How did Asheville find its groove? (part 2)

Ask anyone who’s lived or worked in Asheville since the ’80s or ’90s, and you’re likely to get a different answer. We offer some responses in this week’s retrospective, such as:

• We faced key challenges from within local government.

• We fought city hall.

• We protected the environment.

• We stood up for nondiscrimination.

• We taught our children to care.

• We promoted the business of arts and crafts.

Glossing the answers I’ve heard to date, I’d say we’re here by virtue of the work of  hundreds of people with locally focused visions, huge faith in their ability to make a difference, a willingness to take lots of risks, and plenty of passion and tenacity to stay on target through the years.

Our coverage of how Asheville evolved continues this week and the next. If you would like to contribute, please email me at publisher@mountainx.com or add your views to our online coverage at mountainx.com. — Jeff Fobes

Here’s a list of stories featured in the third week of our Asheville Groove series:

“The Challenges We Faced in the ’90s,” by Gene Rainey

“Investing in Downtown’s Future,” by Karen Tessier

“From Housewife to Activist to Mayor,” by Leni Sitnick

“The Early Days of Blue Spiral 1,” by Wendy Outland

“The Gospel According to Jerry: Fighting City Hall,” by Jerry Sternberg

“Before We Succumbed to the Modern World,” by Lance Wille

“Making a Difference: A Decade of Activism,” by Ron Lambe

You might also be interested in our celebration of 20 years since Mountain Xpress launched its first issue.