Photo taken in DC at MLK memorial.
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR BY DANCEWATER
03/13/17 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL
Presentation topic is “Defund Dakota Access Pipeline.” Cathy Holt, who visited Standing Rock for six days last November, has been working on the local Defund DAPL campaign ever since. For Cathy, the struggle to protect fresh water, the honoring of indigenous rights, and the imperative to leave the dirtiest fossil fuels in the ground to avoid worsening climate chaos, all converged in Standing Rock. Now the fossil fuel divestiture movement is viewed as a strategy for stopping more than one pipeline and for awakening people about the power of choosing where they invest their money--in credit unions building the local economy, instead of in large banks funding death-dealing pipelines. Water is Life! Time is 6:30 PM and location is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Charlotte Street in Asheville. Please park on the street. Contact Rebecca at palmtree747@gmail.com or 812-334-0176 for more information.
03/13/17 IMMIGRATION LUNCH AND LEARN BY PISGAH LEGAL
Join us for updates on immigration law and its impact in our community. Time is noon to 1:30 PM, and location is Tuton Hall at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Asheville. For members of the community who are concerned about immigrants, join Pisgah Legal Services immigration law experts for a lunch session to learn about the immigration crisis affecting our neighbors. We will share ways that Pisgah Legal Services staff and volunteers are helping, and how you can plug in. Together we can stand for justice for all. Lunch from Limones will be provided. Space is limited, so please RSVP to Brent McKnight by March 9th at brent@pisgahlegal.org. Contact him for more information also.
03/13/17 COMMENT ON ASHEVILLE COAL ASH BASIN CLOSURE PLANS
The NC Department of Environmental Quality is giving the public another opportunity to review and comment on Duke Energy's plans for excavating coal ash from its Asheville Steam Station. Can you attend the hearing to help demand stronger oversight of the excavation and transport of coal ash, ongoing soil and groundwater monitoring once excavation is complete, and additional protections for neighbors of the site? If you can't attend, written comments can be sent by April 5 to N.C. Division of Water Resources, Attn: Debra Watts, 1636 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1636 or by email to ashevillecomments@ncdenr.gov. This meeting will be at Ferguson Auditorium at AB Tech College at 340 Victoria Road in Asheville. Time is 6 PM, sign up to speak at 5:30 PM. Contact Katie Hicks with Clean Water For NC for more information at katie@cwfnc.org.
03/13/17 DISCOVER DIVERSITY WEEK AT BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Discover Diversity Week at BRCC is a series of events to promote an awareness of diversity and a greater understanding of global issues by exploring cultures and celebrating community. Our motto: "Here Together” Find out more about each event on their website. There will be international food tasting with live music (cost is $5) and film showings (free) at both the Henderson County campus and Transylvania County campus.
03/14/17 DIVEST FROM POLICE; INVEST IN COMMUNITY
The chief of police has asked for a $1 million dollar increase in the police budget for doubling the size of the downtown unit. Community, not police, create safety! Let's tell our City Council to invest in our community instead. What if they put $1 million into public transit for example? That's access to jobs, healthcare, childcare, food. Access equals life. The City will be holding a budget work session on Tuesday at 3 PM (first floor) and then City Council meeting at 5 PM. This is at City Hall in Asheville. This is a Facebook event.
03/14/17 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL LECTURE AT UNCA REUTER CENTER
Come to the Reuter Center for these fascinating lectures and discussions that aim to advance international awareness and foster Western North Carolina's global ties. OLLI members receive a discount on WAC annual membership fee. The World Affairs Council meetings offer a lively line up of topics and compelling presenters.The Great Decision Lecture series is scheduled for the winter and spring terms on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM. All lectures are scheduled in the Reuter Center's Manheimer Room, free to WAC members and students, all others $10 at the door. Today’s lecture will be by Julie Snyder on Trade & Politics.
03/14/17 VETERANS FOR PEACE VIGIL - BECAUSE THE WARS STILL GO ON
Every Tuesday, Veterans for Peace Chapter 099 holds a vigil at Vance Monument in downtown Asheville. Time is 5 PM. This has been happening since 2002. No matter the weather, no matter if it falls on a holiday, they are out there standing for peace. Last year, our former president dropped 26,000 bombs on seven different countries. The current president has already bombed one country, and has likely bombed a couple more. Meanwhile we are banning refugees from those countries we have destroyed. I am impressed at the protests against banning Muslims, but mystified at the lack of large protests against bombing Muslims. Isn’t bombing them worse than banning them? Show you are publicly against our country's endless wars and occupations by standing with Veterans for Peace.
03/14/17 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
On the second Tuesday of each month, Western North Carolina Veterans for Peace meets to coordinate group activities and programs.Veterans For Peace is a global organization of Military Veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace by using our experiences and lifting our voices. We inform the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars. Our network is comprised of over 140 chapters worldwide whose work includes: educating the public, advocating for a dismantling of the war economy, providing services that assist veterans and victims of war, and most significantly, working to end all wars. Time is 6:30 PM and location is the Center for Art and Spirit at Saint George, address is One School Road in west Asheville. For more information, contact Gerry at gwerhan@gmail.com.
03/14/17 SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT DO!SCUSSION
Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national network of groups educating and organizing white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for racial justice. Asheville SURJ hosts a weekly discussion group on risk-taking, accountability, mutual interest and how to call more white people into racial justice work. Anyone with a passion for working with white people on racial justice is welcome. Time is 10 AM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/14/17 ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE N.A.A.C.P. BRANCH MEETING
Our Branch meets every second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM. Location is 135 Hill Street in Asheville. Contact 4ward2gethercall2action@gmail.com for more information or call 828-255-4453.
03/14/17 OCCUPY WNC ASSEMBLY
Occupy WNC's General Assembly meets next on Tuesday, March 14th, in The Sneak E. Squirrel's Community Room at 1315 Main Street in Sylva. We are a diverse, non-partisan group working for social and economic equality since October, 2011. We welcome visitors and newcomers. Contact Lucy at lucy.christopher42@gmail.com for more information.
03/14/17 DOCUMENTARY FILM AND DISCUSSION BY VETERANS FOR PEACE
“Why We Fight” will be shown on Tuesday, March 14 at 7:30 PM, presented by Veterans For Peace, Chapter 099. This film does not seek to justify why we fight, but explains how we have become a nation that goes to war all too easily and stays at war endlessly. Free. Location is the Center For Art & Spirit at St. George Episcopal, One School Road in west Asheville. Veterans For Peace Event signs will direct you to our venue from the intersection of Patton Avenue and Bear Creek Road. Contact VFP for more information at 828.490.1872. [This is a very good film.]
03/14/17 PUBLIC LECTURE AT BREVARD COLLEGE
Today’s lecture will be by Julie Snyder on “Trade & Politics.” She is a former official a the Department of Commerce. Cost is $10. Held in the McLarty-Goodson Room 125 at Brevard College in Brevard.
03/14/17 MADISON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING
Please come out to show your support for lowering energy bills for area families, stimulating the local economy and reducing our use of fossil fuels. Appalachian Voices will be presenting a proposed resolution to the Madison County Board of Commissioners. This resolution, if passed, will support the development of an ‘On-Bill Financing’ program by French Broad EMC to make home energy efficiency improvements affordable to area families. Contact Lauren Essick at lauren@appvoices.org or 336-382-1978 with any questions about attending the meeting. Time is 7 PM and location is AB Tech Madison at 4646 NE US Highway 25/70 in Marshall. This is a Facebook event.
