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The Blue Banner •

Blackouts and the kindness of a stranger: a Hurricane Helene story

The unforgiving north wind whips through the forest behind a blue house in a cul de sac not far from the lake, causing the house to creak and groan as it shields the residents inside from less-than-ideal weather conditions.
A faint light glows from the back window on the house’s far side, cascading waves of flickering gold onto the fresh snowfall.
It doesn’t make sense why there would be a light on in the house because everyone seems to be asleep.
Well, everyone but the eldest daughter.
The ligh...
The Blue Banner •

Letters from us to you as we pass the torch

From the past co-editors:
Dear UNC Asheville,
Before I transferred to UNCA, I worked at a factory.
There were a series of rooms inside this factory, tucked onto a side street parallel to downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. A few of the rooms anchored those needing a place to relax, like an indoor basketball court and a break room kitchen. The other larger rooms held several employees doing different jobs like screenprinting, embroidery and administrative tasks, as well as customer service and g...
The Blue Banner •

Readers dig deep into the taboos of romance while praising digital book clubs post Helene

UNC Asheville students keep in touch digitally, inspired by the online class format widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“One of my goals was to be able to stay connected with people from Asheville. Now, since I live in Vermont, I feel very disconnected from all of my buddies. I also wanted to be able to read books that I otherwise might not have picked up or find books that some of my friends will enjoy,” said Lillian Barnard, a 20-year-old student at Vermont Law School and recent UNCA...
The Blue Banner •

Booth’s Book Reviews: “Daisy Jones and The Six”

Rolling off the deep couch cushions onto the floor, my heat-slicked skin sticks to my pajamas. 
 
It is mere hours after Hurricane Helene wiped out Asheville’s power grid and I do not know flood waters are covering Western North Carolina mere miles from the apartment I am in, waking up just moments before on my friend’s couch in Weaverville to spotty cell service and no air conditioning. 
 
All I know is I am Gen-Z without access to Instagram and need something to entertain myself while I wait f...
The Blue Banner •

Lede your narrative

A beach is nestled on the edge of a small village along the Sleeping Bear shoreline. We stay long enough for the sand to be cold when we arrive, get warmed by the sun, and turn icy again when we leave. The sun sets just after 10, and families build fires in metal rings, filling the air with sweet smoke.
In front of the magenta-streaked horizon, children flock to a grand playset with slides that mingle with the clouds. I shimmy my way to the top of the slide and sit there, my feet dangling, terri...
The Blue Banner •

Protests at UNC Asheville spark chancellor and university police intervention

Since May 2, University of North Carolina at Asheville students continue to protest the war in Israel on the quad in collaboration with university groups nationwide.
“Our main goal right now is solidarity with the students around the country who have the resources to set up larger encampments and heavier resistance. We are building community between students, faculty and wider community members in Asheville. We are learning about the cause and talking to each other while holding discussions and...
The Blue Banner •

UNC Asheville Chancellor Kimberly Van Noort and Interim Provost Herman Holt discontinue diversity hiring program, causing faculty to respond with petition

A petition, released on April 16 by anthropology and sociology professor Blu Buchanan, along with other concerned faculty supports the continuation of the University Fellowships for Faculty Diversity program at UNCA amid faculty layoffs following budget cuts. 
“The University Fellows for Faculty Diversity program, initiated in 2020 as part of the racial justice and equity roadmap aimed to bring top scholars and educators of color in their respective fields to UNCA,” Buchanan said.
According to t...
The Blue Banner •

Five books that will fill the A Court of Thorns and Roses-sized void in your soul

For many, “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas was a gilded doorway to the harrowing world of romantasy, AKA romance fantasy. You might be lured in by the promise of sexy scenes and something called a “bat boy,” but you end up staying for the adventure, epic tales of true love and the promise of a story that will sweep you away into another realm. Now that you’ve finished the series, you might ask yourself, Why has my life felt so empty and sad since I flipped that last juicy...
The Blue Banner •

Blue Banner budget crisis survey gathers ranged student responses regarding cuts

On Feb 28, the Blue Banner posted the BB Budget Crisis Survey regarding the University of North Carolina at Asheville’s recent budget cut news, receiving a handful of responses. 
“I’ve never considered transferring more. I hate the current state, and I am most definitely not a fan of Kimberly,” said Izzy Lavalette, a 20-year-old, women gender and sexualities studies student. 
The survey aimed to engage with student voices and get their opinions on how the UNCA administration should address the b...
The Blue Banner •

Student protesters assemble outside of budget cut meeting demanding change

Tuesday, student protestors assembled outside Highsmith Student Union, demanding the University of North Carolina at Asheville keep adjunct professors in light of recent budget cut announcements.
“And let me be clear. The plan was to fire them all today, according to our insider sources,” said Marcos Martinez, an 18-year-old drama student and Vice President of the UNCA Students for a Democratic Society. 
The UNCA Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the protest during the faculty an...
The Blue Banner •

Falling Snow and Fading Memories

Just after I turned 7, my great-grandfather turned 90 while he was still 89. His birthday is Nov. 14. The reunion was organized so all of the cousins, aunts, sisters, brothers and uncles could come together in a big celebration of life before Grandpa Willy joined my grandma in heaven. At least, that’s how I understood the event when I was young. 
That day, I wore pink fashion camo and a big Hannah Montana sticker over my heart. I remember a light breeze coming off Big Twin and the warm sun on my...
The Blue Banner •

Asheville scholars debate the cause of gun violence in the United States

University of North Carolina at Asheville professors argue white supremacy is the root cause of gun violence in the United States.

