https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news daily 0.75 2021-02-08 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/rebel-retired monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612295686641-R5FDQ09PIPCXJV5HLI46/CullowheeValleyToday.jpg News - Rebel Retired! https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/two-billboards-outside-of-sylva-nc monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612299468378-RS5U4EQ923DSAKG6HEVY/117804324_133841525055724_1393443572798599524_o.jpg News - Two Billboards Outside of Sylva, NC https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/whats-in-a-name monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612296890815-LG8Y38EI8UR71KBPNM6H/6f7e956bb8a06cce47163788b966e609_XL.jpg News - What’s in a Name? https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/update-after-the-commissioners-vote monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612298150061-4QZBORKTOUMC2P0O00MR/142375314_221434002963142_1238920772772917642_o.jpg News - Update after the Commissioners’ Vote https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/black-history-stories-in-jackson-county monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612295609050-232K49D9V4DJO25LIZ2N/116348884_10157716490660679_1367229067303342547_n.jpg News - Black history stories in Jackson County https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/update-on-ashevilles-confederate-monument monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/chalktober-news monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612299107226-VUFRVYMY56947APTI1Q2/PXL_20201012_224043869.jpg News - Chalktober News https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/coverage-so-far monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/racism-declared-a-public-health-crisis monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/o28czq7b9n8jr9bq61xlnggprntmr2 monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/mlk-day-celebration monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612296426955-7ULSOQHGKGGG81SM8SAK/138453798_2538966546402713_5485036389383662833_o.jpg News - MLK Day Celebration https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/interfaith-vigil monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/duke-grant-for-naacp-chapters monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/news/town-of-sylva-zoom-bomb monthly 0.5 2021-02-02 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/home daily 1.0 2022-05-09 https://www.reconcilesylva.org/our-principles daily 0.75 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612300798020-J4LFPS5795MOIJIKKHGD/137071957_206913584415184_655155577633489291_n.jpg Our Principles - Our Principles We will prioritize the empowerment and flourishing of BIPOC, LGBTQ, the differently abled, and other disproportionately impacted and oppressed identities. We will accomplish this principle by centering and raising the voices of these identities in any and all ways possible along with providing education about these identities in local educational settings and community gatherings. We will stand against white supremacy and bigotry. We will accomplish this principle by refuting discriminatory practices wherever and whenever they occur. Such refutation will be accomplished through advocacy and peaceful actions and will be accompanied by education and support as people are given an opportunity to learn and grow. We will also promote political candidates and local leaders who stand with us in this cause. We will work to restore and celebrate BIPOC, LGBTQ, the differently abled, and other disproportionately impacted and oppressed identities. We will accomplish this principle by providing spaces, places, and occasions for celebrating these identities such as Black History Month and Pride Month. To every extent possible, those spaces, places and occasions will be accessible to all. We will also invite and participate in discussions regarding reparations. We will commit to restoring joyful, peaceful relations through authentic conversations. https://www.reconcilesylva.org/local-actions daily 0.75 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612289428787-9ESSL4N38FYSE54SYZEX/139054152_213610810412128_2365237894965155842_o.jpg Local Actions - Blank slate? New signs. After the County Commissioners decided to cover the base but leave the statue, we put our paint and cardboard to good use. Our message, as always, is that there are exemplary Americans we can honor in our public spaces. A Confederate soldier isn’t one of them. Check out our facebook photos to see more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612290021611-JKU68VC7V0KYNYOC35FO/120315638_151000413339835_1500353551734417642_n.jpg Local Actions - Memorial to Black Lives The continued enslavement of Black bodies and the devaluation of Black lives was central to the Confederacy. Until we understand that fact, we cannot be reconciled to our past or to each other. We must recognize that Black lives matter more than preserving white supremacy. And yet, all our actions don’t have to be brash. In fact, this one was deeply caring and tender. We used the newly-erected fence around the statue to create a temporary memorial to Black lives lost to police and state violence. Take some time to sit with our gallery of bouquets and mourn with us lives that we should not have lost. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612308330945-BO4XNK8TPQ98AONP7KB2/118811434_142073700899173_9021455304002652908_o.jpg Local Actions - Rally to Reconcile On the 105th anniversary of the dedication of the statue, we held a rally with speakers and music. You can watch our live video here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612290826336-BV7TMYJ3LKMJN7S4TGH7/116911263_3381526325245703_8260198723525631864_o.jpg Local Actions - Removal is the compromise We gathered the night of the County Commissioners’ vote to keep the statue in place. Check out Quintin Ellison’s powerful photos from that night here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612308537378-QT0N8D7707LMAJS1IFE4/Screenshot_20210202-103559_2.png Local Actions - Interfaith Vigil On International Day of Peace, we partnered with the Jackson County NAACP to hold an interfaith vigil for racial justice, knowing that there can be no peace without justice. You can see coverage of the event here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612291343429-8TR64OYA3TK5V6USP62G/119371624_145227627250447_3950282771581510275_o.jpg Local Actions - Daily Protests For weeks, as the County Commissioners debated what could and should be done about Sylva’s Confederate statue, we kept the noise up through our daily protests downtown. If you drove down Main Street between 4-6pm, you likely saw us holding signs and waving at everyone we saw. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612299468378-RS5U4EQ923DSAKG6HEVY/117804324_133841525055724_1393443572798599524_o.jpg Local Actions - Two Billboards Outside Sylva, NC We raised funds to rent two billboards on the highway into town to help raise awareness of our on-going need to declare that Black lives matter and to engage in conversations about racism with those who will inherit the world we shape today. Read coverage of our billboards here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612291530267-REG4XAFLH7OLFKKNAKXF/fr_protest1.jpg Local Actions - Rally to Reconcile In our first action, which drew attention and counter-protestors, we gathered in bridge park to hear speakers and share some joy before marching through downtown Sylva and holding silence for Black lives lost to police violence. You can read coverage of this event here. The event was originally posted here. https://www.reconcilesylva.org/confederate-statue-removal daily 0.75 2021-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612285612376-1W2ZBB5L33KA5CU3YIIP/Sylva_Vigil_GeorgeFloyd_Confederate_Statue_cropped_2.jpg Confederate Statue Removal - Often dubbed “Sylva Sam,” similar to UNC’s “Silent Sam,” this monument stands on top of a large marble base overlooking downtown Sylva. Clearly visible on the base are the dates “1861-1865,” the years of the Confederacy, along with the Confederate flag and the dedication, “Our Heroes of the Confederacy.” Even without the base, however, the solider himself displays evidence of which war and which side of the war he represents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612287574814-ZA94VJM2T5BI7O8EXJKX/120361724_151000256673184_2502292275022525109_n.jpg Confederate Statue Removal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612287526547-IJYYV373VTKTNUX9J5ER/119057902_144118270694716_974950201781558423_n.jpg Confederate Statue Removal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f3743073a6be72f5bba71a7/1612287494328-1GGJ3EK8HW963I9YVOFE/fr_protest1.jpg Confederate Statue Removal https://www.reconcilesylva.org/education daily 0.75 2021-02-08 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