This was posted on Facebook by the Women's March on the Pentagon group. I reposted in honor of Earth Day. If we want to save the planet, we have to stop the US government and US military. The US military puts more carbon in our atmosphere than 160 countries combined.
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR BY DANCEWATER
04/23/18 EARLY VOTING CONTINUES FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION
The early voting site for Buncombe County is Wesley Grant Southside Center at 285 Livingston Street in Asheville. More sites will open on April 28, 2018.
04/23/18 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: April 23: Gentrification (big picture locally), April 30: Roundup of Housing issues explored
04/23/18 LECTURE AT UNCA
Christians, Muslims, and the Death of the Ottoman Empire - Talk by Christine Philliou on 04/23/18 from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm at Humanities Lecture Hall at UNCA. Christians, Muslims, and the Death of the Ottoman Empire is a free public talk by Christine Philliou, associate professor of history at University of California, Berkeley, at 7 p.m. on Monday April 23, in UNC Asheville's Humanities Lecture Hall. Description from Samer Traboulsi, UNC Asheville professor of history: The story of ethnic violence and state-sponsored genocide in the final years of the Ottoman Empire is a familiar one, and has determined the assumptions we make about Muslim-Christian relations in the Ottoman Empire as a whole. I will discuss the perspectives of Muslim Ottoman intellectuals who saw things differently, and who continued to see things differently as the empire disappeared from the map in 1922. I will trace their literary depictions of Christians and Muslims before, during, and after 1922 so as to explore the complexity and changing possibilities for coexistence in the 20th century. Christine Philliou, Associate Professor of History at University of California, Berkeley, specializes in Ottoman and Modern Middle East/Balkan History. Her first book, Biography of an Empire: Governing Ottomans in an Age of Revolution (2011), was about the crisis and transformation in Ottoman governance in the first half of the nineteenth century, as seen through the lens of an elite of Orthodox Christian functionaries of the Ottoman state. Her current project is about the history of political opposition in late Ottoman and modern Turkish life. She was recently awarded a Burkhardt Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies, which she will use for a larger project on the history of the Post-Ottoman World. Contact for this event: Department of History at history@unca.edu or 828.251.6415.
04/23/18 COMMUNITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT DOCUMENTARY IN ASHEVILLE
We The People 2.0 Screening on April 23 from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Interested in Community Rights and why Corporations have more rights than we do? This film showcases the work of CELDF and the Community Rights movement across the US. “We the People 2.0” is about the loss of democracy in the United States. The story unfolds through the eyes of rural people and sacrifice zones in urban communities who have faced decades of toxic dumps, drilling and mines in their communities. These people come to understand that the reason they can’t stop the destruction is that the US has become an oligarchy, run by the corporate few who ignore the rights and will of the people. These people are frontally challenging our corporate state; thereby saving nature and themselves. Thomas Linzey, a nonprofit attorney’s inspiring words shows how, we, the people, can turn this around and lay claim to our democracy. This movement is building as you read this, not just in this country but around the world; this film shows how and where it all began. Thomas Linzey will be offering a workshop in Asheville in May. More info soon. Organizer: THE BLOCK off biltmore. The venue is THE BLOCK off biltmore at 39 South Market Street in Asheville. Phone: 828-254-9277 for more information.
04/24/18 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.
04/24/18 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.
04/24/18 FORUM FOR DEMOCRATIC SHERIFF CANDIDATES
Forum for Democratic Sheriff Candidates on Tuesday April 24th from 6pm – 8pm. Location is AB-Tech Community College, Ferguson Auditorium, 340 Victoria Road in Asheville. Description: The Democratic Men's Club of Buncombe County invites all registered voters in Buncombe County to attend a moderated forum for the Democrat Sheriff candidates. The candidates are, in alphabetical order: R. Daryl Fisher, Rondell Lance, Quentin Miller, Randy Smart & Chris Winslow. Contact: David Anders at dranders@charter.net for more information.
