Community Reparations Commission Last updated or reviewed on April 17, 2025 NOTICES: Advisory Boards: UPDATE, April 17, 2025 The Community Reparations Commission has scheduled a “SPECIAL CALLED” meeting on Monday, April 21, 2025. The meeting is from 6PM – 8PM and is virtual. This meeting will be streamed. Effective immediately, all advisory boards staffed by City employees will remain suspended until further direction following the City Council retreat, in mid-February 2025. We will provide updates as new information becomes available. Please visit the Boards and Commissions homepage for continued updates. As of June 30, 2024, the Community Reparations Commission regular meetings and Impact Focus Area (IFA) meetings have ended. We will update this page with any “Special Called” meetings that take place in the future. Community Reparations Extension and 2025 Meeting Schedule The Reparations Commission was granted an extension of six months by Asheville City Council at the August 2024 Council Meeting. This extension was slated to go through February 2025. However, due to TS Helene all Boards and Commission meetings were suspended. Reparations special meetings will be called starting April 2025 for a period of six months. Mission The members of the Reparations Commission were appointed by Asheville City Council on March 8, 2022, and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on March 15, 2022. The Reparations Commission is empowered to make short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations that will make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism. The task of the Reparations Commission is to issue a report in a timely manner for consideration by the City and other participating community groups for incorporation into their respective short-term and long-term priorities and plans. Follow the Community Reparations Commission’s progress as they work to make short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations to Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Commissioners. You can access the Reparations Project Page at PublicInput.com/avlreparations. Background On July 14, 2020, the Asheville City Council passed a resolution supporting community reparations for Black Asheville. The resolution calls for the city manager to, “establish a process within the next year to develop short, medium and long term recommendations to specifically address the creation of generational wealth and to boost economic mobility and opportunity in the black community.” Definitions of reparations include: ”The action of repairing something” “The making of amends for wrong or injury done” “The making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged” In an effort to repair the harm done by decades of discrimination, the city manager and city staff have recommended a 3 phase process that includes: Information Sharing and Truth-Telling; Formation of a Reparations Commission; and Finalize and Present the Report. Regular Scheduled Meetings The regular meeting schedule is the third Monday at 6:00 p.m. and will be held at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Banquet Hall located at 87 Haywood Road, Asheville (downtown) unless otherwise noted. Members of the public are welcome to attend. All meetings will be streamed on the City’s YouTube Page, Buncombe County’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/buncombeGov, and the City’s Engagement HUB. Have an issue with participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know! Impact Focus Area Meetings As of June 30, 2024, the IFA Focus meetings have ended. The Commission members have completed their charge of creating and voting on recommendations created within their respective IFA’s. The five Impact Focus Area workgroups based on the charge in the City Council’s resolution: Criminal Justice Economic Development Education Health & Wellness Housing The schedule for 2024 is HERE. Please check this page for any changes or updates to the schedule. The work groups were responsible for: Analyzing detailed information on the impact focus area and reporting key findings to the full commission. Each work group will be comprised of fewer than 13 voting members. Commission members may serve on more than one work group. Members As of June 1, 2024 Dewana Little, Chair Bobbette Mays, Vice-Chair Meeting Materials Agenda Documents Recordings April 21, 2025 (special meeting) Meeting Documents April 21, 2025 Recording March 22, 2025 (Retreat) Meeting Documents (Will be posted by March 20, 2025) This meeting will not be recorded. September 30, 2024 (special meeting)Canceled Due to TS Helene Meeting Documents Canceled Due to TS Helene September 30, 2024 Recording August 19, 2024 (special meeting) Meeting Documents August 19, 2024 Recording July 15, 2024 (special meeting) Meeting Documents July 15, 2024 Recording June 17, 2024 Meeting Documents June 17, 2024 Recording June 10, 2024 (special meeting) Meeting Documents June 10, 2024, Recording June 1, 2024 (retreat) Meeting Documents This meeting will not be recorded. May 13, 2024 Meeting Documents May 13, 2024 Recording May 6, 2024 (special meeting) Meeting Documents May 6, 2024 Recording April 22, 2024 Meeting Documents April 22, 2024 Recording April 8, 2024 (special meeting) Meeting Documents April 8, 2024 Recording March 18, 2024 Meeting Documents March 18, 2024 Recording March 11, 2024 (special meeting) Meeting Documents March 11, 2024 Recording February 19, 2024 Meeting Documents February 19, 2024 Recording January 22, 2024 Meeting Documents January 22, 2024 Recording December 4, 2023 Meeting Documents December 4, 2023 Recording November 6, 2023 Meeting Documents November 6, 2023 Recording October 16, 2023 Meeting Documents October 16, 2023 Recording September 18, 2023 Meeting Documents September 18, 2023 Recording August 21, 2023 Meeting Documents August 21, 2023 Recording July 29, 2023 Meeting Documents This meeting is not being recorded. June 12, 2023 Meeting Documents June 12, 2023 Recording May 15, 2023 Meeting Documents May 15, 2023 Recording April 24, 2023 Meeting Documents April 24, 2023 Recording March 20, 2023 Meeting Documents March 20, 2023 Recording February 20, 2023 Meeting Documents February 20, 2023 Recording January 9, 2023 Meeting Documents January 9, 2023 Recording December 5, 2022 Meeting Documents December 5, 2022 Recording November 7, 2022 Meeting Documents November 7, 2022 Recording October 17, 2022 is canceled. September 23, 2022 Agenda Meeting Documents In-person August 15, 2022 Agenda Document Links on Agenda August 15, 2022 Recording July 18, 2022 Agenda Document Links on Agenda July 18, 2022 Recording June 27, 2022 Agenda Document Links on Agenda June 27, 2022 Recording June 6, 2022 Agenda June 6, 2022 Documents June 6, 2022 Recording May 23, 2022 Agenda May 23, 2022 Documents May 23, 2022 Recording April 30, 2022 Agenda April 30, 2022 Documents April 30, 2022 Recording Contact Information Sala Menaya-Merritt, Director of Equity and Inclusion Office: (828) 232-4517 Updated 1/18/24
