Radical Presence: Black Faces, White Spaces & Other Stories of Possibility

Carolyn Finney, author of “Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship Between African-Americans to the Great Outdoors,” will present at UNC Asheville on Thursday, March 30 in the Humanities Lecture Hall at 6:00. The lecture hall is a 300-seat auditorium, and this event is free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

“For people like my parents, who worked somebody else’s land, that becomes part of who they are. And when that relationship is damaged… identity is going to be impacted,” says Finney.

During her research, Finney learned that African-Americans consider the history of race relations when thinking about the environment. This history, entangled with issues of access and ownership, is a major part of African Americans’ relationship to the national parks.

SAHC’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) working group has recommended attending this lecture as an excellent way for staff, volunteers, and Trustees to engage in learning and discussion pertinent to our work, as we strive to fulfill our vision that “Equity, diversity, and inclusion is a foundational principle of SAHC and is fully embodied in our organizational culture.”