04/24/18 INDIVISIBLE ASHEVILLE MEETING
Indivisible AVL General Meeting: April. April 24 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm. Join us for Indivisible AVL’s April meeting. We’ll be giving an update on our extensive interviews with U.S. Congressional candidates for Districts 10 and 11, and will continue our Voter Registration and Outreach push with a new WNC project working in neighboring counties to get out the vote. We’re very excited to announce that security consultant Jonathan Tetzlaff will join us for our April meeting. Jonathan will speak about what may be ahead for 2018 in U.S./North Korean relations. Jonathan has worked for the U.S. government and for private corporations as a foreign affairs analyst and has made numerous trips to North Korea over the last several years. Learn more about what’s really happening in this secretive state and whether the international response has been, or can be, effective. Indivisible 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. Email info@indivisibleavl.org for more information.
04/24/18 PIGEON RIVER STATE OF THE WATERSHED IN WAYNESVILLE
April 24 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm at Frog Level Brewing Company at 56 Commerce Street in Waynesville. Join Haywood Waterways and partners for a discussion about Haywood County’s watersheds, water quality, wildlife, and the conservation work being done for their protection and improvement. Free. Haywood County has abundant clean water but there are issues, particularly in response to changing land use and population. Guest speakers include: Neil Carpenter, Maggie Valley Sanitary District – Water supply watershed and drinking water protection; Luke Etchison, NC Wildlife Resources Commission – Aquatic diversity of the Pigeon River watershed; and Trey Talley, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy – Land protection work in Haywood County. RSVP at 828-476-4667 or info@haywoodwaterways.org.
04/24/18 CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FILM SERIES IN ASHEVILLE
Climate and environmental film series: “Climate Stories” a documentary film screening regarding North Carolinians who have been affected by climate change. $10/$20 per family. Time is 6:30 to 8:30 PM and location is The Collider at 1 Haywood Street, Suite 401, in downtown Asheville.
04/24/18 PUBLIC EVENT AT UNCA
“Pollination Celebration” tour of UNCA Bee Hotel, the pollination gardens and a display of solar wax melters. Registration requested. Free. Held at UNCA from noon to 3 PM. Contact UNCA for more information.
04/25/18 CONSERVING CAROLINA SPEAKER SERIES IN BREVARD
“Bee City USA: Making the World Safe for Pollinators, One City At A Time” presentation by Phyllis Stiles of Bee City USA. Time is 6:30 to 7:30 PM and location is Transylvania County Library at 212 South Gaston Street in Brevard. Call 828-884-3151 for more information.
04/25/18 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.
04/25/18 CITY BUDGET ADVOCACY 101 IN ASHEVILLE
Wednesday, April 25 from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm at the YWCA of Asheville. Location is 185 South French Broad Avenue. Description: Elected officials from the City of Asheville and Buncombe County will be making big decisions about government budgets in the next few months. This workshop will help you be an advocate for good community investment. Co-sponsored by Just Economics of WNC, BeLoved Asheville, Children First CIS of Buncombe County, MountainTrue, and YWCA of Asheville this evening will be a time to come together in community to learn more about how we can help to shape budgets that impact our lives every day. The event will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room at the YWCA. A family dinner will begin at 6 p.m. followed by the workshop. Childcare is limited. About the workshop: Budgets tell us much about what we value collectively and how we invest community dollars significantly impacts people and issues that we care about. In this interactive workshop, we will learn about the content of budgets from the local, state, and federal levels. We will learn about the timelines and process for budget decisions. And we will learn the best ways to advocate for change in terms of budget priorities and government spending. Organizer: Voter Engagement Coalition Events. Contact alanapie@gmail.com for more information.
04/25/18 RALLY AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN WAYNESVILLE
Time is 5:30 PM and location is Waynesville Historic Courthouse on Main Street in Waynesville. This rally is against domestic violence and sexual assault with speakers and music. Sponsored by the Haywood County Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force. Free. Call 828-456-7898 for more information.
04/25/18 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.
04/25/18 VOTE PROTECTOR TRAINING IN HENDERSONVILLE
Join the team helping protect voters during the May 2018 Primary — attend Vote Protector Training on April 25, in Hendersonville! 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. Wednesday, April 25, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Location is Hendersonville Community Co-Op (60 South Charleston Lane, Hendersonville). 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. RSVP and let us know to save you a seat. Contact JaNesha Slaughter with questions and instructions on how to register at (828) 417-4296 or janesha@democracy-nc.org.
