Moving to Quarterly Updates

Our newsletter is moving to quarterly updates from the City of Asheville’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. We’ll send our next update in the Fall!

Updates from OEI Outreach Coordinator

Equity has been on the move again! OEI Outreach Coordinator Darian Blue visited a job fair hosted by Land of Sky to build relationships and get employment information to share with the community.  

The Asheville Housing Authority asked the Office of Equity & Inclusion to be a third party assisting in the selection of their Residents Council. This opportunity allows OEI to continue building strong relationships with the Housing Authority leadership and its residents. 

Multiple City departments have been working together to address the concerns of sharing meals in public places. We value opportunities like this because it allows us to go to places where meals are being shared, meet those who share meals and those who receive them.

City of Asheville Non-Discrimination Ordinance

The City’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance was adopted in 2021, shortly after Buncombe County adopted a similar ordinance. The City and County worked closely to develop similar ordinances to ensure consistency in prohibiting discriminatory acts in the Asheville area.

The City’s NDO prohibits discriminatory practices in private employment and public accommodations within city limits based on upon any of the following: race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief or non-belief, age, or disability.

Complaints of discriminatory practices in housing are handled by the NC Housing Discrimination Section of the Civil Rights Division: https://www.oah.nc.gov/civil-rights-division/housing-discrimination

Individuals can file complaints of discriminatory practices covered under the NDO in one of three ways:

• File online using this form

• File in person: Office of Equity and Inclusion, 70 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801 (we recommend contacting us before arriving to ensure someone is available)

• File by mail: Office of Equity and Inclusion, PO Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802

 Not sure if your complaint is covered under NDO? Feel free to reach out to the Office of Equity & Inclusion! We are happy to speak with you and help identify where you might bring up your concern.

Reparations Project Update

• A summary of the August 15 meeting is HERE.
• The next meeting of the Community Reparations Commission is scheduled for September 19th at 6:00 p.m. at Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Banquet Room:  87 Haywood Street,  Asheville, NC 28801
• The public is welcome to attend and sign-up for public comment.
• Please check the project page a few days ahead of the meeting to stay current on any updates or changes to meetings or agendas.

To follow the development of the City of Asheville and Buncombe Community Reparations Commission, please consider regularly visiting the project page and subscribing to the project. You can register to receive regular updates just by typing your name and/ or email in the Subscribe section. We will never share your information with third parties.  

Stay connected by following the City of Asheville on Facebook and Twitter.

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe to the OEI newsletter: