NOTICES:
Advisory Boards:
Effective immediately, all advisory boards staffed by City employees will remain suspended until further direction following the City Council retreat, in mid-February 2025. We will provide updates as new information becomes available. Please visit the Boards and Commissions homepage for continued updates.
The Community Reparations Commission has scheduled a special called meeting that will take place on Monday, September 30, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. This meeting will be held virtually and will be streamed.
As of June 30, 2024, the Community Reparations Commission regular meetings and Impact Focus Area (IFA) meetings have ended. We will update this page with any “Special Called” meetings that take place in the future.
Mission
The members of the Reparations Commission were appointed by Asheville City Council on March 8, 2022, and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on March 15, 2022.
The Reparations Commission is empowered to make short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations that will make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism. The task of the Reparations Commission is to issue a report in a timely manner for consideration by the City and other participating community groups for incorporation into their respective short-term and long-term priorities and plans.
Follow the Community Reparations Commission’s progress as they work to make short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations to Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Commissioners. You can access the Reparations Project Page at PublicInput.com/avlreparations.
Background
On July 14, 2020, the Asheville City Council passed a resolution supporting community reparations for Black Asheville. The resolution calls for the city manager to, “establish a process within the next year to develop short, medium and long term recommendations to specifically address the creation of generational wealth and to boost economic mobility and opportunity in the black community.”
Definitions of reparations include:
”The action of repairing something”
“The making of amends for wrong or injury done”
“The making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged”
In an effort to repair the harm done by decades of discrimination, the city manager and city staff have recommended a 3 phase process that includes:
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Information Sharing and Truth-Telling;
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Formation of a Reparations Commission; and
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Finalize and Present the Report.
Regular Scheduled Meetings
The regular meeting schedule is the third Monday at 6:00 p.m. and will be held at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Banquet Hall located at 87 Haywood Road, Asheville (downtown) unless otherwise noted. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
All meetings will be streamed on the City’s YouTube Page, Buncombe County’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/buncombeGov, and the City’s Engagement HUB.
Have an issue with participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know!
Impact Focus Area Meetings
As of June 30, 2024, the IFA Focus meetings have ended. The Commission members have completed their charge of creating and voting on recommendations created within their respective IFA’s.
The five Impact Focus Area workgroups based on the charge in the City Council’s resolution:
- Criminal Justice
- Economic Development
- Education
- Health & Wellness
- Housing
The schedule for 2024 is HERE. Please check this page for any changes or updates to the schedule.
The work groups were responsible for:
- Analyzing detailed information on the impact focus area and reporting key findings to the full commission.
- Each work group will be comprised of fewer than 13 voting members.
- Commission members may serve on more than one work group.
Members
As of June 1, 2024
Dewana Little, Chair
Bobbette Mays, Vice-Chair
Meeting Materials |
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Agenda |
Documents |
Recordings |
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September 30, 2024 (special meeting)Canceled Due to TS Helene |
Meeting Documents Canceled Due to TS Helene |
September 30, 2024 Recording |
| July 15, 2024 Recording | ||
| June 17, 2024 Recording | ||
| June 10, 2024, Recording | ||
| This meeting will not be recorded. | ||
| May 13, 2024 Recording | ||
| May 6, 2024 Recording | ||
| April 22, 2024 Recording | ||
| April 8, 2024 Recording | ||
| March 18, 2024 Recording | ||
| March 11, 2024 Recording | ||
| February 19, 2024 Recording | ||
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This meeting is not being recorded. |
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October 17, 2022 is canceled. |
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In-person |
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| August 15, 2022 Agenda | ||
| July 18, 2022 Agenda | ||
| June 27, 2022 Agenda | ||
| June 6, 2022 Agenda | June 6, 2022 Documents | |
| May 23, 2022 Agenda | May 23, 2022 Documents | |
| April 30, 2022 Agenda | April 30, 2022 Documents | |
Contact Information
Sala Menaya-Merritt, Director of Equity and Inclusion
Office: (828) 232-4517
Updated 1/18/24