04/25/18 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE EVENT IN CULLOWHEE
Loving our Neighbors and Creation: Dinner and Conversation is on Wednesday, April 25th, from 6:00pm-7:00pm at Cullowhee United Methodist Church at 416 Central Drive in Cullowhee. Join for a conversation with Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri, an ordained Christian Church pastor and Director of Creation Care Alliance, about the ways we can love our neighbors and God's creation and how these acts of faith intersect with one another. We will also learn about other congregations that are leading the way in creation care in Western North Carolina. Contact scott@creationcarealliance.org for more information.
04/25/18 ALL ABOUT RECYCLING EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
April 25 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm at First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in Asheville. Can I recycle my plastic egg carton? Join us to get all of your questions about recycling answered. Christine Brown of Asheville GreenWorks will be leading this workshop teaching us the value and the process of recycling. We will be meeting in the Sherman Center Room 210. This event is free and open to the public, all are welcome.
04/25/18 CLIMATE CHANGE EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
“Local Responses to Global Climate Change” event featuring local artists, environmental groups, presentations, speeches by students and teachers and local officials. Food trucks. Organized by the students at the Franklin School of Innovation. Free. Time is 7 to 10 PM and location is Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville. No contact information.
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” and 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.
04/26/18 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR ASSOCIATION EVENT
Youth Celebration on Tuesday, April 26, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. Location is Ferguson Auditorium, A-B Tech campus. Free and open to the public. Youth Awards Celebration. In late April the MLK Association honors area high school and middle school students who have demonstrated leadership, intellectual, and community engagement skills. In addition to receiving recognition awards, up to three students each year are awarded a scholarship to the university of their choice. Date: April 26, 2018 at 4 PM. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, Inc. is a registered nonprofit organization chartered in the state of North Carolina in the year 2000. Call 828-335-6896 for more information.
04/26/18 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT
Join Building Bridges of Asheville for a special screening & discussion of the film “The Blood is at the Door Step” at the Grail Moviehouse on Thursday, April 26 at 7 pm. In partnership with YWCA's Stand Against Racism, Building Bridges, in collaboration with Grail Moviehouse, is excited to announce a special screening and post show discussion of “The Blood is at the Doorstep.” This film premiered at SXSW ‘17 and received a critics pick from The Hollywood Reporter. The film intimately follows the family of Dontre Hamilton shortly after he is shot 14 times and killed by a Milwaukee police officer responding to a non-emergency wellness check (Dontre was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia). Filmed across three years, the film offers a painfully realistic glimpse inside a movement born out of tragedy and is an explosive look behind the scenes at one of America’s most pressing social issues. The YWCA's Stand Against Racism, in partnership with YWCA Associations nationwide, aims to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism. This campaign is one part of our larger strategy to fulfill our mission of eliminating racism. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased through Grail Moviehouse website. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Building Bridges of Asheville.
04/26/18 CONGRESS WATCH TEAM MEETING
Congress Watch Team: Monthly Meeting. April 26 from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Monthly meeting of the Indivisible AVL Congress Watch Team. If you interested in joining or finding out more, contact Cindy at congress@indivisibleavl.org. Location is Habitat Tavern and Commons at 174 Broadway Street in Asheville.
04/26/18 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT
Thursday, April 26 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm. Location: Grateful Steps Publishing. A discussion with Ron Eddings, a Grateful Steps author and co-author of the screenplay “From My Eyes: The Ron Eddings Story” about the racism he and his friends and family suffered while growing up in Asheville, the downward spiral his life subsequently took, and his triumph of recovery through faith. From YWCA website.
04/26/18 TO 04/29/18 CREATION SPIRITUALITY COMMUNITY GATHERING IN ASHEVILLE
Please go to the Mountain Express for full details on this conference at Jubilee!
