Julia Ray: Living Treasure

Report by Director of Development Tami Ruckman:

This past Sunday, at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on the campus of UNC Asheville, a very special ceremony was held to honor four of Asheville’s “Living Treasures.” Spring 2013 Designees included Thelma Porter, Julia Ray, and John and Hazel Robinson. These four individuals join only 13 other individuals who have been named as Living Treasures.

Julia Ray was nominated by the YWCA because of her involvement with the YWCA of Asheville as the Black and White branches integrated. Julia remembers attending events at the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA from the time she came to Asheville.

In 1954, the election of Lucille Burton—the first Black member of the Central YWCA board of directors—put the YWCA on what proved to be a long path towards integration. Black and White branches of the Asheville YWCA finally merged, moving into the formerly Black facility in 1970. With this merge, the YWCA of Asheville became the first integrated YWCA in the South. Thelma Caldwell, then acting Director, became the first Black YWCA Executive Director in the South, and the second in the nation.

In 1976, determined to carry on the work of Thelma Caldwell, twenty-two Black former YWCA board members including Julia formed the YWCA Booster Club to supplement the current Board’s efforts and in particular to be a support to the first Black board president, Ollie Reynolds. This group supported the work of the YW in myriad ways up until only a few years ago.

Julia Pauline Greenlee Ray was born in Marion, NC in 1914. She graduated from Barber-Scotia College in Concord and later attended the University of Pittsburgh. After graduation and before going to Pittsburgh she came back to Marion. While there she would visit her aunt in Asheville because Marion had “little social opportunity.” Because the South was still segregated at that time blacks “made their own social events”. They able to meet in restaurants or bars so they met at each other’s homes and churches.

Both of Julia’s parents were masters of their crafts. Julia’s father was a well-known ornamental plasterer and her mother was a seamstress and needle worker.  Julia learned her intricate sewing skills from her mother. Julia won numerous awards for her cross-stitch.

Julia met her husband Jesse Ray when his mother showed him a picture of a beautiful young woman in the Pittsburgh Courier, a nationally circulated newspaper for Blacks. Her picture was on the front page. Julia had been accepted to the University of Pittsburgh and was attending college there. He decided to write to her When Julia visited Asheville, she had the chance to meet Jesse at the home of a cousin. Julia decided not to return to Pittsburg, but married Jesse instead. They were married for 59 years until his passing in 1994.

After WWII, the Rays purchased the Asheville Colored Hospital at the corner of Biltmore Avenue and Charlotte Street, and began Jesse Ray Funeral Home. They ran this business successfully for many years. Early on, the lower level served as the funeral home and the upper floor as the family residence.

Julia was the first African-American on the Board of Trustees of Mission Hospital, and served for 8 years as a trustee of UNC Asheville, appointed by the Governor. She served on the first board of the NC Center for Creative Retirement at UNC Asheville. She also served on the Friends of the YMI and helped to establish the Goombay Festival.

YWCA Executive Director Beth Maczka speaking at the Living Treasures event.

In 2003, the YMI rededicated their auditorium to honor Julia and Jesse. In 2007, Julia received the annual Mission/MAHEC Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her pioneering service to the Asheville medical community. In 2012, Julia traveled to Las Vegas to receive than award from the National Funeral Directors Association proclaiming her a Living Legend of Funeral Service for her 74 years of service.

Julia Ray and Holly Jones at the Living Treasures event.

Julia will celebrate her 99th birthday this October. We are immeasurably grateful to her for years of service to the YWCA of Asheville.

Ready for Summer Fun?

YWCA Summer Camp is right around the corner!  Camp will run June 10 – August 16, and sign ups are being accepted now. To register, contact the School Age office at 828-254-7206 ext. 111 or cici.weston@ywcaofasheville.org.

During Summer Camp children (grades K-6) will remain active by participating in swim lessons, free swim, hiking, gardening, field trips, art, dance, sports, nutrition, fitness, science activities, and Summer Camp weekly themes. Register today! We fill up fast!

Buncombe County Slave Deeds on Display

We encourage you to visit this important and historic exhibit.

From the Buncombe County Website:

The Buncombe County Register of Deeds Office has opened an exhibit to commemorate the 150-year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and to remember those who were enslaved and their immeasurable contributions to our community.

The exhibit, located in the lobby of 35 Woodfin Street in Downtown Asheville, will be on display through April 30. The exhibit will move to the NC Collection of the Pack Memorial Library from May 1 – July 31.

