dancewater: Upcoming events for the week of March 25, 2018

This came from a Facebook post. The level of stupidity in the top photo is amazing. And the men in the photo are surely from Texas.

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR BY DANCEWATER

Please note: I did not think I would be able to get the calendar out this week, but I was! I might not be able to get it out next week though.

03/26/18 SPRINGFEST SPEAKERS AT UNCA

The keynote speakers for UNC Asheville Springfest will be Audrey and Frank Peterman on Monday, March 26 in the Humanities Lecture Hall at 7:00pm. About the Petermans: With their last child graduating from college, Audrey and Frank Peterman embarked on a road trip around the country to “discover America.” Traveling 12,000 miles across 40 states from Florida to Washington State, they were transformed by the stunning natural beauty, history and culture protected in our National Parks and forests. Shockingly, they saw less than a handful of Americans of Hispanic, Asian, African or Native American heritage enjoying the Great American outdoors, or working in them. Recognizing that this problem stemmed from a lack of information, misconceptions and latent fears about being in the woods, the Petermans resolved to become a catalyst for change. Talk is free and open to everyone.

03/26/18 ASHEVILLE SURG WEEKLY MEETING

Asheville SURJ Weekly Monday night meetings: 6:30-8:30pm at the UU Congregation (1 Edwin Place, corner of Edwin & Charlotte), downstairs main building. Every Monday, all are welcome to gather with others seeking to stay accountable in the work of dismantling white supremacy within themselves and the spheres they work, play, and live in. First Mondays are focused on exploring SURJ's Core Values and how we go about the work of moving from ally to accomplice in this work. Second Mondays are focused on a Calling In session where we brainstorm and role-play difficult situations and conversations around confronting racism and white supremacy, in ourselves and others. Third & Fourth Mondays are focused on Education with each topic being looked at nationally one week and then local impacts the following week. We are beginning this series with a focus on issues relating to Housing. For more details on any and all ASURJ meetings, email avlsurj@gmail.com. Specific dates & topics below:

Mar. 19: Urban Renewal (big picture/national history)

Mar. 26: Urban Renewal (local Asheville history)

03/26/18 ART TRANSIT MASTER PLAN PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

In October 2017, the City of Asheville began working with the public on a Transit Master Plan, a guiding document for the City's ART transit system. The plan is designed to provide specific routing recommendations to improve service in the short-term, and serves as a long-term vision plan for future expansion and improvements. The City consulted the public during meetings in fall and winter 2017 and online through Open City Hall Asheville. Now a draft plan, informed by that input, is ready for review. The City and Asheville Redefines Transit (ART) invite the public to review the plan and give their input during a 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 26 meeting at the Public Works Building, Room A109, 161 S. Charlotte St. To help transport people to the meeting, a free shuttle will be provided from the ART Station to the Public Works Building. The shuttle will leave the ART Station every 15 minutes, starting at 6:15 p.m. and ending at 8:45 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to gather input from participants on the proposed changes to the ART bus network and to present the initial findings of the draft Transit Master Plan. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a brief PowerPoint presentation to explain the Transit Master Plan process, as well as show maps of the proposed changes to ART’s North, South, East and West bus routes. After the presentation, participants will be able to view, at their leisure, the proposed changes at four interactive stations and provide comments and/or mark up route maps with additional suggestions. Discussion tables will also be provided for participants to openly discuss the current bus network and proposed changes. Each table will have a facilitator to guide the discussion. The input will be used to assist the project team, led by Tindale-Oliver & Associates, in working with City staff to develop and prioritize transit service changes and update the 10-year Transit Master Plan. If you cannot attend the meeting, the same presentation will be made to the Transit Committee on March 27 and the Multimodal Transportation Commission on March 28. Everyone is welcome to attend. The goal of the Transit Master Plan is to establish a mobility vision and program of investments that have community consensus, support and approval for more effective and efficient ART public transportation services to meet the needs of Asheville and support our continued growth. For more information, or if you are unable to attend the meeting and would like to provide feedback, you may contact Elias Mathes directly via phone or email. Elias Mathes, Transit Planning Manager, City of Asheville, at 828-232-4522 or EMathes@Ashevillenc.gov.

03/27/18 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 4:30 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.

03/27/18 ASHEVILLE SURJ DO!SCUSSION

ASURJ Do!scussion: Tuesdays, 10:30 AM to 12 PM in the backroom of Firestorm, Road in Asheville. A safe space to come together and talk about issues relating to dismantling white supremacy and confronting racism with a focus on what we can do to make a change, in ourselves, our communities, and beyond. All are welcome. Led by Matilda Bliss. ASURJ Do-Session: Tuesdays, noon-2pm, at a member’s residence. Meet us at 12:30 PM at Kairos West (right below Firestorm) and walk with us down there. This is a weekly space to do something to support accountability partners in their work. Letter-writing, list-making, social media work are just a few examples of what we will do to show up for racial justice Tuesday at the Do-Session. Bring your laptop and phone and help us out. For more details on any and all ASURJ meetings, email avlsurj@gmail.com.

03/27/18 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS PRESENTS CIVICS 101

The League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County, Pisgah Legal Services, and Children First/Communities in Schools have joined together to present Civics 101. This series provides an opportunity for any community to learn about the roles and decision-making processes of our local governments and how citizens can advocate and get their voice heard. This 4 week program will take place Tuesdays in March at the Arthur Edington Center from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Come to one or all sessions. Tuesday, March 27, 2018 will focus on Advocacy Training. Presenter will be Pisgah Legal Services. Light fare and refreshments will be provided. Spanish interpretation is available. Please contact us by February 28th for childcare services. For more information or questions, contact civics101@lwvab.org or 828-333-0893.

03/27/18 PANEL DISCUSSION ON FUTURE OF NANTAHALA AND PISGAH NATIONAL FORESTS IN BREVARD

March 27 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm. In the interest of ensuring that the next 15 year management plan for our national forests is one that reflects our interests and priorities, MountainTrue is hosting a series of events across WNC called “The Future of Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel on the Forest Management Plan.” This event on March 27th will take place in the Rogow Room of the Transylvania County Public Library in Brevard, NC. It is free and open to the public and will feature panelists representing different forest interest groups, from recreational users to forest product industries to conservationists. The panelists will engage in constructive dialogue about working toward the common goal of a win-win forest management plan that balances the differing priorities of different user groups, followed by a Q&A with the audience. We hope you will come out and share this invitation with your friends and neighbors. Contact Susan Bean at 828.258.8737 x 216 or susan@mountaintrue.org for more information.

