Community Programs

Programs – Partnerships – Spotlight

Pack Square/Vance Monument Project
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The UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education is working with an ad hoc committee to acknowledge the impact of slavery and the contributions of African American people to WNC.  Unbeknownst to most folks, the Vance Monument sits on the site of the first and second Buncombe County Courthouses. It was in this place, that enslaved people were sold on the courthouse steps and the deeds recorded inside at the Register of Deeds. In addition, it was also the site of imprisonment and punishment. There is no mention of any such story any where near Pack Square. Instead there are five Confederate markers within a block of the Vance Monument. Here is the timeline:
1796- 1st Log Cabin Courthouse opens1796 -1865- Enslaved people sold, imprisoned, and punished at courthouse, bills of sale of enslaved people recorded at Buncombe County the Register of Deeds1896- Vance Monument on Pack Square dedicated

1905Chickamauga Monument  at Courthouse dedicated

1923—Monuments on Pack Square for the Dixie Highway, in memory of Robert E. Lee, and for Col. Connelly,  wounded at Gettysburg,  dedicated

1965—Historical marker for the Confederate Armory (operated, in part, on slave labor) dedicated (by Buncombe County Courthouse).

The ad hoc committee has created a petition to be taken to the Asheville Public Art Board to ask that an equally iconic marker to the Vance Monument be placed at Pack Square to share the history and contributions of African Americans to Buncombe County. Please print the petition, invite friends, family, and colleagues to sign it by January 15 and mail it to:

UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education
One University Heights, CPO 1200
Asheville, NC    28804


 

The Center for Diversity Education offers exhibits and training programs to businesses, civic groups, and houses of worship. These exhibits, tours, and trainings help start a conversation among employees, clients and congregants.  As the vision of the Center states, we help relationships across differences to create a more inclusive and equitable community.  Given the changing demography of our nation, this is a necessary step for all citizens to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities for the 21st century.

Trainers from the Center are available to come to your place of business to open up communication between employees, volunteers, and clients, while providing a safe space for examining your organization’s environment.  All trainings and programs can be tweaked to fit your organizational strategic plan or circumstance.  We are also available to provide needs assessments or develop trainings that are specific to your needs on segmented demographics such as the diversity of the Latino community or doing business in China).

Previous clients include:

  • The Health and Wellness Trust Fund of North Carolina
  • City of Asheville and Buncombe County
  • Lake Junaluska Assembly
  • Care Partners
  • Mission Hospital
  • AB-Tech

Our menu of trainings includes:

Treasures of Difference, a cultural competency training workshop, explores changing demographics and how to expand our comfort zones through a self reflection process.

Problem Solving for Equity and Inclusion, a 90 minute workshop that teaches about critical thinking skills to use in real life scenarios of the workplace and classroom.

 How to Desegregate the Workplace, a workshop that identifies where our office systems continue to maintain a segregated community through data base input, media outlets, hiring processes, and more and what can be done to change or challenge these systems.

Common Office Space Assessment trains personnel to identify what might hinder or increase a client, employee, or volunteer from feeling like “I belong here” and how to change those feelings.

Downtown Asheville Walking Tours guide participants through the multicultural history of Asheville.

Safe Zone Training symbolizes the Employer’s initiative to increase awareness and acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities (LGBTQ). The purpose of the Safe Zone Program is not only to create a network of allies and resources for the LGBTQ communities, but to enhance continued sensitivity and understanding of the larger umbrella of non-normative sexual identities and gender expressions.

Traveling Exhibits are available for a month long rental to educate your clients and customers about diversity.  Lunch and learns, on line components, and off site activities can be built around these exhibitions. To view the exhibits click here.

For additional information on prices, lengths of sessions, scheduling or any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Center at anytime.

Board Display