In every county in North Carolina, the Register of Deeds played a role in cataloging the transactions of slavery in handwritten books. Contained in these handwritten files from the early 1800s are deeds documenting the trading of slaves as property.

One of the stories highlighted in the Slave Deed exhibit is of a slave named Sarah Gudger. Ms. Gudger was born into slavery in Old Fort, North Carolina but spent the majority of her life in Reems Creek. Her story is one of the only first-hand accounts that we have of slavery in Buncombe County.

The exhibit includes a 15 minute video produced by Buncombe County Television featuring the words of Ms. Gudger and comments from local citizens regarding our history.

Buncombe County displays this documentation for the purpose of historical research, family genealogy, education, and to acknowledge that slavery was a part of our County’s history.

For more information, please go to www.buncombecounty.org/slavedeeds.

YWCA History is Black History

Message from YWCA Executive Director Beth Maczka:

As many of you know, the YWCA of Asheville mission is Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women and Promoting Peace, Freedom, Justice and Dignity for all.  While we think that EVERY month should be Black History month, it is February, so I thought I’d take a moment to tell you a little about the YW’s rich history in Asheville as well as what we are currently doing to live into our mission through our programs and the Stand Against Racism.

The YW began in 1906, offering housing to young white women coming into the city to work. This YW became known as the Central YWCA. On a parallel track, in that same decade, a group of African American women gathered to form an employment club to help young Black women find jobs. They established an organization called the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA.

In 1938, the two separate branches were forced to integrate by the National YW and the local Community Chest (now the United Way). For many years they functioned as separate organizations but they had an eye toward the future. Long before most other organizations thought about integration, the two branches of the YWCA began that process.

In 1954, Lucille Burton was elected the first African American member of the board of directors. Also in the 50’s, the branches began integrating their children’s and teen programs.

In 1956, the United Nations Club invited Eleanor Roosevelt to speak in Asheville, but she would only speak to non-segregated audiences. The YWCA was the only place in Asheville willing to host an integrated audience. She spoke to a sold out crowd of over 800 at the Central YWCA.

In 1963, the YW Board of Directors passed a motion “to accept all women and girls regardless of race or creed in all facilities, programs and services of the YWCA.” The most controversial aspect was that of the boarding facility – Moorehead House, was to accept African-American residents. This alienated one of the YWCA’s largest funders.

In 1965, Thelma Caldwell became the Executive Director of the Central YW, making her the second African-American Executive Director of a YWCA in the United States and the first in the South. In 1970, the two branches merged permanently when the white branch closed and all programming moved into our current facility. The women who led the YW both nationally and here in Asheville have always been on the cutting edge of social justice in their time. After building housing for women workers in the industrial cities across the US, the YW supported an eight hour work day, child labor laws and the minimum wage. Locally, our YW led efforts for integration, organizing to encourage downtown businesses to hire their first African American employees. The YWCA PAC successfully lobbied the Winn-Dixie supermarket to integrate its workforce in 1962. Following this achievement, the YWCA continued its efforts to work with other local companies such as A&P, Sears, J.C. Penny’s, Belk’s Department Store, and Bon Marche toward the goal of an integrated workforce.

Today, the YWCA’s seven programs address disparities in child care, education, health care and earning power. Our services include a 5-Star Child Care Center and 5 -Star After-School and Summer Camp program, MotherLove which helps pregnant and parenting teens graduate from high school, and New Choices which offers case management and free child care to women who are pursuing education or looking for employment. On the wellness side, we offer Diabetes Wellness and Prevention which provides support groups, coaching and access to Club W – our state of the art Fitness Center. Finally and not least of all, the YW has a solar-heated pool which is used to teach the children in our programs to swim as well as a full schedule of water aerobics, lap swimming and something I still need to try, water basketball.

Lives are truly transformed at the YW as we help move our community towards greater equity and inclusion. Besides offering a variety of programs every day, the YW annually hosts the Stand Against Racism. The Stand Against Racism is a nationwide YWCA effort that occurs on the fourth Friday in April. YW’s across the country host events and encourage their communities to engage in acts both large and small. The goal is to raise awareness that racism still exists and that it will no longer be tolerated or accepted. Asheville’s Stand Against Racism is proud to be one of the largest in the county.

