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Description
Learn from Assistant County Manager DK Wesley on everything you need to know about planning and implementing Buncombe County's Racial Equity Action Plan, and how you can get involved.
Buncombe Bulletin is a news show on Buncombe County that reports on ongoing County events and initiatives, but sometimes, there is more to the story that can fit in a small news segment. So here is the entire interview with DK on Buncombe County's Racial Equity Action Plan.
A
It
was
a
perfect
combination
that
led
to
the
county's,
equity
and
inclusion
work
group's
creation.
It
started
with
the
current
administration,
which
is
relatively
new
county
manager.
Avril
pender
took
the
lead
in
march
of
2019
with
sybil
tate,
and
I
joining
as
assistant
county
managers
in
july
of
2019.
A
from
the
beginning.
It
didn't
take
very
long
for
me
to
observe
a
need
for
intentional
work
around
equity
in
the
county,
so
we
started
planning
how
we
would
make
progress
first
internally
to
the
organization.
The
first
thing
we
did
was
set
out
to
create
the
buncombe
county,
equity
and
inclusion
work
group.
A
This
worked
in
parallel
to
what
the
board
of
commissioners
were
already
putting
focus
into
the
previous
july.
The
board
included
equity
as
one
of
the
pillars
in
a
strategic
plan.
This
plan
really
gave
us
the
policy
direction
to
expand
the
vision
sooner
rather
than
later
with.
That
being
said,
I
would
say
that
our
commission
is
leading
and
very
supportive,
while
I
think
each
of
them
are
at
different
places
on
their
equity
journey,
no
one
is
creating
obstacles
for
our
equity
work
moving
forward.
A
Additionally,
in
august
2020,
our
commission
took
two
pretty
courageous
steps
forward.
They
passed
a
resolution
declaring
racism,
a
public
health
and
safety
crisis.
This
came
via
a
recommendation
from
both
the
hhs
board
and
the
justice
resource
advisory
council
and
number
two.
They
passed
a
resolution
apologizing
for
the
atrocities
of
the
past
and
present
by
directing
us
to
work
with
the
city
of
asheville,
to
create
a
community
reparations
commission
and
develop
a
plan
to
make
progress
in
this
area.
A
These
actions,
coupled
with
the
deep
racial
disparities
that
exist
in
our
county,
guided
us
to
start
with
racial
equity
and
accordingly
develop
a
racial
equity
action
plan.
We
are
so
excited
to
have
a
good
draft
that
we
are
now
taking
to
the
community
to
help
enhance
and
finalize
for
board
consideration.
A
The
foundational
strategies
are
intended
to
transform
our
internal
organization
through
policy
and
procedure,
review
a
comprehensive
equity
training,
curriculum
for
staff,
equitable
recruitment
policies
and
purchasing,
and
financial
and
budget
decision
making
practices.
The
goals
for
our
community
have
to
do
with
addressing
current
inequalities.
A
Also,
we
want
to
create
spaces
that
are
inclusive,
welcoming
and
culturally
sensitive
to
the
needs
of
our
communities.
There
is
plenty
to
be
done
once
the
plan
is
adopted.
We've
already
made
some
progress.
We
are
currently
in
the
process
of
reconfiguring
the
archives
and
pac
library
to
be
more
welcoming
and
have
a
focus
on
the
history
of
black
buncombe
county.
A
We
are
also
contracted
with
community
organizations
on
an
effort
to
systematically
reduce
community
violence.
These
partners
have
developed
a
trauma-informed
program
to
support
youth
and
families,
they're
also
designing
a
program
that
will
integrate
what
we
call
peacekeepers
throughout
our
communities.
A
A
It
specifically
directed
our
equity
and
inclusion
work
group
to
continue
prioritizing
racial
equity
in
the
buncombe
county,
strategic
plan
and
name
specific
urgent
priority
areas
to
focus
on
those
areas
are
included
in
the
draft
of
this
racial
equity
action
plan,
and
we
have
taken
that
direction
very
seriously,
and
literally
the
community
can
benefit
from
this
plan
in
many
ways
before
that.
However,
we
want
the
community
to
help
us
make
sure
the
strategies
are
sound
and
that
they
include
what
the
community
want
needs.
The
community
strategies
will
directly
impact
this
plan.
A
Strategies
like
convening
input
sessions
and
forums
with
bypoc
leaders
involve
the
community
in
everything,
from
historical
programming,
budget
planning,
representation
on
boards
and
commissions,
and
fully
engaging
in
the
democratic
process
participating
in
community-wide
trainings
to
lift
up
racial
equity
work
as
well.
To
be
clear.
We
see
this
as
a
community
plan,
not
just
one
created
by
and
for
county
government.