03/15/17 GREEN DRINKS
Social justice and sustainability meet-up. Come early for community connections and green drink specials! 3rd Wednesday of Each Month Socializing: 5:30 – 6:00PM Presentation: 6:00 – 7:00 PM Location: The BLOCK off Biltmore 39 S. Market Street, Asheville. Contact The Block for more information.
03/15/17 GREEN GRANNIES BOOK CLUB
Founded in 2012, the Green Grannies are a group of women who are willing to make a ruckus about the need for action on climate change. This is their reading group and they are reading Dr. Barber's “The Third Reconstruction.” Time is noon and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/15/17 HENDERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING
Advocacy needed for education over militarized police training at Blue Ridge Community College campus in Henderson County. This is about the implications of proposed tactical training facility and rifle range on the Blue Ridge Community College campus. Judging from articles published in the Hendersonville Lightning (10/2/16 and 2/8/17), it appears that the sheriff is contemplating a semi-military anti-terrorism response force on the Blue Ridge Community College campus. (Sheriff quoted from 10/2/17 issue) “Now we’re having to train guys to go into schools, engage people with rifles. You don’t do that very effectively with a Glock pistol.”…“That means we have to arm our guys with a weapon that reaches out further and for the most part in law enforcement it’s an AR-15 platform, which is a high-powered rifle. It takes a lot more skill to practically and safely use that weapon, particularly in combat situations. When you’ve got an officer shooting a round that moves at 3,200 feet per second and will penetrate drywall and doors and steel studs and everything else, you better damn sure make sure that that officer knows how to hit his target.” Sheriff quoted (10/2/17 issue) “Right now officers are being ambushed in vehicles. We need to be able to teach guys how to respond out of a vehicle to engage a threat, how to respond around a vehicle. Just standing there on a range isn’t good enough…. That’s why this range is going to cost so much. It’s got to be big enough that we can drive vehicles into.” (Hendersonville Lightning 10/2/17) The plan envisions “12 100-yard shooting lanes and 12 lanes 50 yards deep.” My understanding is that a 100 yard rifle range is for training snipers, not for regular police work. The cost: 20 million dollars. Area will be 49,000 sq. ft., covering an area as large as a football field, not including parking.
[Here is a bit more information about the Sheriff of Henderson County: “Sheriff Charles S. McDonald does not refer to any specific protests or political parties or causes. But writing in this month’s edition of his newsletter, “The Guardian,” McDonald calls protests taking place across the country “vile and disgusting” and wrote that they “are not a result of the differences between America’s traditional political parties. Rather, they appear to be the result of an anti-American social progressive movement with the goal of subverting our great Republic and replacing it with something akin to the social economic governance that continues to decimate Western Europe to this day. … McDonald likened protesters to “a child playing a board game. Gleeful at the prospect of winning but impetuously overturning the table and throwing a tantrum when faced with the prospect of losing.” No nation or community can enjoy peace when “Rule of Law is cast aside for no other reason than an election didn’t yield the results that some people hoped for,” he wrote. - from the News & Observer] County Commissioners meeting is at 9 AM and location is 1 Historic Courthouse Square in Hendersonville. Contact Chris at 828-606-5584 or cwalters28739@yahoo.com for more information about this issue.
03/15/17 STANDING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT
“What's Up with Whiteness?” is a ASURJ education series. This session is part of ASURJ's What's Up With Whiteness series. The group is for anyone who is willing and able to explore their whiteness or whiteness as a race with a racial justice lens. Time is 6:30 PM and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/15/17 DISCOVER DIVERSITY KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT BRCC
Discover Diversity Week at BRCC is a series of events to promote an awareness of diversity and a greater understanding of global issues by exploring cultures and celebrating community. Our motto is “Here Together.” Find out more about each event on our website. Our keynote speaker this year is Jasmine Beach-Ferrara who was recently elected to the Buncombe County Commission and is the founder of the Campaign for Southern Equality. Also back by popular demand is the International Food Tasting and the 4x4 Film Festival. All events are open to the community. Please join us! Jasmine Beach-Ferrara speaks at 11 AM in Patton Auditorium. This is at Blue Ridge Community College at the Henderson County Campus. Free admission.
03/16/17 DISCUSSION ON PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS IN BREVARD
“Economic Fairness - What would justice look like?” will be the topic for this discussion. This is sponsored by the Transylvania NAACP and local congregations. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is Bethel A Baptist Church at 290 Oakdale Street in Brevard. Please call 828-883-2035 for more information.
03/16/17 FILM FESTIVAL ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE
Stories of Struggle, Conscience and Spirit: A Film Festival on Israel/Palestine. There will be a total of six evenings of films and discussions between March 2 and May 18, 2017. PAJET (Palestinian and Jewish Egalitarian Team) and JPIP (Just Peace for Israel/Palestine) are collaborating on this film series because of the importance of bringing these little-known narratives to Asheville. Both groups are committed to human rights for all people, focusing on the struggle for a just, and therefore sustainable, peace in Israel and Palestine. Our participants live in the questions surrounding that commitment. JPIP takes specific stands on issues related to Israeli and U.S. policies enabling the Occupation. PAJET formed as a dialogue group between Jewish and Palestinian residents of Asheville, and explores how to advocate together for peace and justice. Both groups invite the public to view these films and join the dialogue. The film festival is free, donations are welcome. “Rana’s Wedding” In this suspenseful yet comic drama, director Hani Abu-Assad tracks the quest of Rana, a 17-year-old living in East Jerusalem, to marry for love before being forced to return to Egypt with her father. Time is 7 PM and location is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 337 Charlotte Street in north Asheville.
03/16/17 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HENDERSON COUNTY GENERAL MEETING
Generally the third Thursday of each month, September through May, at 3:00 PM. Location is the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce meeting room at 204 Kanuga Road in Hendersonville. This month the topic is Sunshine Month - Shining light on transparent government and the speaker is Times-News Columnist - Dawn Kucera. Contact their website for more information.
03/16/17 ‘RAISE THE AGE’ DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
You're invited to join the Youth Justice Project for a screening of “Raise the Age: Fairer, Safer, Smarter” on Thursday, March 16, 7 PM at WCU at Biltmore Park at 28 Schenck Pkwy, Suite 102, in south Asheville. The screening is located in room BP 346. Join us as we screen the Youth Justice Project’s Raise the Age documentary, a film that highlights the impacts of charging kids as adults in the criminal justice system. After the film screening, there will be a discussion with Youth Justice Project Co-Director Ricky Watson Jr. along with next steps and action items. North Carolina is one of only two states that still charges 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. Legislation will soon be introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly in order to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18-years-old. We hope that events like these will help educate the general public and mobilize them to reach out to their legislators to support the bill. For more information, contact Greg at gregb@childrenfirstbc.org. RSVP on Facebook under Raise the Age Screening - Asheville.
03/16/17 HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC TOUR
“Welcome Home Tour” is a tour of Asheville organizations that serve the homeless population. Registration required, free to attend. Time is 11 AM. Call 258-1695 for more information and for instructions on how to register.
