UPCOMING EVENTS
08/24/15 HEALTH CARE PARITY: BENDING THE ARC FOR EQUITY IN BUNCOMBE
This exhibit is based on attempts of Asheville physician Dr. Charles Blair to enhance awareness of and address health disparities affecting primarily African Americans. The exhibition also is based on a non-empirical study of Sharon Kelly West, RN on “Access and Availability of Health Care For African Americans of Buncombe County 1890-1960″. Admission is free. Location is the YMI Cultural Center at 39 South Market Street in Asheville. This exhibit goes until 08/28/15 and the YMI Cultural Center is open during regular business hours.
08/24/15 THE SPIRIT OF HIROSHIMA 1945 COMMEMORATIVE EXHIBIT
NC Peace Action is sponsoring a display of posters on the Hiroshima bombings in 1945 at First Congregational Church in Asheville, located on Oak Avenue in downtown Asheville. This will be up until 08/30/15.
08/24/15 SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
This will be from 6 to 8 PM and location is Open Space AVL at 285 Haywood Road in Asheville. Asheville SURJ is seeking impassioned individuals to help begin a conversation on how to hold ourselves accountable while organizing for racial justice. By brainstorming together, we hope to develop action steps focused on engaging more white folks in racial justice while building collaborative, multiracial relationships. All are welcome. This is a Facebook event, no contact information given.
08/25/15 ‘REVISIONING HISTORY’ BOOK GROUP AT FIRESTORM CAFE & BOOKS
This discussion group focuses on books that challenge or expand on dominant historical narratives and research methodologies. Together, we investigate -- and question -- the common idea that history is merely the objective presentation of facts, and explore the ways in which ideology plays a role in how history is interpreted, transmitted, and culturally/academically institutionalized. The first discussion group selection is “The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism” (Winner of the 2015 Avery O. Craven OAH Award, Winner of the 2015 Hillman Prize for Book Journalism) by Edward Baptist. Because the book is relatively long and dense, we will focus on the first half (up to Chapter 7 / page 215) for August and the second half for September. Folks are encouraged to come prepared with questions and talking points! Time is 7 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books in west Asheville.
08/25/15 CELEBRATE SOLAR SOIREE
There is a lot to celebrate around solar successes in North Carolina. We can't wait to share these stories with you. Join Self-Help, FLS Energy, Clean Energy for WNC, NC Interfaith Power & Light, and RiverLink for a happy hour-style reception and networking soiree. You'll hear stories, learn a bit about the state of solar in NC and be asked to share what we can do together to build an affordable solar society that's accessible to all. Light refreshments and beverages will be served. Time is 5:30 to 7:30 PM and location is Lenoir-Rhyne University Asheville at 36 Montford Ave, 2nd floor, in Asheville. RSVP at this link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrate-solar-soiree-tickets-17985841135
08/25/15 WNC 4 PEACE MEETING
The next meeting of this planning group for the International Day of Peace will be Tuesday, August 25, at 6 PM at the North Asheville Community Center. For more information, contact Rachael at rachael_bliss@yahoo.com.
08/25/15 PRESENTATION AT WEAVERVILLE LIBRARY
“First Lady Feminists” will be presented at 7 PM at Weaverville Public Library at 41 North Main Street in Weaverville. Call library for more information.
08/25/15 SWANNANOA LIBRARY PRESENTATION
“The Science and Theology of Climate Change” will be presented at 6:30 PM at Swannanoa Public Library at 101 West Charleston Street in Swannanoa. Call library for more information.
08/26/15 GREEN DRINKS
Bill Ramsey will inform us of the extent of the US drone warfare program. He will address how decisions are made to target people in several countries. He will describe the impact on targeted populations. He will inform us of the international response challenging the legality and consideration of criminal charges against the US. Bill Ramsey is a longstanding activist for peace and justice issues. He previously worked for the American Friends Service Committee. He is a graduate of Highpoint College and Duke Divinity School, and he lives in Madison County. Socializing at 5:30 PM and presentation from 6 – 7 PM. Location is The Green Sage (Downtown) 5 Broadway St. in Asheville.
