The Asheville Blade has published my first piece for them, which is a bold call to action: Abolish the TDA. Written with input from editor extraordinaire David Forbes and Blade writer Matilda Bliss, it makes a case for dismantling a damaging institution (which happens to be simple to do from a policy standpoint). I hope you’ll click that link to give it a read, and advocate to the county commissioners with me if you agree. [Update Nov. 2019: I wrote an op-ed for the Citizen-Times, “The Buncombe TDA spends millions on unsustainable tourism, and we can stop it,” which garnered a huge reaction.”]

While I certainly prefer to keep attention focused on the myriad of solutions being pursued in our community, sometimes we have to speak out against institutions which are perpetuating harm.

After the dust settles on this conversation starter, I plan on writing a story centering innovative alternatives to our current economic system currently being implemented all around us.

“Asheville Villains”Art

In what is clearly a week of critique in my household, my partner Jason Krekel has four politically provocative pieces up in a group art show, “Arts of Darkness,” which just opened at the Push Skate Shop Gallery, 25 Patton Avenue downtown. You can click here to read his artist’s statement and see images of his work, though they are best experienced in person.

Here’s to tearing down what hurts us while building what heals.

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