03/16/17 FILM AT FIRESTORM
Black Star Line Spring Film Series presents “Selma” one of six films presented by Black Star Line, Asheville's new queer-, black- woman-owned brewery. In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) accepts his Nobel Peace Prize. Four black girls walking down stairs in the Birmingham, Alabama 16th Street Baptist Church are killed by a bomb set by the Ku Klux Klan. Annie Lee Cooper attempts to register to vote in Selma, Alabama but is prevented by the white registrar. King meets with Lyndon B. Johnson and asks for federal legislation to allow black citizens to register to vote unencumbered, and the president responds that he has more important projects. King travels to Selma with Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, James Orange, and Diane Nash. James Bevel greets them, and other SCLC activists appear. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover tells Johnson that King is a problem, and suggests they disrupt his marriage. Join us to see the award winning film "Selma" at our watch party — and help build the community of resistance that will carry us forward. Here's why you should come - more than forty years after the Selma march, the voting rights Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists fought for and won back then are under attack. At this critical moment, the progressive left has much to learn from the movements that paved the way for this one. That's why this March, DFA members are gathering to build community and energize for the resistance by screening Ava DuVernay's 2015 film. Call 828-708-7010 for more information about the film. Time is 6 PM and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information. [This is a very good film.]
03/16/17 INTERFAITH DECLARATION AND PROCESSION AND PRESS CONFERENCE
There has been a Declaration of Solidarity With Immigrants by People of Faith in WNC. This declaration has been signed by over 1,000 faith leaders in our community. (A copy of the declaration is at the end of this email.) Here are our plans for presenting the declaration to representatives of the impacted immigrant communities and releasing it to the press on Tuesday, March 14. We hope you can join us. The Interfaith Procession to the Press Conference will begin from the steps of the First Congregational United Church of Christ (20 Oak Street) in downtown Asheville promptly at 12 noon. We will walk from there to the Congregation Beth Ha-Tephila Synagogue (43 N. Liberty Street), and pause outside while Rabbi Batsheva Meiri offers a prayer. Latecomers or those who want to walk a shorter distance can join us there at 12:30 PM. From the synagogue, we will walk on to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation’s sanctuary for the Press Conference at 1 PM. It will last an hour. There will be simultaneous translation of the press conference for Spanish speakers, who can pick up headsets at the table in the entry way. We are asking walkers to bring banners from their faith communities to display as we walk. We can also display them in the sanctuary during the press conference. We have arranged for one church bus that will shuttle drivers back to their cars downtown after the press conference. Let us know if you have a large van or bus to help with this. For more information, contact Sanctuary-WNC at sanctuary.wnc@gmail.com. [This was rescheduled from 03/14/17 because of the weather forecast.]
03/16/17 COMMUNITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT STUDY GROUP
This is a study group to learn more about the Community Rights Movement. If you would like to be more deeply informed about the legal process of passing a Community Bill of Rights and enjoy digesting information please join us. We will use Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund's online Democracy School and associated materials (on the web). We will do 4 weeks: March 16, 23, 30 and April 6. This will be on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7.30 PM. Location is The BLOCK off Biltmore at 39 South Market Street in downtown Asheville. This is a Facebook event under CELDF Democracy School Study Group.
03/16/17 COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS 101
The City of Asheville’s Community and Economic Development Department is presenting the first of a public education series about permanently affordable homeownership opportunities on March 16, 2017, at 6 PM at the Dr. Wesley Grant Jr. Southside Center. This session will be the first of two aimed at creating an understanding of affordable home ownership models, particularly through the development of a Community Land Trust. These public sessions will focus on fostering a discussion of Asheville’s affordable housing needs, and what options might be most successful at helping open homeownership opportunities and stabilize and strengthen neighborhoods. Community Land Trusts have been employed throughout the country to create affordable housing and community facilities. A panel of experts representing land trusts from Durham, Chapel Hill, and Athens, GA has been invited to describe the model and discuss experiences working in their communities. After presentations from speakers, the audience will be invited to participate in an open discussion and Q&A session. Nancy Stangle, who is co-founder and Emerita Director of Athens Land Trust in Athens GA, will speak at 6 PM on the structure and function of a land trust. Robert Dowling, who is Executive Director of Community Home Trust in Chapel Hill, speaks at 6:30 PM on addressing an ongoing housing affordability crisis. Selina Mack, Executive Director of Durham Community Land Trustees, speaks at 6:45 on gentrification and neighborhood preservation. Free admission. This is a Facebook event. Please call Asheville City Hall for more information.
03/17/17 to 03/18/17 RACIAL EQUITY WORKSHOP
Racial Equity Workshop in Asheville, NC, with exact location to be determined. Phase I will be Foundational Training in Historical and Institutional Racism and will run from 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM both days. Attendance required for entire workshop. Purpose is to educate individuals, communities, and institutions. To provide a historical analysis of race and racism in the United States. To develop common definitions and language for communities to continue to engage in anti-racism and racial equity work. The Racial Equity Phase I Workshop moves beyond individual bias and bigotry by presenting a cultural, historical, and structural analysis of racism. This workshop helps participants become clear on how race and racism have been constructed in the US and how ideas about racism live in our unconscious minds and social structures even 50 years after the successes of the Civil Rights movement. This workshop is appropriate for people who want to increase their understanding of how to eliminate racism in our systems and institutions. The trainers are active anti-racism and social justice advocates and educators with years of experience and varying backgrounds. Community members, institutional players, educators, ecumenical leaders, business owners, non-profits, and all interested individuals are encouraged to attend and/or reach out to learn more about the workshop. Cost of training is $200 per participant (includes meals and materials for both days). A limited number of sliding scale scholarships are available based on need and ability to pay. Fill out the registration form and turn in to Isabel Carson or Katie Latino. Follow payment instructions on the registration form. Payment and registration is due by February 17, 2017. Contact individuals below for registration forms and with any questions. Isabel Carson at carson.isabel@gmail.com, Bettie Council at lionessdear@yahoo.com, and Katie Latino at katie.latino@ywcaofasheville.org. (Other workshops will be held on May 19-20, September 29-20 and November 15-16.)
03/17/17 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEETING
Physicians, health personnel and everyone; all are welcomed at our monthly meetings held on the third Friday of each month. Bring a brown bag lunch around noon. This will be held at The First Congregational United Church of Christ, Room E205, at 20 Oak Street (just off College St. in downtown Asheville). Time is noon to 2 PM. Meeting starts at 12:30. Parking is available behind the church. Enter the church or ring doorbell at the glass doors on Oak Street. For more information contact Dr. Terry Clark, Chair, 633-0892 or Dr. Lew Patrie, 299-1242
03/17/17 ANTI-RACISM ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP AT UNITARIAN CONGREGATION
A weekly group focused on Standing Up For Racial Justice core values for people beginning to wake up to the impact of white supremacy on our culture and seeking a safe place to begin to talk about it. Time is 10 AM and location is 23 Edwin Place, next to Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville. Contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@lainschell.com for more information.
03/17/17 FLOWERS FOR PEACE DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
Documentary screening and questions and answers with Boston-based peace activist and performance artist Rod Webber. It is going to be free, but donations are welcome and encouraged! Time is 5:30 to 7:30 PM and location is The Block off Biltmore at 39 South Market Street in downtown Asheville. This is a Facebook event.