08/26/15 OTHER WORLDS ARE POSSIBLE BOOK GROUP AT FIRESTORM
This discussion group focuses on science fiction, speculative fiction and fantasy literature with a feminist, social justice and/or "radical" theme. We'll read a book each month and discuss both the vision presented by the author and how the book contributes to our understanding of our present moment. We'll start with “Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements,” an anthology of short stories by various authors that explore the connections between radical speculative fiction and movements for social change. Folks are encouraged to read the whole book, but anyone should feel welcome to attend. Time is 7 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books in west Asheville. For more information, contact Firestorm Cafe.
08/27/15 BIOENERGY FIELD DAY
Please join us on August 27 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station located in Mills River, NC for the 2015 Bioenergy Field Day. Lunch is on us and we look forward to seeing you! This Field Day is designed to provide a time for researchers to share the latest information of the work being conducted on energy crops in Western NC. Tours of the research plots and processing equipment demonstrations will help growers, researchers, and industry leaders learn how we are working to meet the state's renewable energy goals. Researchers from NCSU, Appalachian State, and local NGOs will discuss biomass crop production and the conversion of these crops into bioenergy. A complimentary lunch will be provided therefore, registration is required by August 21st, 2015. The NC Sustainable Energy Association is the organizer of this event. For more information and to register, contact Allison at allison.medlin@ncagr.gov.
08/27/15 ANNIVERSARY OF THE KELLOGG-BRIAND PACT
08/28/15 REMEMBRANCE OF EMMETT TILL’S MURDER
Wear Black and White on July 25 (Emmett Till's 74th Birthday) and August 28. A Time For Unity In Black And White: Please join us again! Let's Remember Emmett Till and those who have lost their lives #CharlestonNine #TrayvonMartin #JordanDavis #OscarGrant #RenishaMcBride #EricGarner #MikeBrown #RekiyaBoyd #SeanBell #StephenBiko and so many others to hate, violence and racism in the US and in other parts of the world. How? Please Wear black and white attire/clothing items on July 25 and August 28 (the day Emmett Till was murdered in 1955, 60 years ago). This is a silent but powerful way to show that we will never forget.
08/28/15 ASHEVILLE TIMEBANK KICK OFF
Friday, August 28, at 6 PM, Asheville TimeBank kicks off with a potluck and orientation open to all. Location is the Friendship Hall at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Share your talents, exchange services outside the cash economy. Please bring a potluck dish and a laptop if you have one in order to access the web-based software for orientation. Voluntary donation. Contact help@ashevilletimebank.org or call 828-348-0674 for more information, including how to access an application for the TimeBank.
08/28/15 JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE MEETING
This meeting will be at 3:15 PM at Brooks-Howell Home on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Meet in the media room. Contact Susan at suchi1025@bellsouth.net for more information.
08/28/15 HELPING OTHERS CONVERSATION SERIES
Please join us for our latest project, The Helping Others Conversation Series, an event consisting of an monthly interview that will be taped and uploaded to YouTube and Vimeo. We will focus on who and how things happen in Asheville. The first organization to be interviewed will be BeLoved House. Please join us at The Sly Grog Lounge at the Downtown Market at 45 South French Broad Street in downtown Asheville. for our first monthly interview. We'll get to hear all about how BeLoved House began, it's history, accomplishments to date, and what their future plans are and what they really need to better sustain themselves and how they are funded. Doors open at 5:30 PM with drinks to purchase as well as small foods to munch on. Event begins at 7 PM. $10 suggested donation, with money going to the selected charity after expenses. This was a facebook event.
08/29/15 TRAINING SESSION FOR EXHIBIT ON AMERICANS WHO TELL THE TRUTH
This will be from 10 AM to noon at the YMI Cultural Center on South Market Street in Asheville. ‘Americans Who Tell The Truth’ (AWTT) exhibit is in need of volunteers. Now - thanks to our generous community - that all our portraits are sponsored, we are moving on to the next stage of organizing for the AWTT exhibit. Mountain People’s Assembly is in SERIOUS need of volunteers for staffing the ‘Americans Who Tell The Truth’ exhibit that will run from September 19 through November 7 at the YMI. We have over 100 slots that need to be filled for the duration of the 7-week exhibition. A training session for docents and greeters will be held on Saturday, August 29 from 10 AM to noon at YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market St. in downtown Asheville. In addition, volunteers are needed to staff and help with unpacking and mounting portraits, set-up for the opening gala on September 19, repacking portraits for shipping when the exhibit is over, van transportation for pickup and return of display partitions and other items. Please help us make this inspiring exhibit a success for our community! We assure you it will be an experience like no other. For more information or to sign up, contact Carmen Ramos-Kennedy at 828-423-6476.