03/27/18 TEACH-IN ON WHITE NATIONALISM AT MALAPROPS

Vegas Tenold presents “Everything You Love Will Burn: Inside the Rebirth of White Nationalism in America.” This book takes readers to the dark, paranoid underbelly of America, a world in which the white race is under threat and the enemy is everywhere. Six years ago, Vegas Tenold embedded himself among the members of three of America's most ideologically extreme white nationalist groups-the KKK, the National Socialist Movement, and the Traditionalist Workers Party. At the time, these groups were part of a disorganized counterculture that felt far from the mainstream. But since then, all that has changed. Racially-motivated violence has been on open display at rallies in Charlottesville, Berkeley, Pikesville, Phoenix, and Boston. Membership in white nationalist organizations is rising, and national politicians, including the president, are validating their perceived grievances. “Everything You Love Will Burn” offers a terrifying, sobering inside look at these newly empowered movements, from their conventions to backroom meetings with Republican operatives. Tenold introduces us to neo-Nazis in Brooklyn; a millennial Klanswoman in Tennessee; and a rising star in the movement, nicknamed the “Little Fuhrer” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, who understands political power and is organizing a grand coalition of far-right groups to bring them into the mainstream. Event date: Tuesday, March 27, 2018 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Malaprops in downtown Asheville. Call Malaprops for more information.

03/27/18 TRANSIT COMMITTEE MEETING RESCHEDULED

The March Transit Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 27th from 3:30 to 5:30 PM. The meeting will be held in the 6th Floor HR Training Room, Asheville City Hall, 70 Court Plaza in downtown Asheville. The meeting date and location were changed to accommodate a special presentation of the Draft Transit Master Plan. For meeting materials and more information, please contact Elias Mathes, Transit Planning Manager for the City of Asheville, at 828-232-4522 or EMathes@Ashevillenc.gov.

03/27/18 UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION WNC MEETING

United Nations Association - Western North Carolina (UNA-WNC) meeting. Rachel Dunn will do a presentation on the Model UN Program at UNCA. Fellowship at 6:30 pm, meeting from 7 to 8 PM. Location is Zageir Hall, Room 243, University of North Carolina at Asheville. For more information email Dot Sulock at dsulock@unca.edu.

03/27/18 INDIVISIBLE ASHEVILLE GENERAL MEETING

Indivisible AVL General Meeting: Voter Registration & State Reps will be on March 27 from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm. For this month’s general meeting we’ll have a voter registration training, led by Democracy NC, plus a Q&A with our state senators and representatives (for Buncombe County). Indivisible AVL general meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month. Each month we’ll give updates on recent and future actions and highlight opportunities to get involved, and we’ll also focus on learning more about our elected representatives in Raleigh and Washington, or hearing from candidates who are seeking election, or learning more about a particular issue, or sharing tools for active engagement. Location is the Wesley Grant Center at 285 Livingston Street in Asheville. This information came from the Indivisible Asheville website. No contact information.

3/28/18 INTERNATIONALIST SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION MEETING AT UNCA

Join the UNCA socialists (ISO) Wednesday 3-28-18 at 6:30 pm in Rhoades Robinson 106 for a meeting about March For Our Lives. All students and community members welcome. Despite terrible weather over a thousand people marched through Asheville in opposition to mass shootings and gun violence in schools, joining the thousands who came out to such actions in cities across Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and all over the globe. Come join the discussion and be a part of the movement for a new, humane society. Contact asheville.socialist@gmail.com for more information.

03/28/18 BOARD MEETING FOR LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN ASHEVILLE – BUNCOMBE COUNTY

Board Meeting, Public Comment Open at beginning of each meeting. Wed, March 28 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. Monthly on the fourth Wednesday. Location is The Cathedral of All Souls at 9 Swan Street in Asheville. Join us in the CE Room.

03/28/18 HEALTHCARE FOR ALL WNC MEETING

March 28 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. HealthCare for All WNC, the local chapter of PNHP, Physicians for a National Health Program, will hold a general meeting on Wednesday March 28 at 7PM at the North Asheville Library 1030 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. The group will discuss upcoming events on their calendar, their new website/Facebook page and newsletter, and actively recruiting for various subcommittees. For more information, email hcfawnc@gmail.com.

03/28/18 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County Fair Vote Committee Meeting. Wednesday, March 28 from 6:30pm – 7:30pm. Location is 14 East Crabapple Lane in Asheville. For more information, contact the organizer: communications.lwvab@gmail.com.

03/28/18 MARS HILL UNIVERSITY EVENT

March 28 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Join the history and women’s studies programs on the Upper Quad on Wednesday, March 28, from 12-5 pm for a pop-up museum celebrating Women’s History Month. The theme for this pop-up museum is “What Does She Mean.” We want the campus community to help us tell the story of strong, influential women in our lives through community artifacts and items that you bring with you. You may bring photographs, books, letters, or any other item that you think best represents the influential women in your lives. What is a pop-up museum? A pop-up museum is a temporary exhibit created by individuals who show up to participate. A theme and venue are chosen and then the community is invited to bring an on-topic object to share, like a community show-and-tell. Each participant writes a label for their object and puts it on display. A pop-up museum usually lasts for a few hours on one day, and focuses on bringing people together in conversation through stories, art, and objects. Any questions can be directed to Patrick Cash at pcash@mhu.edu. He is the coordinator of the public history program.

03/29/18 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HENDERSON COUNTY EVENT

Thursday, Mar. 29 at 11:30 AM. Lunch & Learn - “Education Matters” presentation and discussion led by Dr. Jan King, assistant superintendent for Henderson County Public Schools and Rick Wood, vice-chair of the Henderson County Board of Education. Bring your own lunch or purchase one. Local View on Issues with Asst Supt. Jan King and School Board Member Rick Wood. As always, our meetings are free and open to the public. Water is available, but if you would like a drink or snack, please bring your own or support the Co-op for offering this space to us. The Self-Help Credit Union next door has offered us additional parking behind their building. Location is Hendersonville Community Co-op at 60 South Charleston Lane in Hendersonville. For more information, contact the LWVHC via their website.

