Rooted in Legacy

“Loss and laughter,” a phrase I used in a song (see video below), kept ringing in my head last weekend during the Black Montford & Stumptown Reunion. 

The reunion weekend was hosted by the Historic Stumptown Neighborhood Association and produced by STM Multimedia (Elizabeth Lashay Garland and her team) with support from Garnet Prose + Projects (aka me). It was a labor of love. 

The weekend began on Friday night at the YMI Cultural Center with a gathering centered around the screening of the Montford & Stumptown Stories documentary along with an exhibit and a backdrop for commemorative photos STM Multimedia took that night.

We also had my What Happened to Hill Street? diorama and research displayed, and new zine, Montford & Stumptown: A Compendium of Writings, which is currently available for purchase at the YMI, next time you see me in person, or online here, with all proceeds going to STM University. Even better, you can learn more and donate directly to STM Multimedia’s work, which includes STM University, here. 

When, in true Mercury retrograde fashion, the film froze just 15 minutes in, we pivoted and the elders in attendance began sharing rich memories of Stumptown. So much has been lost, and yet the laughter around their joyful recollections was a balm. These elders have learned how to soothe sorrow with sweetness. At the end of the evening, everyone expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be together.

We hope to schedule a new date to screen the film in its entirety. It is quite beautiful and powerful. Elizabeth did an amazing job directing, and we are very lucky to have the stories shared in the interviews preserved in this way. An antidote to the invisibility of this history.     

Saturday was the Black Montford & Stumptown Reunion at the community center, with more fellowship, remembrance, and fun.

A highlight was the incredible performance by the John R. Hayes High Steppin’ Majorettes and Drum Corps. There was also an engaging panel about Montford in the 1980s and 1990s, when it was majority Black. With all the excitement, I didn’t get many photos that day, but here is a clip of the High Steppers shared by a neighbor: 

Again, despite the context of displacement and loss, it was heartening to experience the cultural renaissance that is the High Steppers, and the power of gathering and remembering. With hopes for healing, we continue to promote and support efforts towards repair, like the Montford & Stumptown Fund of the Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust (ABCLT).

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Prayer for Palestine

praise for the sun
and the olive tree

praise for the land
from the river to sea

praise for the rain
and the olive tree

prayers for a Palestine that is free
prayers for a Palestine that is free
prayers for a Palestine that is free

I wrote this song/prayer over a year ago, and have been singing it again and again and again since then. Jason and I closed our Krekel and Whoa show with it at Static Age Records last Sunday. Here’s a clip so you can sing along and pray with us as we continue to speak out against injustice in Gaza and around the globe. 

Every act of resistance can feel insufficient and is absolutely essential. 

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Save the Date

The Asheville Creative Arts’ Summer Soiree will be Sunday, August 24, from 1 – 4 pm. You can find the details here. Krekel and Whoa is a part of the line up. We’re looking forward to an afternoon celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Asheville Creative Arts and upcoming plans for Blue Note Junction.

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Rain Remember, video from 2011

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Thank you for reading. I am grateful to have this platform to share what’s on my heart, even though of course I can’t address everything every time. While I’m not discussing these topics today, I am committed to organizing around immigrant rights, the solidarity economy, etc. And to getting my summer swims in!

We all do what we can. I’m glad to know you’re out there spreading love in your lane. 

Onward.

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