Youth Transformed for Life – YTL

We have gems in our communities. Libby Kyles is one in Asheville. Not only is she a 5th grade teacher at Isaac Dickson (one of about 10 African American teachers in all of Asheville City Schools – ACS & ACSF have not been able to give me an exact number), she is also the co-founder […]

Segregated Schools and Inequality in Funding Is Destroying Us

From The Conversation I’m Tired of Not Having by 2016 National Teacher of the Year Finalist “As a nation, we’re nibbling around the edges with accountability measures and other reforms, but we’re ignoring the immutable core issue: much of white and wealthy America is perfectly happy with segregated schools and inequity in funding. We have […]

Asheville’s African American Community & Systemic Oppression

Keeping certain people invisible, not letting them speak for themselves, not letting them be a part of (or lead) important conversations that effect their future… This is oppression. This is racism. This is whiteness. This is white supremacy. If the words ‘whiteness’ or ‘white supremacy’ turn you off or make you feel uncomfortable, please look […]

Being A Sanctuary

What I learned at Sanctuary: A Partnership Between Immigrant & Faith Communities in Asheville. The call to faith communities was to: 1. Provide sanctuary for the most vulnerable (including those who are undocumented, Muslim, Blacks, LGBTQ, Trans folks) 2. If you can’t provide sanctuary, be the people who are supporting those who are providing sanctuary 3. Listen […]

Asheville Youth Voices & Leadership

Our youth deserve dignity and respect as they ARE our leaders. The premier issue of the Word on The Street/ La Voz de Los Jovenes teen magazine just came out. I’ve met some of these youth and they are AMAZING. These are the voices of leadership we need to be listening to NOW. Read. Learn. […]