03/29/18 ERA-NC ALLIANCE MEETING IN ASHEVILLE

ERA-NC Alliance Districts 10 and 11 Action Teams will meet on Thursday, March 29 at 6:30 PM at the YWCA, 185 South French Broad Avenue in Asheville. Discussion will include background and status of the Equal Rights Amendment, communicating with legislators and finding allies in each County in WNC. Please join us! All are welcome. For more information, contact Ellen Perry – ellenjperry@gmail.com or Jimmie Cochran Pratt – jimmie.cochranpratt@gmail.com.

03/30/18 GREENEST EVENTS AT UNCA

Friday Greenfest Events. Electric Vehicle Show and Tell at 10:00am - 2:00pm. Location is Parking Lot P19 opposite Brown Hall. Attendees can view and sit inside various models of electric vehicles, ask questions and make connections. Date: 3/30. Free. Contact for this event: Office of Sustainability at sustain@unca.edu or 828.251.6627.

03/31/18 TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY FILM SCREENING AT FIRESTORM

Sat, Mar 31 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Trans Day of Visibility Film Screening. Tranzmission Prison Project will be screening a film and facilitating a brief discussion. Details TBA. This is at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm for more information.

04/01/18 EXHIBIT AT UNCA

Education for Liberation: African American Education in Macedonia Rosenwald School 1923-1963. Location is Zageir Hall, UNC Asheville. Dates are April 1 - May 30, 2018. This is free and open to the public. This exhibit opening recognizes the birthday of Booker T. Washington, the founder of Rosenwald Schools, who was born on April 5,1856 near Roanoke, Virginia. Education for Liberation tells the story of the Macedonia Rosenwald School in Batesville, Mississippi which is the home community of local resident Cheryl Johnson. Macedonia was one of the over 5,000 schools, shops, and teacher's homes that were built through the vision of Booker T. Washington in collaboration with Julius Rosenwald from 1913 - 1948. WNC had numerous Rosenwald Schools that which were attended by local residents including Anita White in Shiloh and Oralene Simmons in Mars Hill. For more information, contact UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education at 828-232-5024 or dmiles@unca.edu.

04/02/18 ASHEVILLE SURG WEEKLY MEETING

April 16: Gentrification (big picture nationally)

April 23: Gentrification (big picture locally)

April 30: Roundup of Housing issues explored

04/02/18 AUTHOR TEACH-IN AT MALAPROPS

Elisabeth Rosenthal presents “An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back” at 6 PM at Malaprops in downtown Asheville. Join this NYT reporter and Harvard-trained doctor for a look at the US’s broken health care system and a productive discussion about what can be done to fix it. Call Malaprop’s at 828-254-6734 for more information. An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back, Monday, April 2, 6:00 p.m.:The healthcare system is in tatters, says Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, but we can fight back. Rosenthal doesn't just explain the symptoms, she diagnoses and treats the problem itself. In clear and practical terms, she spells out exactly how to decode medical doublespeak, avoid the pitfalls of the pharmaceuticals business, and get the care we and our families deserve. She takes us inside the doctor-patient relationship and to hospital C-suites, explaining step-by-step the workings of a system badly lacking transparency. This is about what we can do, as individual patients, both to navigate the maze that is American healthcare and to demand far-reaching reform. An American Sickness is the frontline defense against a healthcare system that no longer has our well-being at heart. Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal was for 22 years a reporter, correspondent, and senior writer at The New York Times before becoming the editor in chief of Kaiser Health News, an independent journalism newsroom focusing on health and health policy. She holds an MD from Harvard Medical School, trained in internal medicine, and has worked as an ER physician.

04/02/18 AUTHOR EVENT AT FIRESTORM IN ASHEVILLE

Monday, Apr 2nd at 6:00pm. Challenging Orthodoxy: Nonviolence, Self-Defense, and the Movement for Black Lives. Charles E. Cobb, Jr., author of “This Nonviolent Stuff’ll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible,” will explore the complex relationship between Civil Rights Movement organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the tradition of African American armed self-defense. In conversation with former SNCC staff member Carol Rogoff Hallstrom, Charles will reflect on the contemporary movements that have inherited this legacy of struggle as he explores protest, politics and the movement for black lives. Charles E. Cobb, Jr. is a distinguished journalist and inductee of the National Association of Black Journalists’ Hall of Fame. He served as field secretary in Mississippi from 1962 to 1967 for the SNCC, the most influential youth and student organization during the Civil Rights Movement. He was involved in organizing and conducting the Freedom Summer in 1964, which brought numerous civil rights organization together to register African-American Mississippian voters and hold Freedom Schools. He worked closely with key figures in SNCC and the movement, including John Lewis, Courtland Cox, Jim Forman and Stokely Carmichael. He is the co-author, with fellow activist Bob Moses, of Radical Equations, Civil Rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project (2001) and also wrote On the Road to Freedom: A Guided Tour of the Civil Rights Trail (2008). Carol Rogoff Hallstrom is a retired attorney with deep roots in the Civil Rights Movement as a staff member and field secretary with the SNCC for four years. Carol continues her anti-racism work in Asheville with Building Bridges, the Racial Equity Institute and CoThinkk while teaching courses on civil rights at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. This is at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm for more information.

04/03/18 CURRENT EVENTS BOOK CLUB AT MALAPROPS

Join host Bruce Roth for a lively discussion on topics of current interest including war and peace, the economy, the environment, and other hot political topics. This month’s selection is “How Democracies Die” by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. Time is 7 PM. Call Malaprop’s at 828-254-6734 for more information.

04/03/18 VETERANS FOR PEACE VIGIL - BECAUSE THE WARS STILL GO ON

04/03/18 ASHEVILLE SURJ DO!SCUSSION

ASURJ Do!scussion: Tuesdays, 10:30 AM -12 PM in the backroom of Firestorm, Road in Asheville. A safe space to come together and talk about issues relating to dismantling white supremacy and confronting racism with a focus on what we can do to make a change, in ourselves, our communities, and beyond. All are welcome. Led by Matilda Bliss. ASURJ Do-Session: Tuesdays, noon-2pm, at a member’s residence. Meet us at 12:30 PM at Kairos West (right below Firestorm) and walk with us down there. This is a weekly space to do something to support accountability partners in their work. Letter-writing, list-making, social media work are just a few examples of what we will do to show up for racial justice Tuesday at the Do-Session. Bring your laptop and phone and help us out. For more details on any and all ASURJ meetings, email avlsurj@gmail.com.