Schools, faith communities, nonprofits and businesses choose how they want to be involved. When I worked at the Community Foundation of WNC, during the Stand’s first year, we simply read an article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack,” and then had a facilitated discussion over lunch. Last year the foundation co-hosted a forum and Latino student panel on immigration. The Asheville Community Theater held a community dialogue around their production of To Kill a Mockingbird. The Chamber of Commerce hosted a workshop offered by the Center for Diversity Education on making public spaces more welcoming to all. Group’s individual stands can be as simple or involved as they choose.

This year the Stand Against Racism Planning Coalition has chosen the focus of recruitment, retention and promotion of people of color in the workplace. We are working on a toolkit of best practices to share with organizations who wish to explore how to increase the number of  minorities in the workplace. We hope you will consider participating in the Stand and we hope you will join us at the YW’s Stand event which will be the most exciting of all – our Black and White Gala on May 2. This is the most fun, diverse dance party in Asheville and not to be missed!

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you want to find out more about our history and programs, please visit our website.

Note: The historical facts shared here were taken from a series of historical panels we created for our Centennial in 2007. See the panels here.

Employee Spotlight: Patricia Tenant

After 18 years, YWCA School Age counselor Patricia Tenant says that the people she works with at the YWCA “are like my second family.” Tenant started in her position in September of 1996, making her the employee with the most seniority at the YWCA of Asheville.

Most of her time at the YWCA  has been spent working with the Kindergartners. “I love working with the ‘babies,’ I like the challenge of helping them adjust,” says Tenant. “They are new to school and can be intimidated, but after a short time it’s great to see them get more comfortable and start to enjoy themselves.” She also likes “working as a team with the parents” to help their children excel. Two of her favorite aspects of the program are watching the kids in her group learn to swim, and participating in community service projects.

When asked what she thinks of how the YWCA has changed over the past 18 years, Tenant exclaims, ” I’ve seen BIG improvements!” One thing she cites is the YWCA School Age program becoming a 5 Star program. Her enthusiasm for her work radiates as she talks about the YWCA’s successes.

We are grateful to Patricia Tenant for her almost two decades of serving the children and families of the YWCA School Age program.

photo by sandra stambaugh

Winter Holidays at the YWCA

Last night YWCA staff and members gathered to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season and the decorations in the YWCA lobby, including the Giving Tree and our new “Wishing You Joy and Light” mobile. Below is a list of the Winter Holidays represented on the mobile, which was created by Mimi Shackleford with input from the YWCA staff.

Diwali November 13 – November 17
Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights and is one of the most important Hindu Holidays of the year. It incorporates the lighting of special clay oil lamps which represents the triumph of good over evil and the lighting of firecrackers which chases away evil.

Bodhi Day:   December 8
Bodhi Day celebrates the enlightenment of Siddhartha.  Buddhist traditions agree that as he sat under a Pipul Tree and the morning star rose in the sky in the early morning, Siddhartha found the answers he sought and became Buddha, the Awakened One. Some Buddhist celebrate the day with special tea, cakes and readings.

Hanukah December 8 – December 16
Hanukah is also known as the Festival of Lights, an eight-day Jewish Holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The festival is observed by lighting a nine-branched Menorah, one additional light on each night of the holiday progressing to eight on the final night. During Hanukah, gifts are exchanged and a traditional food is the potato latkes.

Winter Solstice December 21
Winter Solstice is also known as Yule and celebrates the birth of the new Solar year and the beginning of winter. Symbols of the Winter Solstice are the sun and red, green and white candles and holly and mistletoe. Wiccans and Pagans celebrate by decorating with lights, A Yule wreath on the front door and mistletoe inside. This is a festival of inner renewal.

Christmas December 25
Christmas, meaning “Christ’ Mass” is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The holiday is celebrated with the lighting of Christmas trees, displays of nativity scenes and the exchange of gifts on December 25^th. Santa Clause, or Father Christmas, is a special symbol of the holiday. Christmas caroling is another tradition of singing Christmas songs at the doors of friends and neighbors. Many special foods such as Christmas cookies are shared during this season.

Feliz Navidad December 25
Christmas is celebrated differently in different Spanish speaking countries, but a popular song, “Fleiz Navidad” wishes us a Happy Christmas. In Mexico, luminaries are lit to welcome the birth of Christ. Throughout Latin America, “Navidad”, the Nativity, is celebrated with music and special food. The twelve days of Christmas leading up to Epiphany on January 6^th is also a period of celebrations and visiting friends in their homes.