08/29/15 JUST PEACE IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE VIGIL FOR CHILD CASUALTIES
Please note that our vigil with a focus on the child casualties during Operation Protective Edge last summer. This will be held from 11 to 12:30 at Vance Monument. Contact Suchi at suchi1025@bellsouth.net for more information and to confirm location.
08/29/15 AMERICA’S JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE COMES TO NC
From August 1 to September 16, America’s Journey for Justice–an historic 860-mile march from Selma, Alabama, to Washington, D.C.–will mobilize activists and advance a focused national advocacy agenda that protects the right of every American to a fair criminal justice system, uncorrupted and unfettered access to the ballot box, sustainable jobs with a living wage, and equitable public education. We will march through North Carolina from August 29th to September 7th and follow a 206 mile route. Each state along the route has an issue focus from the national advocacy agenda. North Carolina is the national battleground for voting rights and so, appropriately, voting rights is our focus. There will be a Voting Rights teach-in on July 31st, the same day that our redistricting lawsuit kicks off in North Carolina's Supreme Court, and a Voting Rights Rally on September 3rd. Voting Rights is the link between all social justice issues. There will also be other issue-based teach-ins along the march route that the public is welcome to join. Contact NAACP for more information.
09/01/15 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL LECTURE SERIES
“Reconnecting with Cuba,” a lecture by journalist and historian Jon Elliston, will kick off the fall World Affairs Council lecture series, at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. Elliston will discuss the recently restored diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, which were severed during the Cold War, along with the ongoing disputes between the two governments and the possibilities of further reconciliation. Elliston, a frequent traveler to Cuba, currently serves as the investigations and open-government editor at Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit news service that covers Western North Carolina, and as senior editor at WNC magazine. The lectures are sponsored by the WNC chapter of the World Affairs Council, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNC Asheville, and the university's Department of Political Science. Admission to World Affairs Council presentations at UNC Asheville is $10 for the public; free to members of the World Affairs Council and UNC Asheville students. For more information call 828.251.6140.
09/01/15 CONNECTION PRACTICE
Tuesday, September 1, 6:30pm, West Asheville Library: A Taste of the Connection Practice. Communicating feelings and needs connects us more deeply at the heart level, and can help resolve conflicts. Free. Contact Cathy at cathyfholt@gmail.com for more information.
09/02/15 SIERRA CLUB MEETING AND GREEN DRINKS
Sierra Club meeting on French Broad River Odyssey by Dr. Chris Lechner. Location is Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, (corner of Charlotte & Edwin). Time is 7 PM. Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.
09/03/15 MAKING AN IMPACT THROUGH INVESTMENTS TALK
Bold Moves: Making an Impact through Investments - Krull & Company and Mountain BizWorks are co-hosting an event with speakers from Patagonia and Green Century Capital Management. The information from Green Century will be about socially responsible investing, focusing on a fossil fuel free fund options (so both socially & environmentally responsible investing). It will be at Kittredge Theatre on Warren Wilson’s campus. The talk is free, but it is limited to 300 participants so RSVPs are required. To RSVP or find out more about this event, please contact Kerry at kkeihn@krullandcompany.com.
09/03/15 STARTING THE CONVERSATION: STUDENT PANEL
“Starting the Conversation” is an interdisciplinary discussion series on race at UNC Asheville intended to foster in-depth discussions about race between students and faculty. Free and open to the public. Time is 11:50 AM to 1 PM, and location is Karpen Hall 139 at UNCA. Contact Anne Jansen at ajansen@unca.edu or 828-251-6582.
09/09/15 GREEN DRINKS
Interested in making your home greener, but frustrated because you don’t have thousands to spend for a major renovation? This discussion focuses on ways that homeowners on a tight budget can change how they operate their homes to achieve significant energy savings. We will also discuss inexpensive upgrades that make easy do-it-yourself projects. Amy Musser will speak, and she is co-founder and principal of VandeMusser Design, PLLC, founded in 2002. Socializing at 5:30 and presentation is at 6 PM. Location is The Green Sage at 5 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville.