04/03/18 FAIR COURTS TOWN HALL

Legislators won't return to Raleigh until May 2018; but some have already threatened to gerrymander our state courts, take control of the N.C. Supreme Court, and even rewrite our constitution to enshrine limits to voting access. And that could only be the beginning. Buncombe County is directly impacted by these attacks; but it's not too early to fight back. Join us for our first "Fair Courts, Fair Votes" Town Hall on Tuesday, April 3, at 6 p.m., at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center (285 Livingston Street, Asheville, N.C. 28801). Sponsored by Democracy North Carolina, NAACP of North Carolina, North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections (NCVCE), and Progress NC, this 90-minute event will provide a look at these and other important issues impacting voters and how you can fight back against attacks on our democracy in 2018. Have questions? Reply to this email, or contact NCVCE's Melissa Price Kromm at melissa@ncvce.org.

04/03/18 LECTURE AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY

Presidential Lecture: Congressman David Price. April 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. From Mars Hill to Capitol Hill: U.S. Rep. David Price (D-NC 4th District), a member of the Mars Hill class of 1959, will speak about his time at MHU and changes in DC. Location at Mars Hill University was not listed. Call Mars Hill University for more information.

04/04/18 INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION MEETING AT UNCA

International Socialist Organization - Asheville will hold our weekly branch meetings are held Wednesdays in Rhoades Robinson, room 106 at UNCA at 6:30 pm and are open to the public. Contact Asheville Socialists at asheville.socialist@gmail.com for more information.

04/05/18 SIERRA CLUB MEETING

Sierra Club April 5: A Pathway to a Cleaner Energy Future for North Carolina. Dave Rogers will present highlights from the Sierra Club’s recent report, “A Pathway to a cleaner Energy Future for North Carolina.” Rogers is the North Carolina Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign. Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Location: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place in north Asheville. This report shows how Duke Energy can reliably meet the state's energy needs and save its customers money by shifting towards clean energy and away from coal and natural gas. This event is free and open to the public. Rogers’ main responsibility is to push Duke Energy away from dirty energy sources like coal and gas and towards such cleaner energy technologies as energy efficiency, wind and solar. He also works with the North Carolina chapter to promote the electrification of the transportation sector here in the state. Based in Durham, NC, Rogers has worked as an environmental activist and advocate for 17 years. Prior to joining the Sierra Club, he served as director of Environment North Carolina. For more information, contact Judy Mattox, judymattox@sbcglobal.net, (828) 683-2176.

04/05/18 EXHIBIT OPENING AT UNCA

Exhibit Opening Thursday, April 5. 6:00 - 7:00 reception with refreshments. At 7 PM, there will be a panel discussion called “Our Stories of Rosenwald Schools” with panelists Oralene Graves Simmons, Anita White, and Cheryl Johnson. This exhibit opening recognizes the birthday of Booker T. Washington, the founder of Rosenwald Schools, who was born on April 5, 1856 near Roanoke, Virginia. Education for Liberation tells the story of the Macedonia Rosenwald School in Batesville, Mississippi which is the home community of local resident Cheryl Johnson. Macedonia was one of the over 5,000 schools, shops, and teacher's homes that were built through the vision of Booker T. Washington in collaboration with Julius Rosenwald from 1913 - 1948. WNC had numerous Rosenwald Schools that which were attended by local residents including Anita White in Shiloh and Oralene Simmons in Mars Hill. For more information, contact UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education at 828-232-5024 or dmiles@unca.edu.

04/06/18 DOCUMENTARY ON PALESTINE IN ASHEVILLE

Fri, Apr 6 at 6:00pm. Hebron Film Screening & Discussion. Hebron is a documentary by local filmmaker Yousef Natsha examining the human rights crisis being lived every day in a Palestinian community under Israeli occupation. Through provoking footage and interviews, this 40-minute film depicts Palestinian civilians attempting to exert their fundamental human rights, such as education, religion, movement, and dignity. Filmmaker Yousef Natsheh grew up in Hebron and began documenting the struggles and resistance of his community at the age of 19. Natsheh has worked with local and international human rights organizations and with various forms of media - including radio, photography, and film - to tell the story of his community. There will be an opportunity for questions & answers with the filmmaker after the screening. This is at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm for more information.

04/09/18 ASHEVILLE SURG WEEKLY MEETING

April 16: Gentrification (big picture nationally)

April 23: Gentrification (big picture locally)

April 30: Roundup of Housing issues explored

04/09/18 PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS OF BUNCOMBE MEETING

When: Mon, April 9, 6:15pm – 8:00pm. Where: BCDP Headquarters, 951 Old Fairview Rd., Asheville. Description: Doors open by 6:15 for sign in and conversation. Meeting begins promptly at 6:30. We encourage candidates and motivate voters while promoting the most progressive parts of the DNC platform: campaign finance reform, clean energy policy, universal healthcare, and much more. This month, join us for a Meet & Greet of Democratic Congressional Candidates in Districts 10 and 11. On Monday April 9, the Progressive Democrats of Buncombe County will host a public forum of Democratic Congressional candidates from Districts 10 and 11 from 6:30-8:00 PM at Democratic Headquarters, 591 Old Fairview Road in Asheville. Candidates will address issues like universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, clean energy policy, racial justice, and environmental protection and take questions afterward. Contact: Kris Kramer at pdobPRESIDENT@gmail.com.

04/09/18 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTES OF ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County Voter Engagement Coalition meeting. Monday, April 9 from 3:00pm – 4:30pm. Monthly on the second Monday. Location is 50 S French Broad Avenue in Asheville. Organizer: Voter Engagement Coalition Events

04/10/18 VETERANS FOR PEACE VIGIL - BECAUSE THE WARS STILL GO ON

04/10/18 ASHEVILLE SURJ DO!SCUSSION

04/10/18 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT AT UNCA

YWCA Stand Against Racism Event - “Notes from the Field” screening at Highsmith Student Union Grotto on Tuesday, April 10 from 5:30 - 7:30. Free and open to the public. In 2013 Anna Deveare Smith began the interviews of 250 people for “The Pipeline Project” that demonstrated the lived experiences of those who are caught in the “school to prison pipeline.” The screening is 90 minutes followed by 30 minutes of discussion. This program is sponsored in collaboration with the Office of Community Engagement and the NC Center for Health and Wellness. For more information, contact UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education at 828-232-5024 or dmiles@unca.edu.

04/10/18 OCCUPY WNC MEETING

Occupy WNC's next meeting is at 7:00 PM at The Sylva Market and Signature Brew Coffee Company at 552 W Main Street in Sylva. (Supper beforehand @6:00pm at Mad Batter Food and Film) . Occupy WNC, a non-partisan group, has worked for economic and social justice in WNC since 2011. They typically meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Newcomers and visitors welcome. Contact Lucy Christopher at (828)743-9747 for more information.