03/18/17 ART AS A FORM OF PROTEST
Poetry reading by Devin Jones with questions and answers afterwards. Special guest performances as well. Sponsored by Hood Huggers International. Cover is $5. Time is 5 PM and location is The Block off Biltmore at 39 South Market Street in downtown Asheville. This is a Facebook event.
03/18/17 ‘A NEW ERA IS DAWNING’ PRESENTATION
Hope in a time of chaos. Expect for generations, the world teacher, Maitreya, is in the world. Not a religious leader, but a modern man, concerned with modern problems. His galvanizing energy inspires people to stand up for justice and equality - to see that we are one human family. What role will you play in the coming time? Free. Time is 2 PM and location is Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. Call 828-398-0609 for more information.
03/18/17 WALTON STREET PARK/POOL MEETING
Continued meetings about the Walton Street Park/Pool and the Grant Southside Center, Phase II will be held in March to give additional community members the opportunity to provide feedback on the future of these two facilities. This meeting will be held at the Grant Southside Center, 285 Livingston Street, on March 18 from 2 to 4 PM. Meetings with the community’s youth, ages 18 and under, will also be held. The dates for these meetings have yet to be determined. The city is seeking input on design, program and services from area youth who will use the facilities. For more information visit the Southside Engagement Opportunities webpage, or call Asheville Parks & Recreation at (828) 259-5800.
03/19/17 FOURTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. WAR OF AGGRESSION ON IRAQ
We are the terrorists.
03/19/17 IMMERSION IN NON VIOLENT COMMUNICATION
You are invited to register for this day of living and practicing NVC. For those of you who are already familiar with NVC, I invite you to join me on Saturday, March 19th in Asheville for a day of accompanying each other in the energy of empathy, compassion and presence. We will focus on “Hearing No, Saying No” using NVC. Fee is $100. Opening our hearts and learning skills for “Hearing No, Saying No”. Day long immersion in Asheville for continuing NVC students and practitioners. Time is 10 AM to 4 PM. This will be at a private location in Asheville. Note that scholarships are available by inquiring at eryka@eryka.com. Also contact that email for information on how to register.
03/19/17 DOCUMENTARY SHOWING IN ASHEVILLE
The YWCA at 185 South French Broad Avenue in Asheville is showing the documentary “Equal Means Equal.” This is a very thorough documentary about why we need ERA. Please come if you have not seen it and bring some friends. Time is 2 to 4 PM. Please contact the YWCA for more information, or contact Amanda Krause at amanda.eramarch@gmail.com.
03/20/17 DEMOCRACY NC MEETING
Democracy Asheville Kick-Off meeting will be on Monday, March 20. Time is 6 PM and location is Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center at 285 Livingston Street in Asheville. Democracy North Carolina has your back with this first of regular, hour-long monthly coalition meetings based in Asheville on the third Monday of every month — all designed to empower our community to make a difference in the important weeks, months, and years ahead. Join us at our first 2017 planning meeting on Monday, March 20 to help shape the focus of Democracy Asheville — including the community events, trainings, and local campaigns you've been craving. We'll enjoy dinner together, provide consistent ways to get your input, and host break-out sessions designed around your specific interests. Contact Darlene Azarmi at darlene@democracy-nc.org or 828 216 3430 for more information and to RSVP.
03/21/17 PISGAH LEGAL FUNDRAISER
Pisgah Legal Services' annual Jazz for Justice celebration will feature gourmet food, drinks and cocktails, live jazz entertainment by The Rich Willey Jazz Band, and an awards ceremony celebrating Pisgah Legal's amazing supporters and their stalwart leadership. The event will honor: Russell Shuler- Terry Van Duyn Volunteer Award; Tom Siekman- Karl H. Straus Board Emeritus Award; Bernice and Arnold Green- Pisgah Legal Services Philanthropy Award. Time is 5:30 PM and location is The Venue at 21 North Market Street in downtown Asheville. Tickets vary in price. Contact Betsy at betsy@pisgahlegal.org for more information including where to get tickets to this event.
03/21/17 SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT DO!SCUSSION
Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national network of groups educating and organizing white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for racial justice. Asheville SURJ hosts a weekly discussion group on risk-taking, accountability, mutual interest and how to call more white people into racial justice work. Anyone with a passion for working with white people on racial justice is welcome. Time is 10 AM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/21/17 CITIZENS ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
Citizens Accountability Project is a monthly progressives meet-up that features short films and discussions. Time is 6:30 PM and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/21/17 WALTON STREET PARK/POOL MEETING
Continued meetings about the Walton Street Park/Pool and the Grant Southside Center, Phase II will be held in March to give additional community members the opportunity to provide feedback on the future of these two facilities. Four meetings (in total) will be held at the Edington Center, 133 Livingston Street in Asheville, with tonight’s meeting running from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. There will another meeting on March 23 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Meetings with the community’s youth, ages 18 and under, will also be held. The dates for these meetings have yet to be determined. The city is seeking input on design, program and services from area youth who will use the facilities. For more information visit the Southside Engagement Opportunities webpage, or call Asheville Parks & Recreation at (828) 259-5800.
03/22/17 GREEN GRANNIES BOOK CLUB
Founded in 2012, the Green Grannies are a group of women who are willing to make a ruckus about the need for action on climate change. This is their reading group they are reading Dr. Barber's The Third Reconstruction. Time is noon and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/23/17 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE GENERAL MEETING
Join the Creation Care Alliance of WNC for a general meeting as we inspire one another to good work and discuss our work empowering care for creation. We will connect with one another and explore ways to care for creation. Everyone is welcome. The meeting will be held in the First Baptist Church of Asheville in Room MB306, which is upstairs. Address is 5 Oak Street in downtown Asheville. Time is 5:30 to 7 PM. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Hardin-Nieri at scott@creationcarealliance.org.
03/23/17 GREENWORKS ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
2017 Environmental Excellence Award. GreenWorks invites nominations of individuals, businesses and organizations located in Asheville and throughout Buncombe County for a 2017 Environmental Excellence Award. Presentations will be from 6 to 9 PM and locations Asheville Masonic Temple in downtown Asheville. Tickets vary in cost, go to https://asheville-greenworks.networkforgood.com/events/1630-environmental-excellence-awards-night-2017 for more information. Also contact Yanina Salerno for information, billing or donations at 828-254-1776.
03/23/17 WALTON STREET PARK/POOL MEETING
Continued meetings about the Walton Street Park/Pool and the Grant Southside Center, Phase II will be held in March to give additional community members the opportunity to provide feedback on the future of these two facilities. Four meetings (in total) will be held at the Edington Center, 133 Livingston Street in Asheville, with today’s meeting running from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Meetings with the community’s youth, ages 18 and under, will also be held. The dates for these meetings have yet to be determined. The city is seeking input on design, program and services from area youth who will use the facilities. For more information visit the Southside Engagement Opportunities webpage, or call Asheville Parks & Recreation at (828) 259-5800.
03/23/17 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AT UU IN BLACK MOUNTAIN
The Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Swannanoa Valley at 500 Montreat Road in Black Mountain will sponsor a showing of the film "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" on March 23 at 7 PM. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens. It is an unusual look into the Cuban culture during this economic crisis, which they call "The Special Period." The film opens with a short history of Peak Oil, a term for the time in our history when world oil production will reach its all-time peak and begin to decline forever. Cuba, the only country that has faced such a crisis – the massive reduction of fossil fuels – is an example of options and hope. Beginning with this film, the discussion will focus on personal stories from the audience about resilience; in the case of this film, we will look at community and the twin pillars of economic and social justice. Please call 828-581-0564 for more information.