09/09/15 JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE MEETING
This meeting will be at 9:30 AM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church at 117 Montreat Road in Black Mountain. Contact Susan at suchi1025@bellsouth.net for more information.
09/10/15 BUILDING BRIDGES
Building Bridges is starting a new seminar on the dynamics of racism and how it has impacted our relationships, institutions and community. The session runs from September 10 to November 5 from 7-9pm at AB Tech and costs $35. This is an outstanding opportunity to learn together how to improve our interactions. Registration is now open. For more information call 828 -777-4585.
09/10/15 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE OF WNC GENERAL MEETING
Time is 5:30 to 7 PM, and location is the First Baptist Church of Asheville at 5 Oak Street in downtown Asheville. Information came from their website.
09/12/15 CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING
Citizens Climate Lobby meets on 9-12-15 from 12:30-3 PM at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. We are advocating for a Carbon Fee & Dividend, which would impose a fee on fossil fuels at point entry; this fee will be refunded to individuals and families. There is bipartisan support in Congress as this will create jobs and help grow the economy, boosting renewables.For more information, contact asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org.
09/12/15 HENDERSON COUNTY BIG SWEEP (CLEAN UP)
Sign up for the Henderson County Big sweep, hosted by MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Office. Henderson County Big Sweep is a county-wide litter cleanup program that brings citizens and community organizations together to clear trash from their waterways. Anyone can join in the fun by registering with friends and family or by joining an existing team. Teams will hold cleanups between 9 AM - 3 PM in streams throughout the county. For more information or to volunteer for Henderson County Big Sweep with MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Office, contact Evan Parker, Water Quality Administrator, at (828) 692-0385 ext 1001.
09/16/15 GREEN DRINKS
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All” which aims to highlight the importance of all segments of society to work together to strive for peace. For our Asheville Green Drinks presentation, WNC 4 Peace will discuss what we have planned for International Day of Peace in Asheville and Black Mountain, and will discuss the many faceted diamond of peace, from inner peace to world peace. Socializing at 5:30 PM and presentation from 6 – 7 PM. Location is The Green Sage (Downtown) 5 Broadway St. in Asheville.
09/19/15 AMERICANS WHO TELL THE TRUTH EXHIBIT
Saturday, September 19 at 6 PM the exhibit at YMI (39 S. Market St.) called “Americans Who Tell the Truth” will open. Rev. William Barber of Moral Monday fame will speak as his portrait is unveiled September 19th for the first time as a new addition to other heroes on display for the “Americans Who Tell the Truth” exhibit. Mountain People's Assembly is hosting this event with YMI. This is a ticketed event, tickets start at $25. Go to YMI webpage for more information.
09/19/15 AND 09/20/15 HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE IN GREENVILLE SC
Carolina Human Rights OrgaNizing Conference (or CHRONIC) will hold a several day conference primarily on the issue of race relations on September 19-20, 2015 in Greenville, SC. See www.chronic2015.weebly.com for details.
09/20/15 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE EVENTS
Special fun and educational events in Asheville and Black Mountain will take place on Sunday, September 20. WNC4 Peace will be collaborating with UNCA Student Government Association to celebrate peace in the Quad Sunday afternoon while in Black Mountain, Dobra Tea on Broadway will be celebrating Tea for Peace. Music and information about peace will be in abundance as some 30 groups set up tables to educate participants.
09/21/15 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE MARCH AND RALLY
On Monday, September 21, at noon WNC 4 Peace hosts a March for Peace downtown, with the meeting place in front of the St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville.. We will march to the Peace Pole in front of Asheville City Hall, where participants will observe a moment of silence. Asheville bells will be rung all around town, peace activist and performer David LaMotte and Rhoda Weaver plan to sing with people of diverse beliefs gathered to explore the spirit of peace in a troubled world, while white doves are released to send our message out into the universe. Attendees will also be invited to participate in Dances for Universal Peace. For more information, call Rachael at 828-378-0125.