04/11/18 MOUNTAIN TRUE MEETING

Environmental issues and actions meeting. Free. Held at 6 PM at Wedge Foundation at 5 Foundy Street. Call 828-258-8737 for more information.

04/11/18 JAZZ FOR JUSTICE FOR PISGAH LEGAL

40th Anniversary Celebration at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel at 5:30pm. Opening remarks by Gene R. Nichol and Boyd Tinsley, Distinguished Professor of Law at UNC School of Law. This event is honoring Pat Smith with the Terry Van Duyn Community Volunteer Award; James Ellis with the Roy W. Davis, Jr. Award; Sarah Corley with the Karl H. Straus Board Emeritus Award and The Oliver Family with the Pisgah Legal Services Philanthropy Award. More information to follow. Contact Betsy at betsy@pisgahlegal.org for more information.

04/11/18 INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION MEETING AT UNCA

04/11/18 JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE MEETING

This meeting will be at 10 AM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church at 117 Montreat Road in Black Mountain. Contact Beth at elizakeiser@aol.com or 828-707-4271 for more information.

04/12/18 SPEECH ON BLACK HISTORY AND WNC RAILROADS AT MHU

“Between Slavery and the Want of Railroads: Reconstruction in Western North Carolina,” a talk with ETSU professor Steven E. Nash takes place on April 12, 2018. Time is 6 PM. Appalachian regions like western North Carolina are too often left out of conversations about the American Civil War’s aftermath. There are two reasons for that. First, Reconstruction was fundamentally about African Americans’ freedom. Since African Americans were such a distinct minority of the population, people assume this wasn’t a big deal here. Second, many people falsely assume that white mountaineers were devoted to the Union and gladly welcomed the war’s end. Both of these assumptions are false and mask the deep divisions, political violence, and opportunities Reconstruction created for a biracial Republican Party to enact real change in western North Carolina. As we are now in the 150th anniversary of Reconstruction, this talk addresses this last moment in our history. A native of Pennsylvania, Steven E. Nash moved to the South in 1998 to pursue his master’s degree at Western Carolina University. He later attended the University of Georgia, graduating with his PhD in history in 2009. He is an associate professor of history at East Tennessee State University and the author of Reconstruction’s Ragged Edge: The Politics of Postwar Life in the Southern Mountains (winner of the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center and Appalachian Studies Association’s Weatherford Award for best nonfiction book in Appalachian Studies published in 2016). He currently resides in Weaverville with his family. Admission to Appalachian Evenings is free and open to all. Location is the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies at 147 Bailey Street in Mars Hill, NC. This event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information, please call (828) 689-1115 or email lweinstein@mhu.edu.

04/12/18 ENVIRONMENTAL BOOK STUDY IN ASHEVILLE

Community book study on “Drawdown” will be on Thursdays, April 12-May 17th from 6-7:15 pm. Location is Jubilee Community at 46 Wall Street in Asheville. Join this community wide book discussion on “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.” It is a great way to explore climate change, meet wonderful people, and learn about global and local solutions. If interested in joining this discussion, email facilitator Chas Jansen who will send out a schedule of assignments & guide the discussion sessions. His email is chas.jansen@mtsu.edu.

04/12/18 CANDIDATE FORUM FOR SHERIFF OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY

April 12 | Sheriff Candidate Forum | Buncombe County. Join us at our upcoming nonpartisan Buncombe Co Sheriff Candidate Forum on April 12 in Asheville. Hear directly from the people running for this vital role in Buncombe County. Buncombe County Sheriff Candidate Forum is on Thursday, April 12, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Location is Hill Street Baptist Church at 137 Hill Street in Asheville. Please RSVP at Democracy NC website. If you have questions, you can contact Darlene Azarmi at (828) 216-3430 or darlene@democracync.org.

04/12/18 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT AT UNCA

Reading of the Names at UNC Asheville Ramsey Library on Thursday, April 12 from 9:00 - 5:00. Each year the Center and Hillel College Students host The Reading of the Names of the targets of the Holocaust on Holocaust Remembrance Day including people who were Jewish, Roma, Gays, Jehovah's Witness, and more. For more information, contact UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education at 828-232-5024 or dmiles@unca.edu.

04/12/18 TRAUMA STEWARDSHIP MEETUP: ENGAGING IN SELF-CARE WHILE CARING FOR OTHERS

For ourselves – helpers, advocates, healers, activists, empaths. Participants share tips and strategies for self-care and resilience. Time is 6 to 7:30 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Duncan Tam, MSW at duncan2729@yahoo.com for more information.

04/14/18 ACHIEVING EQUITY FORUM

2nd Annual Achieving Equity Forum. The Asheville Chapter of the Links, Incorporated will hold its 2nd Annual Achieving Equity Forum on Saturday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arthur Edington Center in Asheville. The panel will include subject-matter experts addressing topics that affect African American communities such as: Housing, Health, Mass Incarceration, and the Wealth Gap. The annual forum is a signature program of the Health and Human Services facet of The Links, Incorporated, Asheville Chapter. The forum is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Community Room of the Edington Center at 133 Livingston Street in Asheville. To learn more, contact Sharon K. West, President of the Asheville Chapter, at (828) 2318907 or email her at sharonkellywest@gmail.com.

04/14/18 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT

Central Buncombe Hard-2-Recycle Event (formerly held in Downtown Asheville) is on Saturday, April 14, from 10am to 2pm. Location is Sears at Asheville Mall on South Tunnel Road. Organized by Asheville GreenWorks, 254-1776.

04/15/18 WNC GREEN PARTY MEETING

Our April chapter meeting will be a little different - we are heading down to Hendersonville and teaming up with Our Revolution on April 15 to participate in a Medicare for All workshop from 3-5 pm. Hopefully we can use some of the knowledge from "This is an Uprising" to plan some direct actions with them. Carpools from Asheville are being arranged, so if you would like to go, please let either myself or Ben know if you would prefer to drive or ride. Contact Camille Mccarthy at camillm@g.clemson.edu for questions or to arrange car pools. They are also on Facebook. More info on the workshop: Healthcare For All, Y'all is sponsoring a workshop Single Payer Healthcare Workshop. They will be teaching a variety of skills and different types of direct actions, planning direct actions,and setting times and dates for those actions. Location is The Hendersonville Community Co-op at 60 S Charleston Lane in Hendersonville. For more info email: HCFA.Yall@gmail.com.