04/27/18 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
Public Event on Friday, April 27, 2018 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. An interactive all-ages presentation by Charles Waters, poet and co-author of the new children's books “Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship” which has this as its premise: A fifth grade boy and girl have to work together on a poetry project, and they're not sure what to write about . . . at first. Irene Latham, who is white, and Charles Waters, who is black, use this fictional setup to present paired poems about topics including shoes, sports, music, stereotypes, and much more. Accompanied by artwork from acclaimed illustrators Sean Qualls and Selina Alko, this relatable collection explores different experiences of race, and how we talk about it in twenty-first century America. Free event with book signing to follow. All ages welcome. Location is the YWCA of Asheville Multipurpose Room at 185 South French Broad Avenue in Asheville. An interactive all-ages presentation by Charles Waters, poet and co-author of the children's book “Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship” hosted by Spellbound Children’s Bookshop.
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 at 1 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.
04/28/18 RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
“Inclusion, Diversity, and Inclusion” Public event on Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Location is Warren Wilson, Canon Lounge, in Swannanoa. An information session about the March For Our Lives movement followed by a panel with the high school organizers of the Asheville march, and a round table discussion. For more information, contact Clarissa Harris at 8034104416.
04/28/18 PROTEST AGAINST THE ATLANTIC COAST PIPELINE
No Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Fracked Gas. Join us in downtown Asheville to stand up for our sustainable future, transition from fossil fuels and be in solidarity with our neighbours in the east of our state who are directly threatened by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). The proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) is a 600-mile pipeline that would cut through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, carrying fracked gas from West Virginia. This pipeline poses a grave threat to the climate, and to the land, water, and safety of those living along the proposed route. The ACP would be responsible for nearly 68 million metric tonnes of climate pollution annually, equivalent to 20 coal plants or 14 million vehicles. And Duke Energy are using our money to build it. Meet at Street Theater and Puppet Club (37 E. Larchmont St.) to collect our banners and meet and greet each other and then we will car pool into town. No contact information.
04/28/18 INFORMATIONAL SESSION ABOUT MARCH FOR OUR LIVES AT WWC
Wilson Inclusion, Diversity, and Inclusion. Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Location: Warren Wilson, Canon Lounge. An information session about the March For Our Lives movement followed by a panel with the high school organizers of the Asheville march, and a round table discussion. For more information, contact Clarissa Harris at 803-410-4416.
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.
04/29/18 DOCUMENTARY ON HEBRON - SHOWING IN ASHEVILLE
“Hebron” is a documentary that examines to what extent human rights are realized 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 Natsha grew up in Hebron and began documenting the struggles and resistance of his community at the age of 19. Natsha 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. This event will be held at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road off Merrimon Avenue. Free, donations accepted. Time is noon to 1:30 PM. For more information contact Yousef at yousef.m.natsheh@hotmail.com.
04/29/18 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT
This year’s Stand Against Racism, in conjunction w the Stephens-Lee Alumni Association, focused on “Celebrating the Legacy of African American Education Pioneers.” Held Friday, April 29, at the Stephens-Lee Center–the Castle on the Hill–in Asheville’s historic East End, the program presented panel discussions on: Early African American Educators, the Legacy of Isaac Dickson, the Legacy of Lucy Herring, the History of Stephens-Lee & other Feeder Schools, and the First African American Students at Mars Hill College. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, Inc. is a registered nonprofit organization chartered in the state of North Carolina in the year 2000. Call 828-335-6896 for more information.
04/29/18 MOVING TOWARDS ZERO WASTE EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
April 29 from 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall at 40 Church Street in Asheville. Join MountainTrue's Creation Care Alliance to learn how Asheville can work towards zero waste. Free. Recycling isn’t the only way to lower your carbon footprint. Now composting is a viable option in the Asheville area. And don’t forget about reducing consumption and reusing what we have. Come for a light lunch from 12:30 – 1:00, followed by zero waste children’s activities and games for kindergarten though fifth graders and their parents. Adults and kids will learn what is recyclable and compostable and how to cut down on trash that isn’t either. The Recycling Education Vehicle will be on site for further information and entertainment. Adult classes from 1:00 – 2:00 will focus on moving toward zero waste at home, living simply, and reducing our carbon footprints by using less energy. In addition, exhibitors in the foyer will provide information and products to make these changes easier. Parking is free in the Aloft garage on Lexington for the first hour and $1.25/hr thereafter. Enter the church by walking up the driveway from Aston St. Contact Jane Laping janelaping@sbcglobal.net or 828-772-0379 for more information.