03/23/17 COMMUNITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT STUDY GROUP
This is a study group to learn more about the Community Rights Movement. If you would like to be more deeply informed about the legal process of passing a Community Bill of Rights and enjoy digesting information please join us. We will use Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund's online Democracy School and associated materials (on the web). We will do 4 weeks: March 16, 23, 30 and April 6. This will be on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7.30 PM. Location is The BLOCK off Biltmore at 39 South Market Street in downtown Asheville. This is a Facebook event under CELDF Democracy School Study Group.
03/25/17 EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT MEETING
This is intended to be a regional meeting and we will review the status, learn how to deal with legislators in the NC General Assembly, and network on strategies to get ERA at the top of people's agenda in NC. Please join us then, and bring anyone else you would like. Suggested donations to offset the costs of the meeting will be requested, but not required. Time is 1 to 3 PM and location is the Rainbow Community School at 60 State Street in west Asheville. Contact Amanda Krause at amanda.eramarch@gmail.com for more information.
03/25/17 GREENWORKS ROADSIDE CLEAN UP IN CANDLER
Join the Enka / Candler Business Association for a roadside cleanup of Candler. We're taking on 19/23 - Sand Hill Road, Enka Lake Road and surrounding roads. Tasty treats and beverages will be provided. Time is 9 AM to noon, meeting place is Enka Candler Post Office at 1404 Sand Hill Road in Candler. Contact Kate Nelson to volunteer or for more information at 828-232-7144.
03/25/17 - 03/26/17 CITIZEN'S CLIMATE LOBBY REGIONAL CONFERENCE
Everyone is welcome, whether it's your first CCL experience or you're an experienced volunteer, whether you plan to become active in CCL or you want to attend some of the scheduled talks.The registration cost is $40 and covers both days, however, meals are not provided. The First Mid-South CCL Regional Conference happens at The Collider at 1 Haywood Street, Suite 401, in downtown Asheville. Time is 8 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and 8 to noon on Sunday. We are excited to present this two day conference that will help make you a more effective lobbyist and build your skills at creating the political will for a stable climate. The conference will feature multiple speakers including Laura Lengnick (author of Sustainable Agriculture), Drew Jones (Co-Director of Climate Interactive), Madeleine Para (CCL's National Program Director) and many more. Come to learn, have fun and network with climate advocates from Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. We look forward to seeing you there. For more information, contact asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org.
03/25/17 CITIZEN’S CLIMATE ADVOCACY TRAINING
Just wanted to promote the fact that we are offering a Climate Advocacy Training from 1 to 4 PM on Saturday March 25th at the conference (see above) for only $5 if people want to attend just that one session of our conference. Contact Steffi at 828-242-3752 for more information on this training.
03/25/17 BOOK AND DOCUMENTARY DISCUSSION ON MLK & LANGSTON HUGHES
This announcement came from Malaprop’s: we are excited to be supporting Dr. Jason Miller as he presents his book “Origins of the Dream: Langston Hughes' Poetry and Martin Luther King's Retoric” at the Zabriskie Hall at The Cathedral of All Souls at 9 Swan Street in Biltmore Village in Asheville. Dr. Jason Miller is a professor of English at NC State University and will also be discussing his documentary film project on the same topic as his written work. Dr. Miller's recent discovery of a long-lost reel-to-reel audio tape of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s first use of the signature phrase “I have a dream,” invoked in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, over nine months before the March on Washington, captures the startling new connection between Dr. King and poet Langston Hughes. A question-and-answer session and book signing will follow the event. The event begins will coffee at 9:30 AM and the presentation at 10 AM. Please contact Malaprop’s for further information.
03/25/17 MLK INAUGURAL BLACK & RED GALA
Inaugural Black & Red Gala will be on Saturday, March 25 at 6 PM. Location is Celine & Company’s “On Broadway” at 49 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville. Live and silent auctions, catering by Celine, music by Westsound. This is sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, Inc. For thirty-six years, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association has hosted our annual Prayer Breakfast “to preserve and advance the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” This year we want to extend our outreach into the community by funding our Community Outreach Providing Empowerment (COPE) Initiative: educational programming on African American Heritage, African American Entrepreneurship, African American Education Pioneers, Stand against Racism, and Juneteenth. Go to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Association of Asheville and Buncombe County to get tickets. Call 828-335-6896 for more information.
03/25/17 MOUNTAIN TRUE PROGRAM
Equity in Planning: A MountainTrue program on the lasting impact of urban renewal policies. Join MountainTrue on Saturday, March 25th from 9 AM to noon as we explore the legacy of urban renewal policies and their impacts on Asheville’s communities of color. With Asheville rated one of the fastest gentrifying cities in the U.S., it is critically important that we make land use, planning and development decisions thoughtfully and inclusively. This program will include a facilitated discussion at the Wesley Grant Center, followed by a trolley tour led by Hood Huggers International’s DeWayne Barton and MountainTrue’s Co-Executive Director Julie Mayfield. In addition to DeWayne and Julie, special guests lending topic area expertise to the facilitated discussion will include locals from Asheville, a professor of history from UNC Asheville, and other community representatives to provide insights into how Asheville has changed as a city. As Asheville continues to grow, MountainTrue is committed to supporting neighborhoods and residents in protecting the integrity of their communities and advocating for policies that will keep the city walkable, bike able and affordable for current and long-time residents. Participants will learn how the history of urban renewal in Asheville impacted African-American communities and we will discuss ways we can help prevent this in the future. Tickets for this event are $25 for members of MountainTrue and $40 for non-members, which includes a 2017 membership to MountainTrue. Space is limited due to the size of the trolley, so sign-up today. Contact Mary Kate at 828-258-8737 or marykate@mountaintrue.org for more information including how to register.
03/26/17 WNC SOLIDARITY CONCERT SERIES
The final Sunday of each month in 2017, two groups of WNC-based musicians and their ensembles will each perform a benefit concert to rise funding for WNC non-profits. The music performed each week will fluctuate between jazz, rhythm & blues, soul, jazz funk, jazz fusion, and swing. Each event will host two groups, playing, consecutively between 3 and 5 PM with a brief intermission. All of proceeds go to the nonprofit organization. The nonprofit for today’s concert is the NAACP. Act I is Ruby Mayfield and Friends and Act II is the Rhoda Weaver Band. Location is The Block Off Biltmore at Eagle and South Market Streets in downtown Asheville. Suggested donation is $10, and are available the day of the event. This is a Facebook event. Please call The Block Off Biltmore for more information.
03/26/17 CLEAN WATER FOR NC PARTNER GROUP SEEKS STREAM VOLUNTEERS
The Environmental Quality Institute (partner group with Clean Water for NC) offers this training twice a year. It's a great opportunity if you're looking to have fun and help our mountain rivers and streams. You'll learn to identify aquatic insects and why they are important indicators of healthy rivers and creeks, and be trained in sampling methods for use in a long-term water monitoring project at sites in our area. Volunteers must be seventeen and older - no experience necessary. After the training, volunteers will work in small groups with leaders to sample a minimum of two sites a season (sites are in Haywood, Madison, Buncombe, Yancey, and Mitchell Counties). Time is 9 AM to 4 PM and location is UNC Asheville. $15 to $20 donation to cover materials is requested, but not required. Contact Katie Hicks with Clean Water For NC for more information at katie@cwfnc.org. Be sure to RSVP to (828) 357-7411 or at Eqilabstaff@gmail.com.
