Upcoming Events
BlKTalk
We’re inviting Black-bodied people from Buncombe County and beyond to join us for a purposeful conversation at our Lunch & Learn via Zoom. the meeting’s Zoom information will be sent closer to the event date. We look forward to your participation and the perspectives you will bring to this important dialogue.
SpaceShifter Meeting: Hybrid
SpaceShifter meetings are intentional spaces for non-Black-bodied individuals committed to learning, unlearning, and taking meaningful action toward reparations and Black liberation. Rooted in accountability, these sessions explore anti-Blackness, privilege, and true solidarity. Come ready to listen, wrestle, and commit.
Coffee and a Bagel with RSAA at ACNC's Wellness Center
Join RSAA for a community learning space focused on unpacking the revolution, with a closer look at the Black Panther Party.
Coffee & Bagels with RSAA ☕🥯
Black History Month Edition
Join RSAA for a community learning space focused on unpacking the revolution, with a closer look at the Black Panther Party and what their work offers us in this current political moment.
This gathering centers political education, historical clarity, and collective reflection. We’ll move beyond watered-down narratives to understand who the Black Panthers actually were, the conditions they were responding to, and how their organizing reshaped this country in ways that still affect us today.
Over coffee and bagels, we’ll explore:
· Who the Black Panther Party was and why they organized the way they did
· The community survival programs they created to meet people’s basic needs when the government would not
· How several of those programs were later taken up, regulated, or absorbed by the government
· What lessons their approach to self-determination, mutual aid, and political education offers us right now
Some of what we’ll unpack includes how the Panthers’ Free Breakfast for Children Program helped lay the groundwork for today’s federal school breakfast and lunch programs, how their community health clinics and sickle cell testing initiatives pushed forward public health access and awareness, and how their work around food access, education, and safety influenced modern social service models.
This is not a debate and not a lecture. It is a shared learning space rooted in history, lived experience, and collective responsibility.
Whether you’re deeply engaged, still learning, or trying to make sense of the current moment in this country, this space is for you.
📍 February 27 | 10:00–11:30 AM📍 AmeriHealth Caritas NC – Asheville (216 Asheland Avenue, Asheville, NC)
Coffee and bagels will be provided. Come ready to learn, reflect, and connect history to the work ahead.
Kids 7+ are welcome to join. Younger kids can play in our kids room equipped with toys, a chalk wall, coloring books, books and Disney plus.
Our ACNC m embers can receive free transportation to and from any wellness center event by calling ModivCare for a reservation: 1-833-498-2262
Let's do better together!
In the event of inclement weather, ACNC’s Wellness & Opportunity Center located at 216 Asheland Avenue, Asheville, NC, will follow the guidance of Asheville City Schools. If this school district announces closure, delay, or early dismissal, our center will adopt the same operational status. This approach ensures that our decisions are aligned with local safety assessments and provides a clear, predictable standard for our community.
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New Date: Vision Board Brunch
Join us for the RSAA Vision Board Brunch, an inspiring gathering focused on visioning and goal setting for 2026. This interactive brunch experience is designed to help you reflect, reset, and intentionally map out your personal, professional, and community goals for the year ahead. Enjoy meaningful conversation, guided vision-setting, and a creative space to turn your aspirations into a clear, actionable vision for 2026. Come ready to dream, plan, and align your goals with purpose.
New Date: Black Love Photography Session
Embracing the Essence of Black Love through Heartfelt Portraits. Celebrate Black history by immortalizing cherished moments with beautiful family and individual portraits. Location will be sent closer to event date.
Postponed: Black Love Photography Session
This event is postpone due to weather.
Out of an abundance of caution, we are rescheduling our events scheduled for Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7.
Winter weather is in the forecast for this weekend, and we want to keep the safety of our ecosystem, our community, and our staff at the forefront of every decision we make.
Updated schedule:
Our Black Love Photoshoot has been rescheduled to
Saturday, February 28 | 12:00–3:00 PM
If you have already signed up, your registration will automatically be moved to 2/28/26.