04/15/18 POETRY READING IN ASHEVILLE

Sunday, Apr 15th at 3:00pm. Black n White Poetry Reading. Local poet and Carolina Day School student Aria Irani reads original poems about working through hardship. Aria wil be joined by fellow poet Bronwyn White, a student at SILSA Asheville High School. This is at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm for more information.

04/15/18 EVENT AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY

Reel Appalachia: Films at the Ramsey Center on April 25 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. First Language, speaker TBA. Over fourteen thousand Cherokee remain in their ancestral homelands in the mountains of North Carolina, but few among them still speak their native language. Recognizing its imminent loss, the Eastern Band of Cherokee are now taking extraordinary steps in a fight to revitalize the Cherokee language. The Cherokee Indians were once the dominant power in what is now the Southeastern United States. This Emmy Award-winning film follows this Cherokee community as it comes to terms with a heritage that predates the United States by thousands of years. Admission to Reel Appalachia is free and open to all. Location is the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies at 147 Bailey Street in Mars Hill, NC. This event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information, please call (828) 689-1115 or email lweinstein@mhu.edu.

04/16/18 ASHEVILLE SURG WEEKLY MEETING

April 16: Gentrification (big picture nationally)

April 23: Gentrification (big picture locally)

April 30: Roundup of Housing issues explored

04/16/18 WHATS ON THE BALLOT FORUM IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY

April 16 | What's on the Ballot Forum | Buncombe County. Join Democracy NC and our partners as we break down what's on the ballot during the 2018 ‘justice’ elections. Take home information to help you remember what is at stake, spread the word in your networks, and prepare for early voting in April and the May 2018 Primary. “What's on the Ballot” 2018 Forum is on Monday, April 16 from 6-7:30 p.m. Location is the Grant Southside Center at 285 Livingston Street in Asheville. Please RSVP at the Democracy NC website. If you have questions, you can contact Darlene Azarmi at (828) 216-3430 or darlene@democracync.org.

04/17/18 FAITH IN DEMOCRACY EVENT IN ASHEVILLE

Tue, Apr 17, 2018 from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM. Join us for a Faith in Democracy event in Asheville on April 17th. Please join Democracy NC in rebuilding and defending “Faith in Democracy.” Each session will include answers to the following questions: Legally, what can faith communities and faith leaders discuss about the social/political issues? Morally, what are leaders feeling compelled to do? What are the real risks, especially to minority faith and non-faith groups? How is this work rooted in standing up for racial justice? Why is almost all current state and federal legislation so extreme? How does it threaten our own religious freedom? How can leaders enable their communities, both inside and outside of the church, to see “political” issues through the lens of faith and become advocates for the good of all, especially for “the least of these”? What does meaningful, ecumenical coalition look like? Location is St. James AME Sanctuary at 44 Hildebrand Street in Asheville. Please RSVP at Democracy NC website. Contact JaNesha Slaughter with questions at (704) 493-2042 or janesha@democracy-nc.org.

04/17/18 VETERANS FOR PEACE VIGIL - BECAUSE THE WARS STILL GO ON

04/17/18 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

On the third 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 5:45 PM and location is the Block Off Biltmore at Eagle and Market Streets in downtown Asheville. For more information, contact Gerry at gwerhan@gmail.com.

04/17/18 ASHEVILLE SURJ DO!SCUSSION

04/17/2018 FAITH IN DEMOCRACY EVENT BY DEMOCRACY NC

Join DemocracyNC for a Faith in Democracy event in Asheville on Tuesday, April 17th. Thinking about recent issues in Asheville, let us consider how faith communities can organize around the judicial, sheriff, and DA elections for what we are calling a Justice Year. This workshop will consider what faith communities and faith leaders can legally do about the social/political issues? Morally, what are leaders feeling compelled to do? Why is almost all current state and federal legislation so extreme? How does it threaten our own religious freedom? How can leaders enable their communities, both inside and outside of the church, to see “political” issues through the lens of faith and become advocates for the good of all, especially for “the least of these”? Time is 6:00-7:30 pm, with dinner at 5:30 pm. Please RSVP on Democracy NC website. Contact JaNesha Slaughter with questions and instructions on how to register at (828) 417-4296 or janesha@democracy-nc.org.

04/17/18 INVASIVE PLANT WORKSHOP

Caring for God’s Creation-Invasive Plant Workshop on April 17 from 6-7:30 PM. Location is Skyland United Methodist-Fellowship Hall at 1984 Hendersonville Road in Asheville. Call 828-684-7283 for more information. As we enter spring and approach Earth Day we are reminded to care for God’s Creation. Are you interested in learning about non-native invasive plants and what you can do to stop the spread? Non-native invasive plants impact local habitats. Skyland United Methodist’s Caretakers of God’s Creation mission group is hosting a presentation and site walk on the church property to identify and discuss non-native invasive plants. The presentation will be led by Blue Ridge Naturalist Barb Harrison in collaboration with Montaintrue Staff. Barb Harrison is retired Medical Laboratory Technologist instructor from AB Technical College. She has an enormous interest in the natural aspects of our area, including native plants and wildlife along with knowledge of invasive species and how they affect our area. She is a Master Gardener and a Blue Ridge Naturalist.

04/18/18 INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION MEETING AT UNCA

04/18/18 RACIAL INEQUITIES IN POLICING TALK

On Wednesday April 18, UNC Asheville will host a talk on Racial Inequities in Policing Practices – Mass Incarceration and Race: Solutions from a Police Chief presented by Chris Burbank, former police chief of Salt Lake City. The lecture will be in the Mountain View Room of the Sherrill Center, room 417, at 7 pm. The talk is free and open to the community. Chief Burbank is a nationally recognized voice on how to address racial inequities in police practices. He is the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at the Center for Policing Equity (CPE), an institute housed at John Jay College of Law and UCLA. CPE partnered with the Obama Justice Department to develop a national database of policing practices and currently works with police departments across the country to promote racial equity. No contact information.

04/18/18 RACIAL INEQUITIES TALK AT UNCA

Mass Incarceration and Racial Inequities in Policing: Solutions from a Police Chief. This will be at the Sherrill Center - Ingles Mountain View Room on Wednesday, April 18 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Free and open to the public. Chris Burbank, former police chief of Salt Lake City, Utah, and director of law enforcement engagement at the Center for Policing Equity, works with police departments across the country to promote racial equity in policing. This event is in collaboration with the UNC Asheville Psychology Club. For more information, contact UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education at 828-232-5024 or dmiles@unca.edu.

