During the October 12 City Council meeting, Debra Clark Jones, President of TEQuity, the selected project management firm, outlined next steps in the City of Asheville’s Reparations initiative. Information was shared during the City Manager’s Report to Council. Debra Clark Jones During their September 14 meeting, City Council voted to authorize the City Manager to hire
Asheville City Manager Debra Campbell has appointed veteran City employee Brenda Mills as Interim Equity and Inclusion Director as the City continues its search for a permanent director. In her new role, Mills’ first priority will be to fill all Equity and Inclusion positions and focus on building a cohesive team to strengthen the solid foundation [...]
At their April 27 meeting, Asheville City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance prohibiting discriminatory practices which prohibits discrimination in employment and public accommodations within the City of Asheville based on upon any of the following: race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin [...]
On July 14, 2020, 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 [...]
The Information Sharing and Truth Telling Speaker Series is the first phase of the City of Asheville’s process to deliver community reparations for Black Asheville. The series will include local and national speakers who share information about past policies, present trends and disparities, and future initiatives. The community will have opportunities to participate. Please join [...]
Three years after the inception of the City’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, an internal assessment looks at the work conducted by the department and opportunities for improvement. At their March 9 meeting, Internal Auditor Patricia Rosenberg presented the Equity and Inclusion Assessment findings to Asheville City Council. The assessment began as a request from Black [...]
Work sessions scheduled It’s budget season for the City of Asheville. From March through June, City Council will work with City staff to review budget options, aligning Council and community priorities with available funding. The City’s operating budget must be passed by July 1. The discussions leading up to the final budget happen during budget work sessions, meetings [...]
The City of Asheville is pleased to announce the recipients of Asheville racial healing mini-grants. This is the second year funding has been made available. The City received 29 applications and selected nine. The mini-grants represent a total community investment of $40,000. The following organizations will receive funding: Operation Gateway (Collaborative project: Workforce Development/YMI Cultural Center and [...]
Asheville residents can look upon the new year with optimism. Together, we’ve weathered a pandemic and a vaccine will be available this year. Even so, the City of Asheville’s response to COVID-19 will continue in the new year, in coordination with the state of North Carolina and Buncombe County. Residents can look forward to advances in [...]
From the start, City Manager Debra Campbell said Asheville’s 30/60/90 Day Plan was only the beginning and would serve as a foundation for a more holistic approach to incorporating racial equity into City operations. At the Dec. 8 City Council meeting, she unveiled the next step and it is intended to be a step that [...]
The Office of Equity and Inclusion application for racial healing grants for local nonprofits are now available. This is the second year of funding, and like last year, the grant amount up to $4,999 aims to support existing projects in Asheville that promote racial healing, reconciliation, and/or transformation in Asheville communities. The [...]
By Nia Davis Asheville Office of Equity and Inclusion Did you know November is Native American Heritage Month? Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions of Native people. As we spend everyday on stolen land, let’s reflect on the importance of uplifting [...]
At their Oct. 27 meeting, Asheville City Council adopted a new race and gender-conscious policy. Why have this policy Small businesses are the backbone of the Asheville economy. The vast majority of local employers are small private firms, and many are minority-, women-, and veteran-owned. Strengthening opportunities for small and diverse businesses strengthens [...]
Advancing racial equity and social justice consists of many efforts working in concert with each other to promote larger societal change. This is not a one-off effort, nor the sole work of one department. It’s a team effort that has to be blended into all City of Asheville departments, folded into our mission to provide [...]
Welcome to Hispanic Heritage Month. The celebration of Hispanic Heritage is “marked” from Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. I could go into some more historical information or talk about some of the Latinx greats like Selena, Frida Kahlo, Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, etc. but because Hispanic Heritage should be celebrated every day of the year, I want to use this opportunity to talk about our collective survival. Let me tell you what I mean by that but first, do you know where your food comes from?
As we return to school during these unprecedented times, I can't help but reflect on the life-changing events of 2020. As a young person witnessing history, I think about how this moment will be taught to future generations. I also think about how my generation has been taught about history.
Reparations has long been a hot-button topic that even the mention of it brings impassioned jubilation, overwhelming concern, or somewhere in between. The conversation around reparations isn’t new; in fact the idea of atoning for the sins of slavery has been around since the Civil War.