09/23/15 GREEN DRINKS
This legislative session has been jam-packed with moves to roll back environmental protections, hinder renewable energy, slash funding for open space protections and more. But it’s not all bad news. Many of our WNC legislators have stood against these shenanigans and are attempting to forward legislation to protect our communities’ natural resources. We’ll get you caught up on environmental outcomes of this legislative session, priorities between sessions and next year, and how you can get involved in holding our lawmakers accountable to the public they serve. Socializing at 5:30 and presentation is at 6 PM. Location is The Green Sage at 5 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville.
09/24/15 LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP BY MOUNTAIN TRUE IN HENDERSONVILLE
This legislative session has been jam-packed with moves to roll back environmental protections, hinder renewable energy, slash funding for open space protections and more. But it’s not all bad news. Many of our WNC legislators have stood against these shenanigans and are attempting to forward legislation to protect our communities’ natural resources. We’ll get you caught up on environmental outcomes of this legislative session, priorities between sessions and next year, and how you can get involved in holding our lawmakers accountable to the public they serve. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is Biz 611 at 611 North Church Street in Hendersonville, which is the MountainTrue office. For any questions and to RSVP, please contact Joan at Joan@Mountaintrue.org, 828-575-6268 ext. 205.
09/24/15 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE OF WNC DINNER AND EVENT
“Caring for Our Common Home: Responding to the Pope’s call for action” is the theme for this event. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is St. Eugene’s Catholic Church at 72 Culvern Street in Asheville. Join with others to be inspired by the words of the Pope’s Encyclical and watch Pope Francis’ address to Congress. Light dinner included. Discuss what the Pope’s message means to the world and commit to one behavioral change to better care for God’s Creation. Sponsored by the Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina. Information came from their website.
09/24/15 ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES SUMMIT
The main speaker talks about how to build compassionate communities for our children, and one of the critical breakout sessions is “The First 2000 Days”. If we can expose them to compassion and alternatives to violence early, anything is possible! $199 for entire conference and you can just register for parts. Dates are 09/24/15 to 09/26/15 and location is Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville. Contact Robyn at forrestwife@yahoo.com for more information including how to register. This is sponsored by MAHEC.
09/24/15 to 09/27/15 SOUTHEAST GE TREES ACTION CAMP
Global Justice Ecology Project and the Campaign to STOP GE Trees Presents: The Southeast GE Trees Action Camp. This is a Dogwood Alliance Partner Event. The US South is ground zero for GE trees, and now more than ever, we need to come together to save native forests and stop GE trees. Join for four days of training to take action to prevent the release of GE trees. Participants of the action camp will be given an overview of the current state of GE trees, with a focus on the US South, as well as training in organizing, direct action, blockades, our rights as protestors, how to use media and art in protests, among other critical topics. The goal of the training is for the immediate and direct use of skills and knowledge gained at the action camp in protests and organizing against GE trees. Application deadline is 09/02/15. Please contact Ruddy at Ruddy@globaljusticeecology.org for more information including where to go register.
09/29/15 POVERTY SIMULATION BY JUST ECONOMICS
CJJ Sponsored Poverty Simulation: The Difficulty of Living on Minimum Wage in WNC. Join Just Economics in a poverty simulation that will provide the community an opportunity to learn first-hand how difficult it is to live on a minimum wage salary in WNC. The cost is $10. Participation will be limited to the first 45 registrants. Time is 4 to 6 PM and location is the Edington Education & Career Center at 133 Livingston Street in Asheville. For more information or to register, contact Judy Leavitt at judleavitt76@gmail.com.
09/30/15 GREEN DRINKS
Curious about solar energy? Want to know your options for switching over to solar? Join Asheville Green Drinks in meeting Erika Schneider, director of communications at Sundance Power Systems and Bill Maloney, the Solar Panels Project Coordinator at St. Eugene Catholic Church. Erika will help clarify the difference with the direct purchase, finance or lease options for your future or dream solar installation. As legislation can vary between states, she will also touch on current legislation surrounding solar energy in NC. St. Eugene Catholic Church in Asheville is installing over 100 Solar Panels this September to coincide with the visit of Pope Francis to the US. In his Encyclical “Laudato Si” we are encouraged to take Care of the Earth. This 45.99 KW DC Net Metered system will reduce CO2 emissions and our dependence on fossil fuel, provide 22% of the Church’s electricity, and give a 35% NC tax credit and 30% Federal charitable tax deduction to donors. MB Haynes Energy Solutions of Asheville will do the installation. The presentation will discuss our project and show how your Congregation can do the same. Socializing at 5:30 PM and presentation from 6 – 7 PM. Location is The Green Sage (Downtown) 5 Broadway St. in Asheville.