04/19/18 NOTORIOUS HBC* (*HISTORY BOOK CLUB) AT MALAPROPS

Join host and Malaprop’s bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across different periods of history. We’re creating a book club that tackles the challenging subjects, hence “notorius.” This month’s pick is “Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition” by Daniel Okrent. Time is 7 PM. Call Malaprop’s at 828-254-6734 for more information.

04/19/18 APPALACHIAN EVENINGS AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY

Appalachian Evenings: A Lecture Series at the Ramsey Center. April 19 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm. The View from Home: Images of Appalachia and the “Rural-Urban Divide.” In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, news media used Appalachia as a convenient illustration of the “angry, white, rural voter” that common wisdom said determined the election. Like generations of journalists before them, media-makers found exactly what they were looking for. But this time around, the image-making occurred within an increasingly complex media environment that can serve niche audiences based on factors like geography, ideology, shopping habits, or romantic interests. How does the contemporary communications system affect the way we and others perceive Appalachia? Is there a national urban-rural divide? And if there is, where does Appalachia fit in that picture? Tim Marema is editor of the Daily Yonder a national news site that covers rural economics, politics and culture. He is a founding staff member of the Center for Rural Strategies which publishes the Daily Yonder and facilitates a wide range of communications and organizing activities for rural advocates around the country. Before that, he was development director at Appalshop the media arts center in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Tim is former editor of The Chapel Hill (North Carolina) Herald (published by the Durham Herald-Sun). Tim holds a B.A. from Berea (Kentucky) College and an M.A. in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tim grew up in Eastern Kentucky and lives in East Tennessee. He is married and has two adult children. Admission to Appalachian Evenings is free and open to all. Location is the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies at 147 Bailey Street in Mars Hill, NC. This event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information, please call (828) 689-1115 or email lweinstein@mhu.edu.

04/19/18 DOCUMENTARY SHOWING AND PIZZA DINNER IN BLACK MOUNTAIN

The documentary film “Hebron” will be shown at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church at 117 Montreat Road in Black Mountain. Time is from 5:30 to 7 PM. Film will be followed by a panel discussion, along with questions and audience discussion. Must RSVP, more information to come on how to do that.

04/22/18 EARTH DAY VIGIL IN ASHEVILLE

Earth Day Vigil will be on Sunday, April 22 5:30-7:30 pm at the First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in Asheville. The CCA invites you to join us for a vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it. We will gather outside of First Baptist Church for an afternoon of song, reflection, and to hear messages of inspiration and action from local faith and community leaders. All are welcome. Contact Scott Hardin-Nieri at scott@creationcarealliance.org for more information.

04/22/18 EARTH DAY VIGIL

Earth Day Vigil-The Three Loves, Sunday, April 22 5:30-7:30 pm First Baptist Church, 5 Oak Street, Asheville, NC 28801. The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina invites you to a vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it. We will gather outside of First Baptist Church for an afternoon of song, reflection, and to hear messages of inspiration and action from local faith and community leaders. All are welcome! The Three Loves- Like the United Church of Christ we are focusing our vigil this year on the Love of Neighbor, Love of Children and Love of Creation as a way to manifest right relationship in the world. The United Church of Christ denomination is using the theme The Three Great Loves to focus their ministry and work in the next years and we will model our vigil on these themes. Let us know you are coming or volunteer to help. Contact scott@creationcarealliance.org for more information.

04/23/18 ASHEVILLE SURG WEEKLY MEETING

04/24/18 VETERANS FOR PEACE VIGIL - BECAUSE THE WARS STILL GO ON

04/24/18 ASHEVILLE SURJ DO!SCUSSION

04/25/18 INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION MEETING AT UNCA

04/26/18 MOVIES AND MEANING FESTIVAL IN ASHEVILLE

This April 26-28, 2018, at the lovely Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville, North Carolina, we will gather and hear from special guests Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple; Brian McLaren, author and theologian; and Gareth Higgins, film critic and Irish peace activist. We’ll screen seven movies, hear seven stories, and participate in seven activities proven to nurture community, restore hope, and build a bridge to the kind of world so many of us seek. We’ll do it in the setting of one of the most beautiful and creative small cities in the world, in a lovely theatre, surrounded by fantastic restaurants, places to stay, and the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. We’ll make new friends, see astonishing big screen art, and pick up fuel for the journey of living more whole in uncertain times. Epic and intimate, serious and funny, inspirational and relaxed: this community is ready to welcome you. Movies & Meaning was founded in 2015 as a gathering of people around art and activism—those who desire to heal our personal and cultural wounds as a diverse community, laugh and cry around the “campfire experience” of great movies, and gain tools for constructive, respectful, and thoughtful dialogue across boundaries of religion, class, race, and age. At Movies & Meaning, we experience story and light as the building blocks of community, pairing screenings of iconic, overlooked, and new films with special guest appearances, conversations, connecting with one another, and gaining tools for social change. Standard Registration is $299, but there are options for lower cost and day tickets are $135. For more information, including how to register, contact moviesandmeaning@gmail.com.

04/28/18 VOTER PROTECTOR TRAINING IN ASHEVILLE

April 28 | Vote Protector Training | Asheville. Join the team helping protect voters during the May 2018 Primary — attend Vote Protector Training on April 28, in Asheville. Help ensure that your neighbors have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process in 2018 by getting trained as a Vote Protector (poll monitor) for the May 2018 Primary. This is on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Location is Unitarian Universalist Church at1 Edwin Place in Asheville. Being a Vote Protector (poll monitor) is a critical way to help your community vote (and make sure those votes count). Poll monitors will be asked to serve a minimum three-hour shift at a precinct on Primary Election Day, May 8th. Following a Vote Protector training, you'll have: a better understanding of the obstacles voters face in your community, training to connect voters to nonpartisan experts who can help them with their election questions or concerns, and a unique opportunity to engage with voters that need assistance at the polls during the 2018 Primary. Please RSVP at Democracy NC website. Have questions about these events? Contact me at darlene@democracync.org.

04/29/18 SOULS TO THE POLLS MARCH IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY

Sun, Apr 29, 2018 from 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM. April 29 | Souls to the Polls March | Buncombe County. Join us for Sunday afternoon Early Voting at the West Asheville Library and take literal steps to mobilize local congregations to vote together this spring. Location is West Asheville Library at 942 Haywood Road in Asheville. Please RSVP at Democracy NC website. Contact Darlene at darlene@democracy-nc.org and (828) 216-3430 with any questions.

