SHIFTING THE NOW: SHAPING THE FUTURE

2019 AWARDS NIGHT RECAP

Thank you to everyone who made this a successful night celebrating all of the incredible work being done in WNC!

Our 2019 CoThinkk Annual Event, “Shifting the Now: Shaping the Future,” was a celebration of community that blended our cultural roots and visions in such a beautiful way. Together we recognized the triumphs, challenges and labors of love that often goes unseen. CoThinkk is shifting the narrative on equity, access and visibility for communities of color through the sharing of our time, talent and treasure. On behalf of the CoThinkk family we would like to congratulate the grant recipients and thank all of the community leaders!

Shifting the Now: CoThinkk Announces 4th Annual Grant Award Winners

by Aisha Adams

The sounds of drums called CoThinkk supporters and honorees into Hi-Wire Brewing’s Big Top Taproom in Biltmore Village on Oct. 19. The rhythms of Jeremias Zunguze and Imhotep Dlanod reminded those present to enter the gathering in a spirit of intention to honor the land, ancestors and members’ commitment.

Led by members of local African American and Latinx communities, CoThinkk is a philanthropic organization dedicated to social change. This year’s event marked the group’s fourth annual presentation of community grant awards. As CoThinkk’s new annual theme — “Shifting the Now: Shaping the Future” — suggests, the group is turning its attention to what comes next by deepening strategic collaborations, partnerships and investments for African American and Latinx community leaders who are doing innovative work across the region.

“You have to understand that we are all being called into something that is bigger and greater than ourselves today,” said Tracey Greene-Washington, CoThinkk founder, in opening remarks. “We are all being asked to dig deeper, dream bigger and be unapologetically bold in our efforts … This is legacy building work that we have to do today in order to shape the future that we desire.”

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE

Keynote Speaker: Nicole Townsend

Nicole Townsend is a Black, Queer, Woman who has been organizing in the South for nearly ten years around environmental justice, police accountability, queer & trans liberation, and cash bail. She is a CoThinkk member

Your people are my people. Nicole addressed the need for deep community building in her keynote speech. She ended her address with an announcement to run for city council in 2020! “I’m running for office, but I know that it’s the greater community collective that will create the city that we deserve.” Follow her campaign Nicole Townsend For The People Asheville 2020 at townsendforavl.com or on Facebook.

Honoring Kelly Goins: Self Care Stipend

CoThinkk took a minute to recognize the life and legacy of founding member Kelly Goins, whom the group lost two years ago. In Goins’ honor, CoThinkk has added $500 to all of its grant awards for wellness, self care, and/or professional development that furthers social entrepreneurship.

Kelly Goins, a passionate community leader, entrepreneur, and founding member of CoThinkk left an indelible mark on our community through her passion and tireless work to build the capacity of critical nonprofit organizations in our community. Award presented by Libby Kyles, pictured above.

See The Evening In Photos

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all photos by Ariel Shumaker

2019 GRANT RECIPIENTS

A well deserved congratulations to our grantees!

WORD ON THE STREET/LA VOZ DE LOS JOVENES

Word on the Street/La Voz de Los Jóvenes (WOTS/LVLJ), centers the creativity and leadership of teens of color in the production of a bilingual online arts and culture magazine for youth that allows youth to creatively express their experience, hopes and vision for the world. After a summer training institute, the WOTS/LVLJ “Squad” meets afterschool twice a week for project-based learning in arts and culture, career and college-focused skill building in publishing, digital media, marketing, public speaking, and more. WOTS/LVLJ provides creative opportunities to focus on and understand community issues in order to effect systemic change. We are seeking funding to cover costs for interpreters who can translate for squad members who feel more comfortable expressing themselves in Spanish.

CHANGE THE RUBRIC – NICONDA GARCIA

Our current systems, social, educational, economic etc., define value on a standardized rubric focused on monetary gain that restricts individualism. Niconda Garcia’s goal is to redefine success using a rubric to based on self-awareness, gifting, and purpose. Also, to instill a value system that emphasizes each of us is a leader in our area of gifting.

SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY GARDEN- CHARLOTTE BRYSON

Southside Community Garden (SCG) is a .25 acre urban plot where neighborhood residents gather and grow food for the community. The garden is located behind the Arthur R. Edington Center at the intersection of Livingston and Gaston streets. This project will support part-time employment for the garden manager, while providing invaluable experience and access to opportunity for them to work closely with and learn from more experienced farmers and gardeners. This experience will not only grant access to resources and tools available to farmers markets and urban gardens, it will also increase confidence and capacity, while also resulting in operational practices that engage increasing numbers of community residents with the food growing and distribution process.

ARTISTS DESIGNING EVOLUTION (adé PROJECT)- CORTINA CALDWELL

Artists Designing Evolution (adé PROJECT) is home for artistic liberation across the lines of race, class, abilities, age, culture, gender, and sexuality in the South. adé PROJECT builds, sustains and connects a regional base of black, brown, and indigenous artists catalyzing social change. adé PROJECT seeks to transform the region through a strategic response to racial inequity, and disparity by centering the voices of those most proximate to these issues, and creating pathways of opportunity through creative facilitation, entrepreneurship, service, storytelling, and training + education developed in response to the current conditions of gentrification, policing, violence, invisibility, and erasure in our communities. adé PROJECT ultimately seeks to achieve self-sufficiency, and build capacity for individuals and communities of color. Artists Designing Evolution (adé PROJECT) is a multi-generational, intersectional grassroots cooperative bringing artists of color who call the Southeast home together to actualize equity, spark creative inquiry + reclaim the narrative and we walk with many to design change.

AVL HISPANIC WOMEN’S GROUP- THREADS WEAVING DREAMS

Threads Weaving Dreams hopes to start a Hispanic Women’s Group that will provide women in Asheville, NC with a safe space to talk about the traumas and stresses that being an immigrant in the United States entails. This project aims to make it possible to talk about topics that are taboo within Hispanic communities, like vulnerability and mental/emotional health. We believe that the development of self is foundational for a healthy family and community. Inner work that involves developing awareness, compassion, understanding, and wisdom to oneself will ultimately extend to family, networks, community, and beyond. The link between inner work and social impact is strong. Through a focus on inner work and fostering a greater sense of well-being, women can become more fully and authentically themselves and agents of change for their communities.

NUESTRO CENTRO

One of our working principles is the sustainability, cooperation and involvement and empowerment of our community, in that sense, we will focus Cothinkk’s support on two initiatives: have resources to design the curriculum base of the cultural program folk dance roots and conducting the first Workshop-training of Latinx Cultural Promoters.

PROUD TO BE BROWN- BELOVED COMMUNITY

Proud to Be Brown works to form the community leaders of the future who know and are working to save our traditions and culture. Youth spend time together learning our history and culture in creative ways and experience being proud of who they are in a time when our community is threatened. They get to meet adult mentors who are Latinx leaders in many different fields and get to travel to museums, concerts, and art shows that reflect our culture. Youth have opportunities to learn new skills and are called on to exercise leadership in a variety of ways as they share what they learn with their families and their communities.

DEAVERVIEW COMMUNITY

Thomas Priester hopes to expand the current initiatives of the Student Support Specialist role to include more parent engagement at Johnston Elementary and within the Deaverview community. He believes that parent engagement will have a noticeable impact on child’s academic and behavior data.