Asheville group fighting racial inequity funds nonprofits that help communities of color

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    Asheville, NC (WLOS) — An Asheville group fighting inequities in the justice system will give thousands to nonprofits that help underserved communities.

Racial Justice Coalition said the COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on communities of color. RJC will reallocate $36,000 in emergency support funding to nine local organizations.

“We wanted to divide it up and put it back into the community, then give it to organizations that were doing direct work in the community related to the coronavirus pandemic,” RJC community liaison Rob Thomas said.

My Daddy Taught Me That is among those nonprofits receiving funds from the coalition. The nonprofit opened an academy at Asheville Mall last month to help address the city’s achievement gap.

“Anytime that you can get additional support, particular with nonprofits, it’s a huge blessing,” founder Keynon Lake said. “But what it does, it kind of helps, ensures that things keep moving, particularly in trying times such as this.”

Lake said the coronavirus has magnified the importance of their mission, giving youths a place to go.

“Our youth had nowhere to go pre-COVID. Now, with COVID, it made it even worse,” he said.

Artists Designing Evolution, Asheville Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement, Beloved Asheville, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, Equity Over Everything, Faith 4 Justice Asheville, and JMPRO TV are also receiving funds from RJC.

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