If this new date does not work for you, please email info@rsaasheville.org, and we will be happy to process your refund.
Thank you for your understanding, your flexibility, and for moving with us at the speed of care. We look forward to gathering together soon.
Blackalicious! Game Night
Join us for a fun and engaging Game Night with RSAA! Come connect, unwind, and build community through friendly competition, laughter, and interactive games. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just coming for the vibes, this is a relaxed space to enjoy good company, strengthen relationships, and have a great time together. Snacks, games, and community fun await!
Postponed: Vision Board Brunch
This event has been reschedule to Feb 28, 2026 at 11am- 2:00pm.
Spaceshifter meeting
SpaceShifter meetings are intentional spaces for non-Black-bodied individuals committed to learning, unlearning, and taking meaningful action toward reparations and Black liberation. Rooted in accountability, these sessions explore anti-Blackness, privilege, and true solidarity. Come ready to listen, wrestle, and commit.
Coffee and a Bagel with RSAA at ACNC's Wellness Center
A community-centered gathering focused on learning how to issue map so you can better understand what you need from elected officials.
Coffee and a Bagel with RSAA
WHEN: Friday, January 23rd, 10am -11:30AM
WHERE: 216 Asheland Avenue - AmeriHealth Caritas Wellness & Opportunity Center
Join RSAA and AmeriHealth Caritas for a relaxed, community-centered gathering focused on learning how to issue map so you can better understand what you need from elected officials and candidates.
Over coffee and bagels, we’ll walk through the practice of issue mapping step by step. This tool helps connect your lived experiences to the policies, decisions, and systems that shape your everyday life. From there, we’ll show how issue mapping can guide the political questions you ask candidates and help you move toward the ballot with clarity and intention.
Together, we will:
Learn what issue mapping is and how to use it
Identify the issues that most directly affect your life
Translate those issues into clear, values-based questions for candidates
Feel more confident engaging the political process on your own terms
This is not a debate or a lecture. It’s a learning space rooted in real life, shared knowledge, and collective power.
Whether you’re politically engaged, unsure where to start, or feeling overwhelmed by the current moment, this space is for you.
Coffee and bagels will be provided. Come ready to learn, reflect, and leave with practical tools you can use immediately.
Generational Architect Meeting
We’re inviting Black-bodied people to join us in community, visioning, and black joy. More information will be sent closer to meeting date.
Lunch & Learn: Financial Session
Join us for, "Rooted in Balance: Moving Toward Financial Peace", an empowering workshop designed for these challenging economic times, facilitated by Veronica Edwards, CPA. We’ll guide you through building a realistic budget, growing savings, and creating healthy financial habits, especially as the holiday season approaches. You’ll learn how to align your money choices with your values, reduce stress around spending, and invite more peace, joy and clarity into your financial life. Let’s save smart, live well, and celebrate without compromise.
Blackalicious! ReLaunch of Spades Night
Black-bodied residents of Buncombe county! Join us for our next Generational Architect meeting as we strengthen community, ground ourselves in shared purpose, and continue learning the work of repair. We will make space for every voice, revisit the why, and study the tools and history that shape our path. Come to connect, learn, and leave aligned on what repair asks of us next.
Generational Architect Meeting
Black-bodied residents of Buncombe county! Join us for our next Generational Architect meeting as we strengthen community, ground ourselves in shared purpose, and continue learning the work of repair. We will make space for every voice, revisit the why, and study the tools and history that shape our path. Come to connect, learn, and leave aligned on what repair asks of us next.
RSAA Halloween Porch Party
We are back on the porch in historic Montford, where Halloween is a neighborhood love language. Last year we filled the block with laughter and little footsteps, and this year we are bringing even more spooks, more candy, and more family fun. Pull up for joy, community, music, and treats for all ages. Come in costume, come with neighbors, come ready to smile under the porch light.
Grief Share: Navigating Loss Together
Grief Share: A Safe Haven to Navigate Loss Together
Join us for Grief Share, a welcoming space designed to hold and honor the weight of loss. This session is not about providing advice or solutions, but about creating a safe environment where individuals can share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences openly.