03/26/17 CELEBRATING PEACE & JUSTICE THROUGH MUSIC
“When words are not enough, music goes deep into the soul and can transform a seemingly hopeless situation” says Cecilia St. King. She is an international musician who will be performing at Jubilee! Community in Asheville on March 26th at 7 PM. Cecilia St. King is an inner peace troubadour who has dedicated her life to healing our planet through the power of music. Over her 25-year career, she has performed worldwide. After running from the falling towers of the World Trade Center and discovering cancer in her throat 6 months later, her focus turned to peace. Touring throughout the United States for the past 16 years, she has sung in places as diverse as San Quentin prison to the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Her work has been endorsed by the United Nations, the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and the National Peace Academy. Jay Whitham, local singer-songwriter and musician, will accompany St. King. Local Asheville poet, writer, speaker (and grocery store cashier) Majo Madden, will be offering his poetry during the performance. He will be accompanied by Robert Thomas on piano and three contact improv dancers: Amanda Levesque, Giovanna Allegretti and Tom Kilby. Ticket charge is a suggested donation of $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All proceeds above the cost will go to support social justice actions through Jubilee! and faith communities in western North Carolina. Contact Ron at 828-768-4559 or ronkatz327@gmail.com for more information.
03/27/17 DIPLOMACY & MEDIA IN A CHAOTIC WORLD
Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Colton, Diplomat-in-Residence at Lenoir-Rhyne University-Asheville, will present four lectures focused on Diplomacy, Politics and News. Dr. Colton is an Emmy-award winning journalist who has worked for ABC News, NBC News, Newsweek, and NPR. The Asheville native also had a distinguished career as a U.S. Foreign Service diplomat in seven Middle Eastern countries. The Monday night series includes: March 27 - Beyond the Headlines,Deciphering News of Global Politics & Diplomacy; April 24 - Navigating Flash Points of US Politics, Foreign Policy and World Diplomacy; and May 22 - Global Diplomacy and Asheville in the world. All lectures will take place at Lenoir-Rhyne’s Asheville Center, which is located at 36 Montford Avenue in downtown Asheville. Doors will open each night at 5 PM, and lectures will begin at 5:30 PM. RSVP is required, so please call 828-407-4263. This is a Facebook event and was in the Mountain Express.
03/27/17 EXHIBIT AT UNCA
“Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933–1945” is a traveling exhibition produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Through reproductions of historic photographs and documents, this exhibition explores the rationale, means, and impact of the Nazi regime’s persecution of homosexuals, which left thousands dead and shattered the lives of many more. The Center for Diversity Education is hosting the exhibit from February 12 to April 7, 2017 in UNC Asheville's Ramsey Library. Day and evening programming will include docente tours, film screenings, and lectures. This exhibit is presented in conjunction with “Pioneering Voices: Portraits of Transgender” People, an exhibit traveled by the Family Diversity Projects. Together, these exhibits provide historical and contemporary perspectives on the lives of the LGBTQ community. To learn more about the exhibit or the keynote address, contact Deborah Miles at dmiles@unca.edu.
03/27/17 “JUNCTION 48” DOCUMENTARY SCREENING ON PALESTINE
A film by Udi Aloni, written by Tamer Nafar and Oren Moverman. Kareem leads an aimless life between odd jobs and hanging out with his buddies in a crime-ridden Arab ghetto of the mixed city of Lyd. A family tragedy brings him closer to his singer girlfriend, Manar, and motivates him to do something more with his life. When Kareem and his group finally get a chance to perform in a Tel Aviv hip-hop club, the star potential of the 'first Arab rapper' is quickly noticed. Although he raps “I'm not political” Kareem and the group use music to express their tough life as Palestinian youth. But the road to success is never easy. Kareem and his group must face violent nationalistic Jewish rappers, government-imposed gentrification and troubled drug-dealing friends. When Manar's family threatens to harm them if she performs publicly with him, the time comes for Kareem to either surrender to conservative tradition or stand up for the woman he loves, the artist he respects. Screenplay by real-life rapper Tamer Nafar (who stars as Kareem) and Oren Moverman (The Messenger, Time Out of Mind). A social drama with kick-ass music directed by Udi Aloni (Art/Violence, Forgiveness). This is at 7:30 PM at Carmine Cinemas at 121 River Hills Road in east Asheville. Tickets are $11. 72 tickets need to be sold in advance for this movie to be shown, so please go to https://www.tugg.com/events/junction-48-dezk to buy tickets right now. If your organization is interested in co-sponsoring this event, email Dooler at doolerfc@gmail.com.
03/27/17 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE EVENT
League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County will host a Women’s History Month event on March 27, 2017. Celebrate Women’s History Month with a a panel presentation that will be of composed of local women activists. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is West Asheville Library at 942 Haywood Road in Asheville. Contact LWV of Asheville via their website for more information.
03/28/17 MOVIE NIGHT AT THE COLLIDER
The Collider and Oskar Blues Brewery launch a new monthly climate and environmental film series at The Collider, open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 PM, the film starts at 7. The first four evenings will feature episodes from the award-winning series, “Years of Living Dangerously.” Oskar Blues will provide beer and, of course, we’ll also have popcorn. Tonight we will show Collapse of the Oceans with Josh Jackson and Priceless, featuring “The Sixth Extinction” with Aasif Mandvi and “Price on Carbon” with Nikki Reed. This is a Facebook event.
03/28/17 SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT DO!SCUSSION
Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national network of groups educating and organizing white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for racial justice. Asheville SURJ hosts a weekly discussion group on risk-taking, accountability, mutual interest and how to call more white people into racial justice work. Anyone with a passion for working with white people on racial justice is welcome. Time is 10 AM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/28/17 MEN’S DIVERSITY CIRCLE
The Men's Diversity Circle - A courageous space for dialogue and connection between men of color. Time is 7 PM and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/28/17 ASHEVILLE TIMEBANK POTLUCK
Asheville TimeBank will hold its monthly potluck dinner on the 4th Tuesday of March, 3/28 at 6:15 PM, at St. Mary's Episcopal Church Fellowship Hall on Charlotte Street in Asheville. Enter via Evelyn Way off Charlotte Street. Open to everyone - TimeBank members and also those who would like to learn about getting needs met outside the cash economy. Bring your laptop if you'd like some individual help. Contact Cathy Holt at cathyfholt@gmail.com for more information.
03/29/17 GREEN GRANNIES BOOK CLUB
Founded in 2012, the Green Grannies are a group of women who are willing to make a ruckus about the need for action on climate change. This is their reading group and they are reading Dr. Barber's The Third Reconstruction. Time is noon and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/30/17 FILM FESTIVAL ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE
Stories of Struggle, Conscience and Spirit: A Film Festival on Israel/Palestine. There will be a total of six evenings of films and discussions between March 2 and May 18, 2017. PAJET (Palestinian and Jewish Egalitarian Team) and JPIP (Just Peace for Israel/Palestine) are collaborating on this film series because of the importance of bringing these little-known narratives to Asheville. Both groups are committed to human rights for all people, focusing on the struggle for a just, and therefore sustainable, peace in Israel and Palestine. Our participants live in the questions surrounding that commitment. JPIP takes specific stands on issues related to Israeli and U.S. policies enabling the Occupation. PAJET formed as a dialogue group between Jewish and Palestinian residents of Asheville, and explores how to advocate together for peace and justice. Both groups invite the public to view these films and join the dialogue. The film festival is free, donations are welcome. “The Idol” is a drama depicting the life of Mohammed Assaf, a Palestinian pop singer living in Gaza, as he sets a seemingly impossible goal: to compete on the Arab Idol program. Directed by three-time Oscar nominee Hani Abu-Asad. Time is 7 PM and location is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 337 Charlotte Street in north Asheville.