10/06/15 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL LECTURE SERIES
“From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: the Evolving Discourse on Human Protection,” with George Andreopoulos, director of the Center for International Human Rights at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and professor of political science and criminal justice at City University of New York. The lectures are sponsored by the WNC chapter of the World Affairs Council, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNC Asheville, and the university's Department of Political Science. Admission to World Affairs Council presentations at UNC Asheville is $10 for the public; free to members of the World Affairs Council and UNC Asheville students. For more information call 828.251.6140.
10/07/15 SIERRA CLUB MEETING AND GREEN DRINKS
Sierra Club meeting on Community Greenways And Bikeways: Where We/ve Been And Where We Are Headed. Speakers are Marc Hunt, Vice Mayor of Asheville and Mike Sule, Jim Grode, and Claudia Nix. Location is Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, (corner of Charlotte & Edwin). Time is 7 PM. Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.
10/07/15 ANNIVERSARY OF US INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN
It has been 14 years we have spent destroying that country. And the Taliban are still there.
10/14/15 FIFTH ANNUAL POVERTY FORUM
Join Pisgah Legal Services for our 5th Annual Poverty Forum called Getting Upstream of Poverty with Dr. Rishi Manchanda. Location is Diana Wortham Theatre in downtown Asheville. Don't miss "upstreamist" health care innovator and visionary Dr. Rishi Manchanda who will discuss the relationship between health and poverty as we explore what we as a community can do to improve the health of our society. Forum starts at 7 PM, cocktail reception before that. Tickets are $50 for forum and cocktails, $15 for forum only. To buy tickets by phone or for sponsorship information, contact Betsy Ellis at (828) 210-3444.
10/16/15 and 10/17/15 RACIAL EQUITY INSTITUTE TWO DAY WORKSHOP
Racial Equity Institute (REI) is offering a two-day workshop for people of color and white people who are committed to eliminating racism. It provides an analysis that helps participants gain clarity about how racism is organized and how to work to disrupt its powerful influence. Registration required. The cost is $150 per person and registration is open to the public. Please submit registration forms and payment as soon as you (or your organization) are able to commit to the workshop. Time and location TBD. For more information including how to register, contact Laura Eshelman at eshelmanlaura@gmail.com or Isabel Carson at carson.isabel@gmail.com.
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ONGOING EVENTS
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TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville
THURSDAY
Showing Up For Racial Justice meeting at noon at Firestorm Cafe & Books in west Asheville.
FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville
Women in Black have a monthly vigil at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Asheville (first Friday only)
SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard. Call 884-3435 to confirm.
Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Pritchard Park at 5 PM.
SUNDAY
Youth OUTright meeting from 4 to 6 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Ages 14 - 23 only.
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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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FrackAlert: Comment on EPA Fracking & Drinking Water Study
Comments due Friday, August 28th
In June, EPA released its nearly 1,000 page study of hydraulic fracturing impacts on drinking water. The study’s major conclusion: “We did not find evidence that these mechanisms have led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States.” In fact, FrackFree NC’s review team found that there is far too little known by EPA and scientists to say that there aren’t “widespread, systemic impacts.”
The FrackFreeNC team has reviewed each chapter and written short, plain English comments that you can put in your own words and use to submit your own comments! When you’ve commented about the topics you care or know about the most, please submit your comments to Docket_OEI@epa.gov. IMPORTANT: include Docket number EPA-HQ-OA-2015-0245 in your subject line.
For some basic information on fracking to get you started, go to the Frackfreenc.org homepage for more information.
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This is from Nuclear Free Future and a link to their website is at the end of the article. One of the things proposed recently by the US Congress is new National Parks to honor and remember the making of nuclear bombs. They should call it SHOP OF HORRORS NATIONAL PARK to reflect the reality of what the bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima really did. -dancewater
Two late August opportunities to take action!! Comments due by August 28th.
Tell the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reject efforts by pro-nuke fanatics to weaken radiation standards.