04/30/18 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: April 30: Roundup of Housing issues explored
05/01/18 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.
05/01/18 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.
05/01/18 HEALTHCARE FOR ALL EDUCATIONAL EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
Healthcare for All-WNC is hosting Physicians for a National Health Program leader Dr. Ed Weisbart who will speak on “What Does ‘Medicare for All’ Mean for Medical Practice, Physicians, Patients and the USA?” on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 from 12:30 – 1:30 PM at All Souls Cathedral Assembly Hall, 9 Swan Street, Asheville. Dr. Weisbart has published articles in both national medical journals and local media regarding the healthcare needs of the uninsured. A question and answer time will follow at this free brown-bag lunch event. Visit healthcareforallwnc dot org for more information.
05/01/18 HEALTHCARE FOR ALL EDUCATIONAL EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
Friends of the East Asheville Library and Healthcare for All – WNC are co-sponsoring Dr. Ed Weisbart, Chair of the Missouri Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program, who will be speaking on “For-Profit Healthcare: Is It Healthy?” on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, 7:00 – 8:30 PM at Beverly Hills Baptist Church, 777 Tunnel Road, Asheville. This free special program has relevance in light of the proposed acquisition of Asheville’s Mission Health by Hospital Corporation of America. Visit healthcareforallwnc dot org for more information.
05/03/18 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
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.
05/06/18 FORUM ON FOSSIL FREE LIVING
Sunday, May 6, 3 - 5:30 pm, Habitat Tavern, 174 Broadway: “Go Fossil Free!” - 350 Asheville, our local chapter of 350.org, invites the public to a free forum, with speakers from local solar companies and weatherization specialists on how to go renewable. Also learn about “NC CleanPath 2025” a blueprint for getting NC off fossil fuels; updates on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline; and the movement to get the city of Asheville's money out of fossil fuel investments. For more information, contact Cathy at cathyfholt@gmail.com.
05/08/18 PRIMARY ELECTION DAY IN NORTH CAROLINA
05/14/18 AUTHOR EVENT IN ASHEVILLE
John Dear will present “They Will Inherit the Earth: Peace & Nonviolence in a Time of Climate Change.” May 14, 7-8:30pm at First Presbyterian Church at 40 Church Street in Asheville. Gather with others to hear John Dear discuss his new book. Books will be sold and signed at the event - no tickets required. Co-sponsored by FPCA & Creation Care Alliance of WNC. In this landmark work, author, activist, and Nobel peace prize nominee Father John Dear connects the way of active nonviolence with solidarity with Creation, and shows how our global epidemic of violence and war could only lead to catastrophic climate change. He cites Jesus’ third Beatitude as the basis for his meditation: “Blessed are the meek, they will inherit the earth.” Thomas Merton said “meekness” was the biblical word for “nonviolence” (in the Gandhi/King sense), so Dear reflects how Jesus connected nonviolence with oneness with creation, how he practiced nonviolence and lived at one with creation, and how we need to do the same. For more information, contact Scott Hardin-Nieri at Scott@creationcarealliance.org.
05/15/18 NAKBA DAY COMMEMORATION AND PROTEST OF EMBASSY MOVE TO JERUSALEM
This will be from 4 to 5 PM at Vance Monument. Groups sponsoring this include Just Peace Israel/Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the Palestinian Solidarity Committee.
05/15/18 UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION - WEST NORTH CAROLINA
6:30 Socializing, 7 - 8 pm meeting. Our mission is to support the United Nations efforts working for a peaceful, inclusive and sustainable world and to promote local understanding of this important international organization. UNCA Zageir Hall 243 - parking is readily available and free. For more information contact Dot at dsulock@unca.edu.
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ONGOING EVENTS
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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.
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. Also Tranzmission Prison Project meeting to send packages of books and zines for mailing to prisons across the US.
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.
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.
