I first heard the phrase “collective narrative” from Darin Waters, PhD in 2014 and it lit up my mind. His insights awakened me to the impact the stories we are immersed in have on how we see ourselves and each other. How our society operates. … Continue reading The Collective Narrative
Last night UNC Asheville’s Dr. Dwight Mullen gave a talk at Habitat Tavern & Commons about his decade-long research on “The State of Black Asheville.” While I am familiar with the numbers, having heard him present them on numerous occasions, the disparities still shock … Continue reading Buncombe County Steps Towards Solutions
Yesterday, within the space of a few hours, I found myself being moved to tears by three stories. Today I will share them with you. The first story, “Saving Nina Simone’s Birthplace as an Act of Art and Politics,” is … Continue reading Being Moved
This week I have the good fortune of being at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival on Virginia Key in Miami, FL. This festival is the sister to the Fingerlakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, NY and the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival … Continue reading Miami and Asheville
Today’s post is another round up of news and events. Several readers have told me recently that they find these lists that I compile helpful, as they learn about things that might not have known about otherwise. That makes me happy, … Continue reading Another Round Up!
The Buncombe County page in this month’s Urban News has a story that I wrote in collaboration with Lisa Eby about a new group for Black male professionals that is forming. Click here for a PDF, here’s the text: Local community … Continue reading Black Male Professionals to Convene
We dream and work for a day where the history we learn is inclusive, where there is no need for a “Black History Month” because our lives and our stories are not segregated. That day is not here, and for those … Continue reading Black History Month and the Arts
This week’s Mountain Xpress has a piece I wrote about musician Randy Weston. I’ve known Randy for over a decade, and it was a treat to learn more about him. He’s a true local, born and raised in Weaverville in a musical … Continue reading Randy Weston’s Musical Odyssey
And the work and wonder continues. This week’s Mountain Xpress has a great feature on Hood Tours, “(IN)Sightseeing: Hood Tours share the history and future of black Asheville.” (Click the title to read the whole story.) Excerpt: “‘How do you create … Continue reading AVL News & Events+
The Women’s Marches around the world on January 21 were awe-inspiring. Beautiful resistance. I honor everyone who participated. We can build on this momentum. At the same time, there are problematic elements to the marches that I would like to discuss, … Continue reading On Marches and Intersectionality
Ami Worthen 