The “Linear No-Threshold” (LNT) radiation model endorsed by the National Academies of Sciences and used by all government agencies, acknowledges that there is no such thing as a “safe” level of radiation exposure. The “hormesis” model, on the other hand, asserts—with little to no scientific backing—that exposure to very low levels of radiation can actually be beneficial to people, and that there is no concern about exposures until they reach high levels. Hormesis is like a vampire that keeps coming back from the dead. In February, a group of pro-nuclear fanatics submitted three petitions for rulemaking to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) arguing that the LNT radiation model should be replaced by a “hormesis” model.
Tell the Department of Energy and the National Park Service that the new Manhattan Project National Park must include the perspective of the victims of the U.S. atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, and the continuing legacy of the Manhattan Project.
The Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act established the Manhattan Project National Park, to be located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The Oak Ridge and Los Alamos National Laboratories are today engaged in massive programs to maintain and modernize U.S. Nuclear weapons. The park will be jointly developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, “to improve the understanding of the Manhattan Project and the legacy of the Manhattan Project through interpretation of the historic resources.”
Anyone who has visited DOE-run museums such as the Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, the Bradbury Museum in Los Alamos, or the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Visitor’s Center, know that the story of the Manhattan Project is – to be polite – totally one-sided, with little or no acknowledgement of the human toll of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or the broader legacy of the Manhattan Project, from the legacy of the nuclear fuel chain and the disproportionate impacts on indigenous people, to the legacy of the nuclear arms race and the threat or annihilation the continues to this day, to the legacy of a nation and world divided.
According to the National Park Service, the Manhattan Project Park “will create an opportunity for people from around the world to visit these historic sites and gain a deeper understanding of history and world-changing events that happened as part of the Manhattan Project”. The way the story is told will have a profound impact on future generations. The DOE and the National Park Service are soliciting public comments until August 28.
Click here to tell DOE and the National Park Service, in your own words, that the new Manhattan Project National Park must include the perspective of the victims of the U.S. atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, and the continuing negative legacy of the Manhattan Project.
http://www.nuclearfreefuture.org/nuclear-hotspots-and-action-opportunities/its-nuclear-free-future-month-two-late-august-opportunities-to-take-action/?can_id=43e595db80cf35904784dd06c46549c1&source=email-supporting-the-iran-deal-working-beyond-the-bomb&email_referrer=supporting-the-iran-deal-working-beyond-the-bomb
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FROM LOCAL ACTIVIST STEVE NORRIS:
We are going to do something we've never done before. On the day after Labor Day a group of us from Beyond Extreme Energy is going to begin an 18 day Fast at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington demanding No New Permits. We are doing this in part to support Pope Francis, who will be coming to DC on September 23-24, meeting with President Obama and then speaking before the US Congress, with a focus on the need for action on the climate crisis. We're doing this also because in spite of our repeated protests for more than a year now, FERC, which has been captured by industry, keeps rubber stamping industry proposals that endanger and destroy communities and contribute mightily to climate change. We are also doing this to support the larger cries heard round the country and the world for racial, economic and environmental justice, and will participate in Black Lives Matters protests also being planned in DC during our three weeks of fasting.
In our Call to Action, you can get a fuller picture of all of this: http://beyondextremeenergy.org/september-fast-at-ferc-for-no-new-permits/ You will also find there personal testimonies by some of those planning to fast, including us.
Please consider what you might be able to do in support of this fast. Each of us fasters has been asked to reach out for "sponsors" with a goal of raising $1000 each (more would also help BXE in its ongoing work). Again, you can send nondeductible check to Steve personally, or you donate through our website at http://beyondextremeenergy.org/.
And it would be wonderful if you felt moved to take part in the fast yourself either at home or in Washington, for a day or longer. Do whatever works best for you. More information on doing that can be found at the website.
Also during the week of he Pope's visit there are going to be numerous activities in Washington: a Yom Kippur celebration led by our friend Rabbi Mordechia Liebling at the Lincoln Memorial, September 22 and 23; and large interfaith rally on the mall near the Capitol on the 24th led by Moral Action on Climate; and on Friday the 25th, when we end our fast, a mobilization at FERC to deliver copes of the Pope's encyclical to the five FERC commissioners who have the power to bring some of the Pope's visions into policy.
Please contact us if you have questions. And we hope the remainder of your summer is a good one.