Kwanza December 26 – January 1^{st
Kwanza is a week-long celebration honoring African American heritage and culture. A symbol of Kwanza includes a candle holder called the Kinara. Each of the 7 days of Kwanaza is dedicated to one of the following principles – Unity, Self-determination, Collective work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Other symbols include corn, a communal cup and a red, black and green flag.}

No specific winter celebration, however these are other traditions that our staff or members observe:

Ethical Society
The Ethical Society affirms the equal worth and right to dignity of every person. They cherish individual differences, cultural diversity and the democratic process. They seek to bring out the potential of each of us to make our homes, workplaces and communities kinder, fairer and more joyful. The symbol of the Ethical Society is a human in a circle.

Baha’i Faith
The Baha’i Faith is an independent world religion with adherents in virtually every country, including people of all nationalities. Baha’is believe the purpose of life is to know and worship God, and carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. Baha’is strive to bring about unity and the oneness of humankind through principles that include the common foundation of all major religions, elimination of all forms of prejudice, and the equality of women and men. The Faith began in Persia (Iran) in 1844, and its World Center and sacred shrines are located in Haifa, Israel. Baha’is annually observe 9 Holy days, and the symbol of the Faith is a 9-pointed star.

“Bis mil la a ra man a ra him” Most Gracious and Kind; please bless my words and deeds: Muslim
The symbol of the Muslim religion is being represented with the crescent moon (Hilal) and star. Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable. The purpose of existence is to serve and love God (Allah). Muslims also believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of primordial faith. Being obedient to God; is the doctrine of the holy text “Koran.” Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, Mary and Jesus and many others named in the Old Testament are recognized and beloved, held in high regard; considered prophets. Messengers of God = Allah.

Are there other traditions or holidays that we should include? 
Let us know!
Contact YWCA Director of Operations Mary Beth Herman, 254-7206 x 209.

Day of Caring

We want to say thanks to employees of Wells Fargo Bank who came to the YWCA as part of the United Way’s Day of Caring 2012. This is the second year in a row that Wells Fargo has worked on our Child Care Playground, which has been completely redesigned to provide a natural environment for our children to play in. The volunteers built a hopping trail and planted new trees. They set posts for a shade sail and made a weaving fence. And they put together a storage shed and repaired a play structure and three garden beds. All in three hours! We love our Wells Fargo volunteers.

Volunteers Needed in our After School

Build A Child’s Potential!
If the idea of building a child’s potential appeals to you, then we need you!  We are looking for volunteers to work with students in our After School program.

Come help with academics, start a chess or science club, teach a craft, start a parent letter…. we are open to your ideas. We have weekly volunteer assignments or just come when you can.

To volunteer, please contact Kathy Dawkins at 254-7206 x205 or email kathryn.dawkins@ywcaofasheville.org.

Come make a difference with us!

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Willie Vincent

Willie has been an educator for over 30 years and a community volunteer for more than half a century. She taught in an all-black school in Alabama, at the newly integrated Asheville High School in the turbulent 1960’s, and then as the only African American teacher at Enka High School for 17 years. In her years as a Business Education and Accounting teacher, Willie empowered thousands of young people to achieve their greatest potential. She taught by example with her fairness, openness, and inclusion, and she also actively coached her students about human relations and racial understanding. Over time she helped students and fellow staff to ease their fears and anxieties toward people of another race, building friendships where none could have been possible before.

Willis is also a very active community leader. She served as Secretary of the YWCA of Asheville Board of Directors during the merger of the black and white YWCAs, working to build the relationships needed for the newly integrated organization to succeed. Willie also chaired the Board of Mounting Housing Opportunities for four years, advocating for safe, attractive, affordable homes throughout the community. For the past five years, Willie has been a mentor for young women in the G.I.R.L.S. club at Asheville Middle School, where she helps build their character, confidence, and knowledge to help them make wise choices in their education and careers.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Casey Blake

Casey empowers people by giving them a voice. As a young journalist, she is always looking to express viewpoints that are often ignored.  While some people write about high-profile topics, Casey chooses to write about the issues that often get overlooked by the traditional media. She writes to empower women, parents concerned about their children’s school, and young men trying to make their inner-city neighborhood a better place to live. She even took on Rush Limbaugh and national politicians for marginalizing women’s reproductive health.

It’s hard to measure the community impact Casey has had in her young career. She’s just 24. But perhaps her greatest contribution is her ability to inspire people with her writing to see things differently. She knows how to get the readers’ attention and get people interested and involved in local and national issues.