Beer has spread like kudzu over Asheville, NC. We are drowning in a beer tsunami. In this moment, we can’t ignore the troubling implications of being Beer City U.S.A. Bloated with beer (and money from it) A 2017 smartasset study … Continue reading Beer is a Bummer
Leaders from the historically African American neighborhoods of Shiloh, Burton Street, East End and Stumptown are partnering with the Asheville-Buncombe African American Heritage Commission (AAHC) on the installation of historic markers in their neighborhoods. The goal of the historic markers … Continue reading Historic Markers Project
As proponent of history, I believe in the importance of looking back in order to inform how I move forward. With my birthday falling on December 30, end-of-the-year reflections are particularly poignant for me. Crafting a 2016 in Review post was a … Continue reading 2017 in Review
I sit here gratefully. The snow on the rooftops and trees and hills out my office window delights me. A cardinal on a branch makes my heart leap. The struggle to find quiet and focus is finally complete. It’s time … Continue reading Fractals
Let’s celebrate the power of words! I am proud to be a part of the 2017 Mountain of Words Write-A-Thon fundraiser for Asheville Writers in the Schools & Community (AWITSC). For this, I’ll be writing up a storm between now and … Continue reading Mountain of Words & More
Sitting here in the center of 2017, I am pausing to reflect on my work thus far this year, and what I have planned. As I gain more subscribers (thank you all), I feel it is important to put my … Continue reading Mid-Year Musing
Today’s Mountain Xpress has a story I wrote… Mobilization through art: Local spoken-word artist creates a platform for dialogue about race “It is a one-woman spoken-word show, birthed out of frustration and realizing that a lot of things that I am involved … Continue reading Existing While Black
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
This is a belated but still relevant post about last December’s announcement by the Lonely Planet naming Asheville, NC as the “#1 Best in the U.S. Travel 2017 Destination.” With the announcement came this video: Sigh. When it came out, … Continue reading It can be a Lonely Planet when people are rendered invisible
On the heels of the Winter Solstice, celebrating the return of the light, I’ll share my December Buncombe County Urban News article (click here for a PDF of the print version). It is all about light. Here’s to you and … Continue reading Community Celebrations
