ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The Asheville Community Reparations Commission is reviewing feedback from Buncombe County residents after the group’s first community reparations summit Saturday, Oct. 7, at UNC Asheville.
The event gave community members a chance to hear about ongoing efforts to improve Buncombe County and to share their own recommendations.
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One commission chairperson said that events like these keep the community informed and involved as commission members work to close disparities that impact everyone.
“It’s not an issue of zero sum, so whatever Black folk get, white folk get nothing,” said Dwight Mullen, chair of Asheville Community Reparations Commission and retired UNC Asheville professor. “This is an issue where the schools will be better, the health care system will be better, our neighborhoods with housing will be better, our justice system with the courts and police will be better, and, hopefully, economic development will begin to extend beyond the hotels downtown.”
The commission will meet on Oct. 16 to further review recommendations from Saturday’s summit and to vote on a measure it will send to Asheville City Council and Buncombe County commissioners.