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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
In the Triangle, the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival will include six consecutive Monday actions, as follows:
May 14: Women, youth, the disabled, children in poverty and the right to education
May 21: Connecting systemic racism and economic justice, voting rights and just immigration
May 28: Veterans, our war economy, and militarism
June 4: The right to health, ecology, justice and health, water, extreme extraction, climate change and health care
June 11: Living wages, guaranteed income, housing and social services
June 18: Challenging our nation’s distorted moral narrative; a fusion movement rising up
The Campaign will end with a Mass Mobilization in DC on June 23.
ALSO FROM THE POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN:
Join the NC Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival for 40 days of moral action this spring to challenge systemic racism, poverty, the war economy and militarism, ecological devastation, and our nation's distorted moral narrative.
In the spirit and tradition of ordinary people of conscience engaging in nonviolent direct action to expose and engage as moral witnesses against injustice, we will conduct a mandatory training statewide. The next training is, 1- 5 pm April 21 in Asheville for people interested in participating in nonviolent moral fusion direct action this spring.
Attending this training does not mean you must participate in the 40 days of action Nor does it mean you are committing to engage in civil disobedience. This training can be a great step in connecting with others in the campaign and learning about the opportunity to join the action. We would love for you to join us!
Also note that we will offer more trainings before the 40 Days of moral action kicks off and during the 40 days.
Please register to reserve a spot in the training. Your training location as well as more detailed information will be sent out to you.
REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY APRIL 20TH, SO SIGN-UP NOW! For information on how to sign up, you can contact northcarolina@poorpeoplescampaign.org or leslie.boyd@gmail.com.
If you do not receive an e-mail with the location by Friday, please e-mail Leslie Boyd at leslie.boyd@gmail.com for that information.
*Please note when the Google Form asks, "In What City will you attend the Training Part A?" the answer is Asheville
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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.
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FROM WNC SANCTUARY:
Yesterday, 12+ community members were detained and their families were ripped apart.
Today, your help is needed.
This weekend, Buncombe and Henderson County communities were raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) which resulted in the detention of at least 14 of our loved ones. The families in the Asheville, Flat Rock, Marion, Hendersonville and Mitchell County communities are reeling at the sudden loss of their friends, neighbors, and family members. Can you imagine having your spouse, child, or sibling taken by armed agents while going to the store or taking out the trash? And you weren't told where they were being taken? It could be two days before you find out where they are, let alone speak with or visit them.
Our community is fighting back. Over 200 people mobilized quickly to support the Latinx community Saturday at a rally downtown. Early Sunday morning two ICE vehicles were reported and verified at the Brownwood Mobile Home Park. Carloads of activists arrived within minutes and parked within site of the ICE vehicles. The ICE agents left the community shortly after without making arrests.
This is a testimony to the power of community presence when ICE is preying on our community.
The next steps in this process are daunting. Bonds are often set at over $10,000 for each detained person and it costs $0.25 per minute just to speak with a family member in custody. The process is intimidating to say the least - but that is why we have community to support each other.
It is hard to put this experience into words. From a community member whose husband was taken - “I don’t know what I’m going to tell my kids tonight. They’ll say ‘daddy’s car is in the driveway, where is he?’”
We hear from ICE that they are only targeting criminals. ICE is targeting our families and community. Human beings are valuable and have rights regardless of their criminal record. They have families to provide for, they have illnesses that need to be taken care of. Even if a person has a past DUI, that is not grounds for having your life forcibly destroyed. ICE is also detaining people that they are interacting with in the process of searching for the people they’re targeting.
These families deserve to be back together. Let’s get our community members home.
Your support is crucial and we can’t do this without you. On top of legal fees and bail, many of the folks who are detained are the primary earner of their family. Financial support will ensure families can pay their rent and buy groceries while they handle this process.
Please donate today.
CIMA and the WNC Sanctuary Movement believe in creating communities where everyone is welcome and where folks stick up for each other no matter where they are from. We all deserve to be able to provide for our families and live without fear. Thank you for your donation to help bring our families back together.
Contact WNC Sanctuary at sanctuary.wnc@gmail.com for more information and instructions on how to donate.
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