax’s Wife Has a Dentistry Degree & Justin Says She’s ‘Brilliant’
Inauguration 1 Year Ago Today! So honored to serve all 8.5 million Virginians as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth. We’ve already accomplished so much, and the best is yet to come! #WeRiseTogether
Justin Fairfax’s website says that his wife is named Dr. Cerina W. Fairfax, DDS, and she “is a graduate of the VCU School of Dentistry in Richmond, VA and of Duke University.”
Cerina Fairfax’s dental practice website bio reads, “Dr. Fairfax earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Duke University in 1999.”
Justin Fairfax praised his wife as “brilliant” on Twitter.
HUGE NEWS!! My brilliant wife Dr. Cerina W. Fairfax, DDS is the 2015 @VCU Dental School Alumnus of the Decade!! #VCU http://t.co/a4SzvNhLvL
Cerina’s website bio continues: “She then went on to obtain her Doctorate of Dental Surgery, graduating Magna Cum Laude from VCU’s Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry in 2005 and was inducted as a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, a dental honor society. She went on to complete a one-year residency program in Advanced Education in General Dentistry also at MCV. Dr. Fairfax enjoys all fields of dentistry. She has completed hundreds of hours of continuing education focusing on conservative, comprehensive dentistry.”
2. Cerina Fairfax Runs a Family Dental Business That She Owns With Her Husband
Cerina Fairfax runs a family dental practice, Justin’s website says. The couple co-owns the business. In 2017, WAVY reported that they’d had the business for a decade.
The practice is located in Fairfax, Virginia.
“Dr. Fairfax considers it an honor and a privilege to serve the community members of Fairfax Virginia,” the bio reads. “She is committed to serving not only her patients, but others as well through participation in community outreach programs, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, vocational training programs, and contributions to local charities and nonprofits intended to aid individuals and/or organizations helping those in need.”
3. Cerina & Justin Fairfax Have Two Children & She’s a Yoga Fan
The couple has two children – a son, Cameron, and a daughter, Carys, according to Justin’s website.
On her dental practice website, Cerina’s bio says she “loves to read, run trails with her energetic Vizslas, practice Bikram yoga, travel, and spend time with her wonderful family.”
According to her bio, “Dr. Fairfax is a member of the American Dental Association, the Virginia Dental Association, the Northern Virginia Dental Society, and the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Society. Dr. Fairfax also recently received an Alumni Association Award from VCU as an Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade.”
4. Justin Fairfax Frequently Posts About His Family on Social Media
Justin Fairfax regularly posts photos of his wife and children. For example, he recently posted a photo of himself snowboarding with the kids. “The Fairfax Family is snowboarding at Massanutten! Paging the Senator from Rockingham, Senator Mark Obenshain! #LoveTheCommonwealth #WeRiseTogether,” he wrote with that photo on Facebook.
He also posted a photo of his wife with Northam’s wife and wrote, “I took this picture tonight of the First Lady and Second Lady of Virginia. Governor Ralph Northam & I married WAY up! #WeRiseTogether — in Richmond, Virginia.”
Other photos show him with his wife at events.
5. Justin Fairfax Is the Descendant of a Freed Virginia Slave Named Simon Fairfax
History repeats itself. I will be stepping off the dais today in protest of the Virginia Senate honoring Robert E. Lee. I’ll be thinking of this June 5, 1798 manumission document that freed my great-great-great grandfather Simon Fairfax from slavery in Virginia. #WeRiseTogether
In a tweet on January 18, 2019, Fairfax revealed, “History repeats itself. I will be stepping off the dais today in protest of the Virginia Senate honoring Robert E. Lee. I’ll be thinking of this June 5, 1798 manumission document that freed my great-great-great grandfather Simon Fairfax from slavery in Virginia. #WeRiseTogether.” According to The Root, the Virginia State Senate has traditionally honored Lee and Stonewall Jackson near their birthdays.
Fairfax “literally took his oath of office with his three-greats-ago grandfather’s Freedom papers in his pocket,” The Root reported. Fairfax talked about that moment with NBC12. He told the television station that his father gave him the papers right before he took the oath of office.
“It was the manumission papers for my three-greats-ago grandfather Simon Fairfax in 1798, and he was freed by the Ninth Lord Fairfax,” Fairfax said to the station. “And so, as I raised my right hand to take the oath of office as lieutenant governor of Virginia, I had in my breast pocket the papers that freed my three-greats-ago grandfather.”
The Fairfax Family is snowboarding at Massanutten! Paging the Senator from Rockingham, Senator @MarkObenshain! #LoveTheCommonwealth #WeRiseTogether
Justin Fairfax was elected lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia on November 7, 2017. “Justin is only the second African-American in history, and the first in nearly 30 years since the tenure of Governor L. Douglas Wilder, to be elected to statewide office in Virginia. His Inauguration took place on January 13, 2018,” his website says.
“You know, it’s a really powerful thing, in a lot of ways,” Fairfax said to NBC12. “I think it represents the progress we as Virginians have been able to make.”
Justin Fairfax is an attorney. He was previously an assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he served in the Major Crimes and Narcotics Unit in Alexandria.