Creative resistance

ART OF RESISTANCE: From left, Lexus Walker, Joie Shakur, Nicole Townsend and Maya Avery took part in the Black Mamas Bail Out in May. Photo by Ami Worthen

In Western North Carolina, 2018 held numerous examples of the arts-infused actions aimed at collective liberation.

• On April 20, after weeks of raids on immigrant groups, members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement held a picnic in Hendersonville. A group of 60 protested the gathering accompanied by the loud and upbeat music of the Brass Your Heart brass band to enhance the impact.

• The Asheville Black Mamas Bail Out was part of a series of nationwide actions to raise awareness about the injustice of cash bail, specifically its impact on people of color and people of low income. On May 11, food, flowers and hand-painted banners were set up outside the jail by local members of Southerners on New Ground, showing community support for the women who were freed.

• Also in May, Word on the Street/La Voz de los Jovenes, a bilingual online arts and culture magazine created by and for youth, hosted Creative Voices for Social Justice. The evening featured poetry written in response to paintings by Joseph Pearson of people of color in our community.

• A City Budget Teach-In at City Hall on June 11, coordinated in part by BeLoved Asheville, raised awareness about equity issues with the city of Asheville’s budget. Using artistic signage and provocative costuming — including a giant-headed Mr. Moneybags — the teach-in called for a “People’s Budget.”

Southside Rising for Justice, held at the Arthur R. Edington Center on July 14, showcased the music, food and dance of the historically African-American Southside neighborhood. It was a day of bold resistance to gentrification, providing a platform for community pride channeled toward strategies for social and economic justice.

• The inaugural RAD Fest, Oct. 13 and 14 at The Grey Eagle, broke the mold of the majority of music festivals by primarily featuring female, black, brown, queer and gender-nonconforming artists. The festival raised money for Our VOICE and took intentional steps to create a safe and welcoming space.

• On Dec. 1, the Center for Participatory Change hosted a Gathering of Speakers of Native Languages in Robbinsville. Speakers of Cherokee, Hñähñu, and other native languages from the Americas shared experiences and discussed strategies for language preservation, reclamation and revitalization.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Ami Worthen
Follow me @amiwhoa

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.