By Sarah Honosky in Asheville Citizen Times
ASHEVILLE — The YMI, one of the oldest Black cultural centers in the country, had just completed its $6.9 million renovations after breaking ground two years before.
A grand reopening was scheduled for Sept. 26 — the day before Tropical Storm Helene swept Western North Carolina. It was canceled as rain drenched the area preceding the storm. . .
Now, at the heart of downtown in the area known as “The Block,” the city’s historic Black business district, advocacy groups have organized at the YMI to ensure that supplies are being distributed equitably to reach the most marginalized members of the county, with the safety of Black Asheville residents among their top priorities. . .
Dubbed Bridging the Gaps, the initiative is a collaboration between the YMI, The People’s Place, Noir Collective AVL, JD Ellison & Co., OG Synergy, OURabl and Showing Up for Racial Justice.
David Greenson, among the organizers, said the project began officially on Oct. 1. He is co-founder of People’s Place and OURavl. He also is the North Carolina field organizer for Showing Up For Racial Justice.
