ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) An open-to-the-community meeting is poised to gauge public perception on reparations in Asheville.
The Community Reparations Commission will meet from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Harrah’s Cherokee Center at 87 Haywood St.
The committee was created in July 2020 to identify specific goals to help alleviate the setbacks African American residents have faced in Asheville. The city council is responsible for reviewing recommendations made by the committee and appropriating funds based on the findings.
The committee is comprised of 13 voting members who decide which policies to recommend to the city council.
According to the city’s public input website, “The Community Reparations Commission is working to make significant and sustainable advances in repairing the damage caused by systemic racism in Asheville and Buncombe County. The Commission seeks to enhance the quality of life for Black residents by dismantling historical barriers and promoting economic mobility and generational wealth.”
Corrective plans can include anything from short-term actions to long-term multi-step agendas, all with the goal to “address the creation of generational wealth and to boost economic mobility and opportunity in the black community,” according to the event website.
Meetings of the reparations commission are held on the third Monday night of every month at Harrah’s Cherokee Center. The public is welcome to attend either via livestream or in person.