We are capable of great love.
As many of you know, for over a decade, Asheville, North Carolina —tucked in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina was my home. It was there that I lived liberation alongside so many incredible humans, growing in my understanding of community building and organizing.
I will forever be grateful for those experiences.
I’m sure by now you’ve seen the heartbreaking images and stories from those whose lives have been turned upside down by Hurricane Helene. From those who have lost their loved ones, animals, homes, businesses, neighborhoods. Within this devastation, there is also a story of strength and deep collective care.
Witnessing people tend to one another, open their homes to strangers in the storm, and share what little they had has touched me profoundly.
It is a reminder, we are capable of great love.
Now comes the hard, ongoing work of rebuilding. I want to share a few organizations that are on the ground, run by folks that live there, and that I’ve personally supported.
I hope you’ll consider donating what you can:
- BeLoved Asheville – A mutual aid collective purchasing and distributing life-saving supplies.
- Day One Relief – A collaborative organization with a long history of disaster relief efforts in North Carolina, currently airdropping supplies into remote mountainous areas.
- Hearts with Hands – A local organization supplying food and essentials to shelters in Buncombe County.
- Colaborativa La Milpa – A collaborative of grassroots organizations based in the Emma community of Buncombe County, NC.
While those mountains might not have been my forever home, the people there hold a big part of my heart. They deserve great love and support.
To my friends in WNC, you are not alone. You never have been, and you never will be.
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