Steve and Kendall
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FROM UNCA CENTER FOR DIVERSITY EDUCATION:
2042 ASCORE Leadership Awards - Nominations open through September 18
From 1960 - 1965, high school students with the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE) worked to desegregate our mountain home including restaurants, schools, busses, libraries, businesses, and more. 50 years later their legacy will be honored with the 2042 ASCORE Leadership Awards as part of the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education. Five awards, at $500 each, will be given to young adults between the ages of 21 - 40 (by December 31, 2015) who exemplify a few of the characteristics that made ASCORE and ASCORE members so successful.
Desired attributes as evidenced by ASCORE members:
ASCORE members practiced PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING by identifying and supporting the students their age as well as somewhat younger than them. These were often siblings, cousins, next-door neighbors, fellow church members, and classmates in close proximity. They worked to help build their skill set to take on more responsibility as each class matriculated from high school to college. Willette Burton - "I begged, and my cousin Susan begged, to let us walk the picket line. We weren't conscious of the entire movement, but we felt like we wanted to be there, because there were kids our age who couldn't work there, and I knew some of them who had gone down just to be bad boys. But we decided that we were going to ask if we can. First, well, they said no, but we just kept on asking. So I was the youngest one on the ticket line [12].I have an older cousin, Barney, who was there at the time and he told my Mom "She'll be all right!"
ASCORE members engaged with the white community in PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD COALITIONS. James Ferguson shared "Some us used to meet with a group called, The Greater Asheville Intergroup Youth Association. GIYA I think it was called. There was a group of young people, black and white, who would meet together to talk about race and talk about our differences. The idea was to begin to promote race relations at that time. I remember that it was organized by a group of white ladies in the community. I was a part of it from the time I was in late junior high school or in high school. So that's when I first remember thinking about race in terms of things being unjust. I knew they were unjust, but talking about it was not something that happened across racial lines".
ASCORE members actively sought out adult MENTORS and COMMUNITY RESOURCES for advice and support. Annette Penland Coleman recalls with great fondness Mr. William Roland. "He was so sensitive and I admired him so much. He was a mentor. He always reminded us to remain non-violent and under no circumstances to hit back - even if they called us a nigger. He stressed not to retaliate. He encouraged us far beyond the issue of how unfairly we were treated as citizens and reminded us that an education was about power".
ASCORE members were CREATIVE in their non-violent activities. Sandra Burton Hughes recalls, "One place we protested was at the A and W on Biltmore Avenue. It was a drive-in back then, and they had servers on roller skates, so they didn't want to hire any black servers. We decided that we would just run a wagon train on them. We would get in the cars, and we drive, and drive, and drive around in circles, but never order anything. Most everybody - the young white kids - they all had cars. They would get in the trucks, and they didn't know what to do. So nobody was buying anything".
The candidates are to: 1)Actively work to promote equity and inclusion in their daily life and work, 2)Be between the ages of 21 - 40 by December 31, 2015, 3) Live in Buncombe County, and 4) Be available to attend luncheon award ceremony on November 6, 2015.
Contact Deborah Miles at dmiles@unca.edu for more information.
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Will you join America's Journey For Justice in North Carolina?
On August 1, the NAACP kicked off America's Journey for Justice. We're marching across the South to the steps of our nation's Capital to shout "Our lives, our votes, our jobs, our schools matter." And we refuse to be ignored.
The march will enter North Carolina on August 29th. The route is 206 miles and will last 10 days. There will be vehicles following the marchers for those who need to take a break throughout the day. Dates and locations are subject to change. AJFJ marchers will be provided with breakfast, a boxed lunch, and dinner each day that they participate. Marchers will sleep in churches and different anchor locations along the route. Partial day participants will have to arrange their own transportation back to their vehicles.
Marchers will leave from designated anchor locations every morning to begin marching by 7:30 AM and be dropped off by bus where the marchers stopped the day before. They will be brought back to the anchor locations every afternoon at 4:00 PM for teach-ins, entertainment, and fellowship. For more information, visit www.naacpnc.org/journey_for_justice
Support the Journey For Justice in North Carolina
There are many ways that you and your organization can support the Journey For Justice in NC in addition to being a marcher. If you have any questions about how to support, you can contact State Coordinator Rev. Curtis Gatewood at curtis.gatewood@naacpnc.org or (919) 682-4700 ext. 220.
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