Take a Stand: YWCA’s anti-racism campaign continues today

After last night’s kickoff presentation by UNCA Prof. Dwight Mullen, the YWCA’s Stand Against Racism continues today, April 30. Events throughout the day include a 1 p.m. panel discussion lead by WLOS TV anchor Darcel Grimes in Black Mountain, a working tour of the Pisgah View Peace Garden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a Center Diversity Program to help teachers address bullying. See full details below or click here.

According to organizers, Take a Stand is an opportunity for us to stand together and show our commitment to eliminating racism. This day is being commemorated by 70 YWCAs around the U.S. with the intent to have hundreds of thousands of participants in hundreds of sites. In Buncombe County alone we have over 70 participating sites.

ABIPA at 11:30 am at 39 A South Market Street is hosting a showing of the movie about the impact of race and class on health: Unnatural Causes; We will explore the questions: Is inequity making us sick? What are the connections between healthy bodies, healthy bank accounts and skin color? The opening episode travels to Louisville, Kentucky, not to explore whether medical care cures us but to see why we get sick in the first place, and why patterns of health and illness reflect underlying patterns of class and racial inequities.

The UU of Swannanoa Valley is holding a forum from 1:00 pm, at the Lakeview Center Club House in Black Mountain with News anchor Darcel Grimes of WLOS-TV moderating the discussion, following brief presentations by four prominent local leaders: O.L. Sherrill, retired high school principal; Joan Brown, and Carlos Showers, members of the Board of Aldermen; and Jane Hancock, past board member, Building Bridges.

The City of Asheville Participants walk a predetermined route, in groups, through the Eagle/Market Street area of downtown. Each group will use a pedometer to log how far they walked. At the end of the day, a measurement of the number of miles the City of Asheville walked in a “Stand against Racism” will be released. Short video interviews of participants will be posted to City of Asheville websites.

Health Department (Health Partners) 1:30 pm at the Health Department, 35 Woodfin St., second floor conference room. Come learn how racism and poverty are driving health disparities in our own community and across America – and how addressing these issues will improve health for ALL of us. Watch a video of Dr. David Williams, Harvard scholar and a leader in the national health equity. Come hear his inspiring words, connect with other advocates, and learn about health equity/parity efforts in Asheville.

AAUW will hold a brown bag lunch discussion from 11:30am – 1:30pm in the new Pack Park. YWCA of Asheville is hosting a family friendly event in Aston Park at 4:00 pm. The program will feature music by Mad Tea Party and poetry by Celeste Sherer. This is the culminating event for Friday.

Pisgah View Peace Garden at Pisgah View Apartments on Hanover St. in West Asheville. Robert & Lucia White will talk to you about the joys and struggles of building community in a racially maligned community. We invite you to work in our sustainable organic garden/farm from 10 am – 2 pm.

Lightshare is displaying an intergenerational mural created by the Shiloh community at Shiloh Recreational Complex. Residents of all ages who utilize the rec center for social, educational, and health programs have been invited to contribute to this project.

Center for Diversity Education is having a program for teachers on Bullying (sign up required; see their website www.diversityed.org for more info). Training for “Let’s Get Real” with director Debra Chasnoff. The training will be held in Owen Conference Hall at UNC Asheville. Registration fee is $15. Registration and payment deadline is Friday, April 23. Training is eligible for CEU credit.
Building Bridges is inviting parents and teachers from Asheville City Schools to join us in a conversation at the YWCA on 4 Tuesday nights in May from 6:30 to 8:30 pm (sign up by writing kliss@igc.org).

Irene Wortham Center, 32 Compton St. from 10 am to 2 pm will hold events on the main campus in the ELC cafeteria, at the Community Child Care Center and at our Supported Employment office. There will be finger foods and refreshments. Attendees are invited to sign a ‘Stand Against Racism’ poster at each location, share their own experiences/views dealing with racism, and engage in discussion on ways to combat/overcome this issue in our society. Staff members from the Human Resources Dept. will be at the event on our main campus, to answer questions and gather feedback from participants.

Jewish Community Center on Charlotte Street All Day—Take a pledge to stand against racism, and add your name to our banner. Visit the exhibit – Desegregation in Buncombe County (April 19 – May 7). 12:00-12:30 pm—Songs of Freedom & Creation of Interactive Mural with Penny White and the Maccabi Academy and Shalom Preschool. 4:00 pm—Kids Stand Against Racism Shabbat with Penny White and the Just Kids

Buncombe County Department of Human Services on Coxe Ave. is also having an open event during the day, mostly at lunch time, gathering signatures for the pledges. They have cards and buttons available.

MANNA FoodBank will host an informal conversation on racism (627 Swannanoa River Rd at lunchtime). Lunch will be served, and there will be speakers from the Asheville community giving brief talks on racism and its effects on us. RSVP to Michelle Bailey at mbailey@feedingamerica.org by April 28th.

Congregation Beth Israel (229 Murdock Ave.) and the Asheville Jewish community welcome you to engage with the past, present and future of Asheville’s struggles against racism during Stand Against Racism Shabbat on Saturday, May 1. Mr. Marvin Chambers, now retired engineer, was a member of the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE) during the desegregation of Asheville schools in the early 1960’s and will speak of that turbulent and momentous time. Ms. Jacquelyn Hallum, board member of Asheville City Schools, and currently the Diversity Officer for MAHEC, will address present and future efforts to bridge the divides of experience and perspective in the matter of race in our city of Asheville. In addition to speaking during the section of our service devoted to reading from the Torah, Ms. Hallum and Mr. Chambers will field questions in an open discussion during the kiddush luncheon that follows the service. All are welcome. The morning service begins at 9:15 am, the Torah service at 10:15.