Join us for an evening of storytelling, community building, and yarning! We’re launching a new colorway of our Local Hero Yarn (which is locally sourced, milled, and dyed). Our new colorway is designed and dyed by longtime Asheville resident and new indie dyer to Purl’s, Noma Mpofu,and honors local community activist, Andrea Clarke.
The evening event, which will take place at Stephens Lee Rec Center, will include dessert & non-alcoholic beverages. We will hear stories beyond the Local Hero Yarn (from Elizabeth & Rik the store owners as well as Noma Mpofu, the dyer of the new colorway), but mainly we will hear from Andrea Clarke – about her life and work in and beyond Asheville. And about the important work being done by United Community Development, to which 25% of the sales of the yarn will benefit.
This is a free event, but we’d love it if you RSVP’d so we could plan accordingly! Also let us know if you want to help out with bringing food for the reception. FB message or email us. OR let us know what you will bring here: https://goo.gl/forms/wYZ30n6lk9LiQPb72
About Our New Local Hero’s Community Project: Ms. Clarke is the president of United Community Development which is dedicated to building self-reliance and economic development in Asheville’s African-American community, especially the Southside which has been devastated by both urban renewal and increased gentrification. With programs focused on data collection to track government investment (or lack thereof) in communities of color, Ban the Box and re-entry assistance for former incarcerated individuals, mental health support, skill training, and Southside pride festivals, UCD seeks to build economic equity in Asheville. Its training in construction and home rehabbing skills call upon the memory of Andrea’s grandfather and Andrea’s ongoing work to build and rebuild community. You can read more about UCD (as well as donate online to their important work) by going here: https://unitedcommunitydevelopment.blogspot.com/
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