04/30/18 ASHEVILLE SURG WEEKLY MEETING

05/01/18 VETERANS FOR PEACE VIGIL - BECAUSE THE WARS STILL GO ON

05/01/18 ASHEVILLE SURJ DO!SCUSSION

05/03/18 SIERRA CLUB MEETINGå

Sierra Club May 3: Wildflowers, Trees & Critters. The Sierra Club has an outstanding program planned for May: “Wildflowers, Trees and Critters,” featuring guest speaker Scott Dean. A walk leader and featured speaker for the UNC-Asheville Wildflower Pilgrimage from 1995 until 2015, Dean has led wildlife and wildflower walks at the Western North Carolina Nature Center, where he worked for a year building the cougar and bobcat habitats. Scott Dean offers a program that focuses on “Wildflowers, Trees & Critters” and how they work together in the natural environment. He’ll look at three seasons in the southern Appalachians, previewing what will be happening out in the woods over the course of the next six months. Date: Thursday, May 3, 2018. Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Location: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place in Asheville. This event is free and open to the public. A walk leader and featured speaker for the UNC-Asheville Wildflower Pilgrimage from 1995 until 2015, Dean has led wildlife and wildflower walks at the Western North Carolina Nature Center, where he worked for a year building the cougar and bobcat habitats. A former First Vice President of the Friends of the Nature Center, he developed curricula and teaches field classes for the Blue Ridge Naturalist program at the N. C. Arboretum. For more information, contact Judy Mattox, judymattox@sbcglobal.net, (828) 683-2176.

*******************************************

ONGOING EVENTS

*******************************************

MONDAY

Asheville SURJ weekly meeting at 6:30 pm at UU Congregation in Asheville, downstairs

TUESDAY

Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument

SURJ Discussion at Firestorm Coffee & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. 10:30 AM-12 AM. Followed by Do!sessions from 12:30-2:30 PM Meet at Kairos West for later session.

Rally at historic Courthouse in Hendersonville at 5 PM on the first Tuesday of the month. Organized by the Progressive Organized Women.

Gathering of people who like to stitch and otherwise puncture the status quo at 68 Haywood Street Outdoor Space at 9 AM.

Socialism! The Reading Group is at 6 PM at Firestorm on the second Tuesday of the month.

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 Drinks meets at 6 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.

Indivisible Asheville does political letter writing at 5:30 every Wednesday at The Block Off Biltmore.

THURSDAY

Political Prisoners Letter Writing at Firestorm Coffee & Books at 6 PM on first Thursday of the month. Materials provided.

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.

Progressive Women of Hendersonville hold a letter/postcard writing to government representatives from 4 to 7 PM at Sanctuary Brewing Company at 147 First Avenue in Hendersonville.

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.

Dances of Universal Peace on the third Saturdays at 7:30 at 1 School Road in Asheville.

SUNDAY

Asheville National Organization for Women meeting at 2:30 PM at YWCA of Asheville on second Sunday of the month.

Political Prisoner Letter Writing Night at 5 PM at Firestorm on the first Sunday of the month.

*******************************************

ACTIONS AND READINGS

*******************************************

From Firestorm:

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

We're joining local activists in conversation about sexual violence and consent as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). In April, check out our #metoo reading list or in-store display and we'll donate 40% of every title purchased from the list to Our VOICE! Such win. This is at Firestorm at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm for more information.

************************

Quote from an article by Matt Taibbi:

This is the legacy of the Iraq war. It began with a crude congressional dog-and-pony show giving Bush approval for the invasion, and was followed by an equally thin presentation to the U.N. by sad-sack Colin Powell. These two transparently stupid pre-war petitions secured for the war the tiniest of fig-leafs of domestic and international legal legitimacy.

A decade and a half later, authorities no longer need to ask anyone permission to do anything. They've created in the interim an entirely separate, secret set of rules giving them the right to kill, imprison, torture, or spy on anyone.

A permanent war bureaucracy, invisible beyond the executive branch. It's the ultimate fantasy of all those Washington security think-tank types who spent their teen years playing Risk and jerking off to Bismarck biographies and then simmered with resentment throughout the seventies, eighties and nineties, sure they'd never have lost Cuba, Vietnam, Nicaragua, China, Iran, and a dozen other places, if they'd only been given the proper tools and not subjected to idiocies like the Church hearings and the Iran-Contra prosecutions.

Now they have those tools. They got the world they wanted.

The chaos this has caused in the Middle East is well-documented. But the damage all this has done to our national psyche at home has been awesome, far-reaching, and poorly understood.

It was for sure a contributing factor in the election of Donald Trump, whose total ignorance and disrespect for both the law and the rights of people deviates not one iota from our official policies as they've evolved in the last fifteen years.

Trump is just too stupid to use the antiseptic terminology we once thought we had to cook up to cloak our barbarism. He says "torture" instead of "enhanced interrogation" because he can't remember what the difference is supposed to be. Which is understandable. Fifteen years is a long time for a rotting brain to keep up a pretense.

We flatter ourselves that Trump is an aberration. He isn't. He's a depraved, cowardly, above-the-law bully, just like the country we've allowed ourselves to become in the last fifteen years.

************************

Hood Tour Tickets

An interactive tour focusing on Asheville’s African American resilient history and future in the arts, environmentalism and entrepreneurship. The tour visits neighborhoods with existing and active green spaces, art, and grassroots initiatives. Tours run most Thursdays at 1 PM and Saturdays at 3 PM, and by appointment for groups by emailing info@hoodhuggers.com. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours. Cost is $25 per person. Tours begin at the Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Avenue.

Hood Huggers International, LLC offers sustainable strategies for building support pillars for resilient historically African American neighborhoods, providing a framework for community capacity building while increasing the effectiveness of existing service programs. These strategies incorporate the arts, environmental education and social enterprise.

DeWayne Barton is the founder/CEO of Hood Huggers. A sculptor and poet, Barton has been involved in community improvement and youth development for over 20 years. He serves on the African American Heritage Commission, CoThinkk, and the City of Asheville Neighborhood Advisory Board.

Please call (828) 275-5305 or email blove@hoodhuggers.com for more information including how to register for these tours.

************************

dancewater

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Upcoming events for the week of March 25, 2018

No comments: