Our Values

We are not a monolith. We affirm the multitude of voices, identities and needs within our communities. We fight for the lives of all of Black residents in Buncombe County, regardless of age, ability, education, financial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, criminal background, and housing status. To honor the divine variety of Blackness, we use the term “Black communities,” plural.

We move at the speed of trust. We reject the false sense of urgency promoted in white supremacy culture. We prioritize building healthy relationships as a foundation for the long-term resilience of our organization.

We build innovative models and systems for reparations to Black communities. We learn from the deep history of Black organizing in Asheville and the movement work that is occurring across the country. We use these learnings to create reparations-focused solutions that are tailored to the needs of Buncombe County’s Black communities.

We believe in the generative power of Black joy. We find moments to rejoice and celebrate with each other to inspire us to vision new solutions to achieve racial equity for Black people.

We are more than our struggles. Black people are experienced at living joyful lives even in the face of systemic racism. We honor ourselves and our ancestors by highlighting our excellence and focusing on the strength within our communities.

We collaborate with Black-led organizations. We build collective power by acting in coordination with other Black-led organizations working towards systems-level change.

We stand in solidarity with other communities of color in Asheville. We understand that systemic racism impacts non-Black people of color. We believe that our work to end the racial oppression of Black Buncombe County residents will help to liberate our non-Black brothers and sisters.

We are ever evolving. We adapt our strategies and tactics to be responsive to the changing political landscape and needs of Buncombe County’s Black communities. White supremacy morphs and changes over time and we are prepared to proactively shift when necessary.