Please note: RSAA will not be offering grief counseling or advising. This gathering is simply a compassionate space for reflection, connection, and mutual support.
Lunch & Learn
RSAA October Lunch & Learn: Joyworks: A Community Story Lab
Gather with us to create, share, and picture what repair and justice can look like. With light music and inviting prompts like “Joy feels like… ” and “My descendants’ joy will live in…, ” you can write, sketch, collage, or record a short audio story. Co-facilitated by RSAA Intern Icy McKether, a recent Yale Divinity School graduate, and Jenny Pickens, a renowned local artist
and community icon. Together we’ll move through joy, repair, justice, legacy, and abolition while building a living story wall and a small community archive. This is RSAA’s work in action: pairing creative education with community repair so our stories inform programs, guide strategy, and
strengthen a public record of what healing looks and feels like. Anonymity is welcome, and bilingual prompts will be available. Add your voice to a collective tapestry that helps RSAA teach, plan, and build repair that lasts.
October 22, 2025
12:30pm- 2:00pm
Lunch Provided
AmeriHealth Caritas
216 Asheland Ave
Asheville, NC 28801
SpaceShifter Meeting
SpaceShifter meetings are intentional spaces for non-Black-bodied individuals committed to learning, unlearning, and taking meaningful action toward reparations and Black liberation. Rooted in accountability, these sessions explore anti-Blackness, privilege, and true solidarity. This is not charity—it’s collective repair. SpaceShifters shift narratives, redistribute power, and support RSAA’s mission through resources, relationships, and growth. Come ready to listen, wrestle, and commit.
Lunch & Learn: Black Resilience, Self-Determination, and Care
Join us for an engaging Lunch & Learn exploring the power of Black resilience, self-determination, and care in the ongoing fight for equity and liberation. This in-person event will be held on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM at the AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina Wellness and Opportunity Center, located at 216 Asheland Ave, Asheville, NC 28801. Lunch will be provided. Come ready to connect, learn, and reflect—registration is required.
Sneaker Gala
It’s almost time—the Second Annual RSAA Sneaker Gala is making its highly anticipated return on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Circa 29 in Asheville. This isn’t your average black-tie affair—it’s a bold blend of style, culture, and purpose. Come dressed to impress in your formal wear and freshest sneakers for a night that celebrates individuality and collective impact. From live music and curated bites to nonstop dancing and unforgettable energy, this is more than a gala—it’s a movement in support of reparative justice. Tickets are on sale now, so don’t wait to secure your spot. Let’s make this year even bigger. RSVP details dropping soon—stay ready.
Generational Architects Membership Meeting
Who are Generational Architects?
At RSAA, we believe that reparations must be structural, spiritual, and rooted in the brilliance of Black people. That’s why we’ve chosen to reframe what it means to be a “member.” Our Black-bodied community members are not simply participants—they are Generational Architects. This name honors those who design, shape, and build liberatory futures. It speaks to the legacy of our ancestors, the courage of our elders, and the boldness of those carrying the torch today.
What’s the invitation?
We’re inviting Black-bodied people to step into community, visioning, and decision-making with us. This meeting will focus on two major areas of impact:
The Future of 690 Haywood Road: We’re building a Black-centered community hub—and your voice will help shape how this space is activated, governed, and resourced.
The RSAA Reparations Fund: We’re preparing to launch a community-led fund to invest in Black futures. Generational Architects will serve as the core decision-making body—ensuring resources are distributed with intention, integrity, and ancestral wisdom.
Come be part of this sacred and strategic gathering. Because we don’t just inherit the work—we build it.
SpaceShifter Meeting
SpaceShifter meetings are intentional spaces for non-Black-bodied individuals committed to learning, unlearning, and taking meaningful action toward reparations and Black liberation. Rooted in accountability, these sessions explore anti-Blackness, privilege, and true solidarity. This is not charity—it’s collective repair. SpaceShifters shift narratives, redistribute power, and support RSAA’s mission through resources, relationships, and growth. Come ready to listen, wrestle, and commit.
