The Urban News

22/12/2025

The Urban News December 2025

22/12/2025

Grateful for this annual event that brings our communities together.

22/12/2025

Meet Black Santa on Tuesday, December 23 at the YMI!

We got a last minute call from the North Pole that Santa wants to talk to children from the legacy neighborhoods in Asheville!!!! Make your way down to the YMI with your cameras and churn, as community members host Black Santa.

He’s making his list and checking it twice!

26/11/2025

Mrs. Lottie Mae Poole has passed at the age of 102. Rest well

💔 Farewell to a Matriarch: Mrs. Lottie Mae Poole 💔
Asheville mourns the loss of a beloved community matriarch, Mrs. Lottie Mae Poole, who recently passed away at the age of 102.

Mrs. Poole was born on August 6, 1923. She was celebrated for her strong family dedication , extremely positive attitude , and vibrant spirit.

In recognition of her milestone 100th birthday, Mayor Esther E. Manheimer officially proclaimed August 6, 2023 , as "MRS. LOTTIE MAE POOLE DAY" in Asheville, North Carolina.

A Legacy of Love and Faith:

She was the oldest of ten siblings, five girls and five boys.

She was the mother of seven children (five girls and two boys with one son deceased), twenty-one grandchildren (with one grandson deceased), and twenty-four great-grandchildren.

She reared her family with a strong hand and a loving heart.

She was a member of Mt. Zion Church, where she was known as the small lady with the strong voice.

Her accomplishments confirmed her love for God, her family, her church, her neighborhood, and her friends.

We celebrate her remarkable life and the indelible mark she left on the community. May her memory be a blessing.

26/11/2025

17/11/2025

If you see something that feels suspicious, bear witness. If you feel safe to do so, document what you are seeing, and call the CIMA Hotline (888) 839-2839. They will continue to verify reports and share the information.

13/11/2025

Kat Williams has left us. “I Fly” was the last song she performed publicly, last Sunday at Unity of The Blue Ridge. Her spirit and energy will be missed.

The Unity Band performing Eddie Watkins Jr. "I Fly". Richard Shulman on piano, Katrina (Kat) Williams vocals, David de La Rosa guitar. Joel Pressman bass, P...

30/10/2025

Andrea’s work documents and honors Asheville's African American community. We are thankful for her work in creating the James Vester Miller Historic Walking Trail : Asheville.

30/10/2025

Andrea Clark, Asheville's beloved photographer and preservationist, has joined the ancestors.

With a heavy heart I am delivering the news that Andrea Elizabeth Clark has left us to be with the ancestors. She was undoubtedly a woman that left her mark while she was with us. Go in peace sweet cousin you have touched the hearts of more people than you can possibly imagine. Your legacy will live on 💔🕊️

09/10/2025

NC’s MedAssist Mobile Free Pharmacy brings free over-the-counter medicine directly to our communities. The next Mobile Free Pharmacy takes place on Friday, October 10 at ABIPA's Life's Center, 220 Continuum Drive in Fletcher, NC, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

09/10/2025

An authoritarian coup that could cost tens of millions of Americans their healthcare.

It's not partisan gridlock, but an authoritarian coup that could cost tens of millions of Americans their healthcare