Asheville Watchdog

By SCOTT CARROLL, Asheville Watchdog 

Cultural malnutrition.

That’s the phrase Asheville native and longtime resident Priscilla Ndiaye Robinson has coined to describe the disconnect many in the Black community, especially young people, have about their history and culture. In Robinson’s mind, knowledge is power, especially now as a historic Community Reparations Commission works to atone for the government’s role in denying Blacks wealth-building opportunities.

“There is a lack of knowledge of relevant local history,” Robinson said. “Our youth need to learn that history.”

Perhaps no group could be more impacted by the work of the Reparations Commission than Asheville’s Black children and young adults. But a lack of participation by youths is emerging as one of the early challenges to the reparations process. 

The 25-member Reparations Commission is decidedly older — 

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They range from Asheville natives to relative newcomers. Their backgrounds include a broad array of vocations, including educators, nurses, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

All of them are Black, and nearly all say they have encountered various forms of racism in their lives. They are members of the Asheville/Buncombe County Community Reparations Commission, and to a person each said they are committed to providing reparations to right the wrongs and address the residue of centuries of discrimination against the Black community of Asheville — discrimination that they say continues to this day.

“I’ve lived in other cities and Asheville by far suffers from the most racism,” Aleesha Ballard wrote in her application to be a member of the Commission.

“I have three children currently attending Asheville city schools and the education system is not only failing our children academically,

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