A-B Tech Community College will hold a community-wide Stand Against Racism event from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Thursday, April 13 in the Mission Health/A-B Tech Conference Center on the college’s Asheville campus. The event is free and open to the public.
This year's event is titled, “Stand Up, Speak Out for Respect and Dignity.” There will be a panel discussion that explores how community members can embrace and support each other. The panel will include members of Asheville’s diverse faith community, LGBT community, and minority communities. They will discuss what services are available, what actions we need to take to support each other, and where to direct people for assistance.
Panel members scheduled to speak are Oralene Simmons, founder of Asheville’s Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast; Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, a minister in the United Church of Christ; Marshay Proctor-Bates, Success Coach and Advisor at A-B Tech; Michael Harney of the WNC AIDS Project, Lael Grey, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center; and a representative from Asheville Latin Americans Achieving Success (ALAS).
Area organizations will have tables in the outer lobby of the building to share materials or answers questions after the event. Any organization interested in sharing resources at the event may contact Kenet Adamson at kenetmadamson@abtech.edu or at (828) 398-7496.
Stand Against Racism is a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. This campaign is one part of a larger national strategy to fulfill the YWCA's mission of eliminating racism.