03/30/17 SPEAKER AND AUTHOR EVENT AT UNCA
Carolyn Finney, author of “Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors” will speak at 6 PM on Thursday, March 30, 2017 in UNC Asheville’s Humanities Lecture Hall. Carolyn Finney is one of 12 members of the congressionally chartered National Park System Advisory Board, working to assist the National Park Service in engaging relations of reciprocity with diverse communities. She also is an assistant professor of geography at the University of Kentucky. Her talk is titled “Radical Presence: Black Faces, White Spaces and Other Stories of Possibility.” Carolyn Finney’s career as a cultural geographer came after a backpacking trip around the world and a period of time living in Nepal. She explores how difference, identity, representation, and power play a significant role in determining how people negotiate their daily lives in relation to the environment. As a Fulbright fellow, Finney has also researched the impact of tourism and modernization on Nepalese women and the environment. She says the aim of her work is to develop greater cultural competency within environmental organizations and institutions, challenge media outlets on their representation of difference, and increase awareness of how privilege shapes who gets to speak to environmental issues and determine policy and action. By engaging art, science, and popular culture, she works to create new frameworks of engagement where diverse communities and individuals, environmental organizations, government agencies and academic institutions can establish and nurture healthy human/environment relationships. Finney’s talk, originally scheduled for last year as part of UNC Asheville’s celebration of the National Park Service Centennial, is co-sponsored by the university’s Center for Diversity Education and National Endowment for the Humanities Professorship. Additional support comes from the Sierra Club of Western North Carolina (WENOCA) and Everybody’s Environment. Finney’s book will be available for sale at this event; doors will open at 5:30 PM. This event is free and open to everyone. For more information, contact Deborah Miles, director of UNC Asheville’s Center for Diversity Education, at dmiles@unca.edu or (828) 232-5024.
03/30/17 COMMUNITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT STUDY GROUP
This is a study group to learn more about the Community Rights Movement. If you would like to be more deeply informed about the legal process of passing a Community Bill of Rights and enjoy digesting information please join us. We will use Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund's online Democracy School and associated materials (on the web). We will do 4 weeks: March 16, 23, 30 and April 6. This will be on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7.30 PM. Location is The BLOCK off Biltmore at 39 South Market Street in downtown Asheville. This is a Facebook event under CELDF Democracy School Study Group.
03/31/17 FILM AT FIRESTORM
Black Star Line Spring Film Series presents “Imitation of Life” one of six films presented by Black Star Line, Asheville's new queer-, black- woman-owned brewery. “Imitation of Life” is a 1959 American romantic drama film directed by Douglas Sirk, produced by Ross Hunter and released by Universal International, starring Lana Turner and John Gavin. It was Sirk's final Hollywood film and dealt with issues of race, class and gender. Call 828-708-7010 for more information about the film. Time is 6 PM and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
04/01/17 GREENWORKS NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP IN HAW CREEK
Join the neighbors of Haw Creek as they cleanup several roads in their area. Time is 9 AM to noon, meeting location TBD. Contact Kate Nelson to volunteer or for more information at 828-232-7144.
04/05/17 CITIZENS-POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
This meeting is organized by the City of Asheville. This meeting is free and open to the public. They meet in the first floor Conference Room at the Public Works Building at 161 South Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville. Time is 5 PM. Call 251-1122 for more information.
04/05/17 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Join us on April 5 to learn about the status of installing solar and wind clean energy generation in North Carolina. Hear from experts about our success in becoming a national leader in installed solar generation and the beginnings of wind power in our state. Find out what the future holds for both expanding solar and onshore/offshore wind energy generation. This event is free and open to the public. Location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at 1 Edwin Place in north Asheville (Charlotte Street and Edwin Place). For more information, contact Gail Solomon at gailwriter@msn.com or 908-963-7711.
04/05/17 BILL AYERS: DEMAND THE IMPOSSIBLE
Join us as we welcome Bill Ayers, here on a national tour to celebrate the release of his latest book, “Demand the Impossible!: A Radical Manifesto.” In an era defined by mass incarceration, endless war, economic crisis, catastrophic environmental destruction, and a political system offering more of the same, radical social transformation has never been more urgent. We must imagine a world beyond what this rotten system would have us believe is possible. In critiquing the world around us, Ayers uncovers cracks in the system, raising our sights for radical change, and envisioning strategies for building a movement to create a more humane, balanced, and peaceful world. Bill Ayers is a social justice activist, teacher, Distinguished Professor of Education (retired) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and author of two memoirs, “Fugitive Days” and “Public Enemy.” Time is 6 PM and location is Firestorm Coffee & Books & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
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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 during most of the year, but after standard time kicks in, they meet at 4:30 PM.
Showing Up for Racial Justice Do!scussion at Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. 10 AM. Educating and organizing white people for racial justice.
Rally at historic Courthouse in Hendersonville at 4:30 PM. Organized by the Power of Women.
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville
French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org.
Green Grannies Book Club meets at noon at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville.
“What’s Up With Whiteness” discussion group at 6 PM at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville.
Green Drinks meets at 7 PM at The Block Off Biltmore on the third Wednesday of the month.
Sierra Club meets at 7 PM at Unitarian Universalist in Asheville on the first Wednesday of the month.
THURSDAY
Political Prisoners Letter Writing at Firestorm Coffee & Books at 6 PM on fourth Thursday of the month. Materials provided.
Political documentary film and discussion at Firestorm Coffee & Books 6:30 PM on the third Thursday of the month. Sponsored by Asheville Citizens Accountability Project.
Welcome Home Tour by Homeward Bound on the third Thursday of the month at 11 AM. Call 258-1695 for more information.
Asheville Prison Books Program is held at Downtown Books & News from 4 to 7 PM.
FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville.
Standing Up For Racial Justice event is held at 10 AM at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville. Educating and organizing white people for racial justice.
SATURDAY
French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org.
Mountain True holds urban forest workdays on the second Saturday of the month at Richmond Hill Park from 9 AM to 1 PM. Call 258-8737 for more information.
Citizen’s Climate Lobby meeting at 12:30 PM at Kairos West Community Center on second Saturday of the month.
Food Not Bombs serves free vegan/vegetarian food every Saturday at noon at Pritchard Park.
SUNDAY
Asheville National Organization for Women meeting at 2:30 PM at YWCA of Asheville on second Sunday of the month.
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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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PETITION AGAINST FIRST USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Here’s what you can do to help defuse this incredibly dangerous situation: Contact your legislators and ask them to support Senate Bill 3400, “The Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act” which would prohibit the president of the United States from using nuclear weapons without congressional authorization except when the US is under attack.