RSAA Family Bowling Event Honoring Matthew Bacoate Jr.
Join us for a special Family Bowling Event honoring Matthew Bacoate Jr., the trailblazer who integrated the first public accommodation in Asheville—now known as AMF Star Lanes. This free community celebration will take place on Wednesday, August 20th, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at 491 Kenilworth Road, Asheville, NC 28805. Enjoy an evening of bowling, food, and drinks as we honor a local civil rights legend. Pre-registration is required to attend.
RSAA Movie Screening: 40 Acres
Join RSAA for a powerful screening of 40 Acres, a thought-provoking thriller/sci-fi film that reimagines what reparations could look like in modern America. The story follows a successful Black attorney who is invited to join an elite Black-only organization offering land, wealth, and power—but quickly uncovers a chilling secret beneath the surface. Blending suspense, social commentary, and futuristic intrigue, 40 Acres challenges viewers to confront the complexities of justice, power, and identity. Screenings will take place on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and Friday, August 8, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This is a free community event, and snacks will be provided. Pre-registration is required, and the location will be shared upon registration. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today and be part of this important conversation. 40 Acres is rated PG-13.
RSAA Movie Screening: 40 Acres
Join RSAA for a powerful screening of 40 Acres, a thought-provoking thriller/sci-fi film that reimagines what reparations could look like in modern America. The story follows a successful Black attorney who is invited to join an elite Black-only organization offering land, wealth, and power—but quickly uncovers a chilling secret beneath the surface. Blending suspense, social commentary, and futuristic intrigue, 40 Acres challenges viewers to confront the complexities of justice, power, and identity. Screenings will take place on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and Friday, August 8, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This is a free community event, and snacks will be provided. Pre-registration is required, and the location will be shared upon registration. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today and be part of this important conversation. 40 Acres is rated PG-13.
BLACKALICIOUS! Movie Night
Join us for a screening of Spike Lee’s bold and provocative film BlacKkKlansman, based on the true story of Ron Stallworth—the first Black detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department—who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s.
Spaceshifter meeting
Join us for an open conversation about your current perspective on our country—and how it shapes and influences RSAA’s mission and work.
Fizz & Freedom: DIY Healthy Sodas Workshop
Say goodbye to overpriced, sugary store-bought drinks and hello to natural flavors, real fizz, and full control over what you’re sipping. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn how to make delicious, healthy sodas at home using simple, affordable ingredients. Led by Shaniqua Simuel of Change Your Palate and the Amazon series The Rotating Chef.
Let's Talk About It: What Defines Blackness?
A monthly discussion series that explores “the things we think but seldom say” through creating a brave space for courageous conversations. This is a space just for us—an open, honest convo about how we define Blackness within our own communities. Ever been told you’re “not Black enough”? Or questioned what that even means? Let’s talk about it. The event will be hybrid with drop in and zoom options.
Government Breakdown: Black Codes, Jim Crow and Anti-discrimination Laws
A monthly political education series that takes a deep dive into various aspects of local, state and national government that impact the lives of black members. From the post-Civil War Black Codes to the oppressive Jim Crow laws and beyond, this session will uncover how legislation was used as a tool to control, marginalize, and disenfranchise Black Americans long after the abolition of slavery.
Black & Bubbly Social Meetup
Join the RSAA team for drinks and melanated conversation at The Montford Rooftop Bar from 6p-8p. First round of drinks is on us (for the first 10 to register and arrive)!
Government Breakdown
A monthly political education series that takes a deep dive into various aspects of local, state and national government that impact the lives of people who identify as Black.
BLACKALICIOUS! Spades Night
It’s going down! Get your best spades partner or come solo and form a team with someone else. Get ready for a great night with fun and prizes!
Movie Night
We'll bring the popcorn, drinks and movie. You bring yourself and some guests. We'll all have a great evening enjoying the classic Black movie Poetic Justice starring Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Regina King and Joe Torry.
Let's Talk About It: What Defines Blackness?
A monthly discussion series that explores “the things we think but seldom say” through creating a brave space for courageous conversations.