“Guns don’t kill people. People kill people. That is trite and not helpful. Yes you are right, like taking away guns is not going to stop things but it can be harm reduction. Why do people want to kill people? People kill people. Sure. Let’s really interrogate that,” said Blu Buchanan, a professor of sociology at UNCA.

Buchanan teaches a race, class and gender unde
The Blue Banner •

Celebrating community: Inside the 111th Cherokee Indian Fair

In the heart of the Smoky Mountains, the 111th Cherokee Indian Fair, or ᏣᎳᎩ (Tsalagi) Fair, captivates visitors with its rich cultural heritage. Every October, the fairgrounds in Cherokee, North Carolina, come alive with vibrant festivities, celebrating the traditions of the Anikituwagi or Cherokee people.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians proudly hosts this event. The Cherokee Fair is a delightful blend of thrilling rides, a delectable array of frybreads, traditional dress and stickball gam
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

Autumn delights: UNCA celebrates with Turning of the Maples festivities

Each autumn, when the maple leaves show the first signs of color, Turning of the Maples paints the quad of the University of North Carolina at Asheville, prompting students and faculty to compare campus events.

“I feel like this is like the biggest event I have been to this year that has had the most people at it. It’s exciting to see everyone hang out,” said Mj Smithson, a 22-year-old senior studying women, gender and sexuality studies.

Smithson said she has attended UNCA for four years, and
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

Is the Asheville bowling scene approaching the gutter or on the verge of striking relevance?

An uptick in local interest in bowling at Asheville’s AMF Star Lanes prompts questions about the long-term relevance of the sport.

“The leagues are just old people and the young people just want to go drinking. I don’t feel like people my age go out to bowling alleys often. It’s either a birthday party when you are seven or you are 85 and have nothing else to do, so you join a bowling league,” said Cordell Rathburn, a 25-year-old infrequent bowler from Asheville.

Rathburn said he likes coming
The Blue Banner •

The Barbie movie’s success evokes dialog on the female gaze in fiction

This summer, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie shattered box office records making her the highest grossing female director in the United States, prompting discussion on the female gaze and what it means across different forms of media. 
“I mean you are talking about ‘Barbie.’ The film is not going to work the way it does without Greta Gerwig and without some female producers and studio execs. People have the power now to give that movie the green light,” said Stephanie O’Brien, a lecturer in the Ma...
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

Recent UNC-Chapel Hill shooting incites demands of a national safety revolution

On Wednesday, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill went into lockdown for the second time in a month for gun activity on campus.

“You don’t believe it will happen at your school until it does,” said Weslyn Hall, a 19-year-old Psychology senior at UNC.

Mickel Deonte Harris, a 27-year-old Durham resident, waved a gun inside a bagel shop on the UNC campus, forcing the university into lockdown only two weeks after the fatal shooting in late August. The deadly shooting, carried out by Ta
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

UNCA drag brunch sparks thoughtful discourse amid diverse perspectives

UNC Asheville’s drag brunch performance ignites a discussion of identity and inclusivity among drag performers and student Republicans on campus.

“We are who we are and whatever laws are made, queer folk will still be here and we will not be silenced,” said Ethan Fletcher, 22-year-old recent UNCA graduate and local drag performer known as Nova Jynah.

On Aug. 26, the Asheville Campus Entertainment (ACE) team organized a drag brunch in front of the Ramsay Library on the quad.

“Lots of students
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

Ireland through the eyes of a UNCA student: A summer study abroad recap

This summer, I accompanied 13 other UNC Asheville students along with faculty on a mission to gain knowledge and life-altering experiences across the pond in Ireland.

“If you’re worried about traveling, the best advice I can give you is just to do it. You can read all you want about cathedrals, about cliffs, about whatever you’re interested in, but nothing compares to being there yourself,” said Lee Robinson, a 21-year-old senior from Raleigh studying printmaking.

The trip, led by faculty memb
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

Asheville community outreach organizations provide shelter to the houseless

The welcome signs at the entrance to the BeLoved village.

Local non-profit organization BeLoved secured three more permits to further construction on deeply-affordable tiny homes.

“Over 60% of our population in Buncombe County is either cost-burdened or severely cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage. Severely cost-burdened 50% or higher,” said Amy Cantrell, co-director of BeLoved.

Cantrell created the vision for BeLoved village alongside her colle
The🕸️Boo🎃Banner👻 •

Local Asheville drag performers respond to anti-LGBTQ legislation

Due to new laws, members of the Asheville drag scene fear for the well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Drag has always been inherently political and about pushing for change. It’s clear this bill is an attack on our specific community with a long term strategy. Very similar to the attack on AFAB individuals when our government attempted to abolish Roe V. Wade,” said Stephan Evans, a trans man and Tennessee native.

Currently residing in Asheville, Evans frequents the drag space as a king goin