Promptly call your senators and Congressional representatives:
Sen. Richard Burr 202-224-3154 or 828-350-2437
Sen. Thom Tillis 202-224-6342 or 919-856-4630
Rep. Mark Meadows 202-225-6401 or 828-693- 5660
Rep. Patrick McHenry 202-225-2576 or 828-327-6100
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From Facebook:
De-document Lent
Last week as I worked with comrades to keep our community safe from the threats of ICE and the arrest and separation from family, my friend said that people with documents just don't understand what it feels like. And added, we should try to go without. Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent. This is a time of 40 days set aside marking Jesus' time in the wilderness where he rebuffed the lies of the cultural and imperial Domination System and claimed his true identity as beloved child of God. My privilege and my documents like my driver's license are lies that say I deserve safety more than other children of God and that I am "legal" and "good" because I have the ability to have this identification. Christians traditionally "give something up" for Lent as a practice of fasting. This practice allows us to reflect on who we really are, on our participation in the world and to confess where we place our trust in idols (read systems) that are lies and oppress other children of God. So I am "giving up" my documents that make me "legal." I am simply choosing to be human and to identify as a child of God. Concretely this means, I will not use identification or carry my driver's license. This is a practice that leads to collective liberation which is at the heart of what it means follow Jesus. I invite you to join this journey.
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EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA
URGENT- the time is now for you to help pass the Equal Rights Amendment. This is our last chance in NC until 2019. Send two emails, one to the House Rules Committee, the other to the Senate Rules Committee. Just copy, paste, send.... and thanks.
1) The House Rules Committee
Simply copy all the following addresses together and paste into your email program.
David.Lewis@ncleg.net, Ted.Davis@ncleg.net, Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net, John.Szoka@ncleg.net, John.Torbett@ncleg.net, John.Bell@ncleg.net, John.Blust@ncleg.net,
Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net, Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net, Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net, Justin.Burr@ncleg.net, Becky.Carney@ncleg.net, Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net, Andy.Dulin@ncleg.net, Beverly.Earle@ncleg.net, Elmer.Floyd@ncleg.net, John.Fraley@ncleg.net, Ken.Goodman@ncleg.net, Edward.Hanes@ncleg.net, Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net, Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net, Darren.Jackson@ncleg.net, Linda.Johnson@ncleg.net, Susan.Martin@ncleg.net, Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net,
Robert.Reives@ncleg.net, Jason.Saine@ncleg.net, Shelly.Willingham@ncleg.net,
michael.Wray@ncleg.net
The message:
· Urge the Rules Committee to hold a hearing on the the Equal Rights Amendment (H.102).
· Urge them to support and vote for the ERA to ensure equal rights for women and men.
2) The Senate Rules Committee
Simply copy all the following addresses and paste into your email program.
Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net, Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net, Dan.Blue@ncleg.net, Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net, Harry.Brown@ncleg.net, Ben.Clark@ncleg.net,
Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net, Joel.Ford@ncleg.net, Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net,
Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net, Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net, Michael.Lee@ncleg.net,
Floyd.McKissick@ncleg.net, Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net, Louis.Pate@ncleg.net, Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net, Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net, Terry.VanDuyn@ncleg.net, trudy.Wade@ncleg.net
The message:
· Urge the Rules Committee to hold a hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment (S.85).
· Urge them to support and vote for the ERA to ensure equal rights for women and men.
Thank you for supporting women’s causes. The Equal Rights Amendment will finally ensure that women are given equal protection in the United States Constitution.
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FROM THOMAS TIGER O’KEEFE:
So for those of you that didn't hear about the recent Wikileaks data dump here's the Cliff Notes for you. The question of who the CIA works for is one the citizens must make those in charge of our government answer. The grand illusion has been smashed; this doesn’t look like Democracy at all anymore. Here is a summary of Wikileaks’ Vault 7 initial release: #10 is the one that blew my mind, wow.
1) The CIA can masquerade its malware as belonging to a foreign intelligence agency.
2) The CIA stole hacking malware from the Russian Federation for their own use.
3) The CIA is hacking everyone, including US citizens.
4) Every microphone and webcam is remote controllable.
5) The CIA’s exploits have been leaked internally and can be used by unauthorized people to gain access to virtually anything.
6) CIA malware can infiltrate iPhones, Androids, Windows Phones, and even your smart TV.
7) The U.S. consulate in Frankfurt is a covert CIA hacker base.
8) The CIA created air gap jumping viruses that infect CDs, DVDs, flash drives, etc.
9) The CIA created malware that specifically evaded certain anti-virus programs.
10) The CIA can hack cars for “undetectable assassinations.”
11) CIA malware can infiltrate your macOS and Windows computers.
12) CIA malware infiltrates your smartphone to read messages on encrypted apps, before you send them.
13) CIA malware can infiltrate Linux and routers.
14) The CIA was supposed to reveal major vulnerabilities, but instead, hoarded them for their own use.
15) Notepad++, a popular text editor, has a DLL hijack.
16) The CIA steals saved passwords from Internet Explorer
17) CIA can bypass Windows User Account Control
18) CIA has Android malware that makes Android phones bulk-spy on WiFi networks around them - Steve White
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A DECLARATION OF SOLIDARITY WITH IMMIGRANTS BY PEOPLE OF FAITH IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
As members of faith communities and immigrant communities in Western North Carolina, we find ourselves in turbulent times. New policies on immigration enforcement threaten to round up immigrants, split apart families, and deport our neighbors, who have lived and worked as contributing members of our communities for decades.
Recent executive orders on immigration and the Department of Homeland Security memos that implement tham dangerously escalate existing anti-immigrant policies. They target all undocumented community members by terminating prosecutorial discretion. They penalize asylum seekers and family members who help children seek safety. They force local police to serve as immigration agents.
By executive order, detainees and deportees now include parents of young children, long-time, well-established residents who hold jobs and pay taxes, devoted moms and dads, and even patients seeking treatment for serious illnesses.
These extraordinary actions divide children from their parents, and siblings and spouses from one another. Aggressive raids by ICE agents (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are instilling acute fear and anxiety throughout the immigrant community. They threaten to impede not only the American spirit of neighborliness and good will but also the industry and commerce of our nation.
As Americans, we are dismayed. As people of faith we are also committed to taking action. As Protestants and Catholics, Buddhists and Jews, Unitarian Universalists and Muslims, Bahá’í and Pagans, Quakers and others, we share at least two spiritual imperatives: to love our neighbors, and to welcome those who come from far off lands seeking shelter.
In the Hebrew Scriptures it is written “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) Jesus cites this text and proclaims love of neighbor as one the two greatest commandments. (Mark 12:31) The Prophet Muhammad cautioned, “None of you will believe until you love for all others what you love for yourself.” (Hadith) In the same vein, Buddha taught “As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cherish all with a boundless heart.” (Khuddaka Nikaya)
As people of faith, we must therefore stand in solidarity with the approximately eleven million people who are living in this country peaceably and productively and whose status is now threatened by these unprecedented actions.
We pledge to do everything in our power, as individuals and as faith communities, to protect the immigrants among us from hostile action by our government. Working alongside our immigrant neighbors, we will create sanctuary spaces and raise money for legal assistance. We will urge and pursue federal, state and local actions (see addendum) that will open the way for immigrants to achieve their full potentials as sojourners in this land.
God protect our neighbors, and God grant us one and all the courage to stand with them.
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