Blue Ridge Pride Use Only
By Butch Thompson | March 29, 2023
The tragedy in Nashville once again serves as a reminder of the need for gun reform in the United States. Thoughts and prayers, while well meaning, will not solve...
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By Butch Thompson | March 9, 2023
LGBTQIA TEEN CLASS: SUNDAY FUNDAY! WITH LUM AND TONY PRINCE All Together Art and Odyssey Clayworks are pleased to offer an 8 week clay class for LGBTQIA+ teens, ages...
By Butch Thompson | March 6, 2023
The Area Council on Aging and Land of Sky are partnering with Asheville Community Yoga to offer a class for seniors to learn more about fall prevention and risk...
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By Butch Thompson | March 2, 2023
Thrive!- Let's Tai Chi Generation Plus is offering another lunch and learn with Tai Chi as our topic. Tai chi for arthritis and falls prevention has been shown to...
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By Butch Thompson | February 28, 2023
Many people talk about community and we certainly have a diverse and rich LGBTQ+ community here in Asheville and the region. And while we love seeing all the love...
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By Butch Thompson | February 28, 2023
When we were first ask to identify some local LGBTQ+ folk we had to stop and think for a bit. Are there Asheville LGBTQ+ natives? Who are they and...
By Butch Thompson | February 22, 2023
Rainbow Inspirations: Meet Mark Holmes Wednesday, March 1, 12-12:30 PM Facebook and YouTube livestream Register here for a reminder email, or just join us in real time here on...
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By Butch Thompson | February 10, 2023
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the IRS, NC Department of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System, and Council on Aging, Inc. will be offering tax preparations for low and...
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By Butch Thompson | February 10, 2023
Building Community Through Volunteering With Val Walker, MS, Educator, Author Thursday, April 6, 1-2:30 PM Virtual (at your home) or In-Person at Land of Sky Regional Council, the YWCA...
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By Butch Thompson | February 10, 2023
Never Too Old to Publish Thursday, March 16, 2:00 PM Have you had a dream of becoming a writer for years, perhaps decades? Those of us in the second...
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By Butch Thompson | February 10, 2023
*RESCHEDULED* February 21st: The African American Experience in the Smokies: Making the Invisible Visible This event will be held at the Swannanoa Valley Museum (223 W State St., Black Mountain,...
By Butch Thompson | February 1, 2023
During this series of chats from the LGBTQ community, we’ve heard from local leaders and influencers who have left us feeling inspired. Today we interviewed KP Whaley. KP has...
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By Butch Thompson | February 1, 2023
From Blue Ridge Pride- The proposed North Carolina “Parents’ Bill of Rights” only serves to further marginalize our LGBTQ+ youth. The introduction of SB49 yesterday would require forcibly outing...
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By Rosie Bullock | January 30, 2023
Reasons To Sponsor You support a stronger community. Blue Ridge Pride is largely a volunteer-driven organization. In addition to supporting the annual festival, our sponsor and donor...
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By Rosie Bullock | January 30, 2023
2023 Festival Sponsor Opportunity Guide Welcome! We are SO excited that you are joining us this year. We want you to make the most of your participation and...
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By Butch Thompson | January 24, 2023
Our Thrive! series kicks off in February with a discussion about Nutrition. Join Generation Plus and Emily Carleo, the Director of Congregate Nutrition at the Council on Aging, for...
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By Butch Thompson | January 11, 2023
You are invited to participate in a research study about the impact of pets on older adults’ social networks and well-being. To be eligible to participate in this study,...
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By Rosie Bullock | January 8, 2023
Generation Plus is excited to announce two new initiatives for our LGBTQ+ senior community. Through our surveys we identified some needs and wants for the Generation Plus program and...
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By Butch Thompson | January 5, 2023
An educational lunch and learn program for our Generation Plus LGBTQ+ senior community. This series showcases members of our community presenting information to better enjoy our lives as LGBTQ+...
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By Butch Thompson | January 5, 2023
A monthly meeting for our LGBTQ+ elders to socialize, educate and advocate. Great communication begins with connection.
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By Butch Thompson | December 30, 2022
Right now, I feel like a co-parent. Our child has grown older, wiser and is ready for their continued journey. I am nervous, anxious, and excited. My child is...
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By Butch Thompson | December 23, 2022
Our wonderful volunteer Zack Schmitt spoke about the importance of Generation Plus and LGBTQ+ Elder care in our region. Zack has passion for this topic as his lesbian mothers...
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By Butch Thompson | December 22, 2022
Mars Hill, NC December 15, 2022 – Christmas came early this year for the Appalachian Ranger District on the Pisgah National Forest. The district is lucky to have...
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By Butch Thompson | December 12, 2022
This past Sunday Generation Plus held a Holiday Gathering for LGBTQ+ community at Mountain Care. With warm cider and hot cocoa we entertained guest and we had a sock...
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By blueridgepride | November 29, 2022
Let us know your preferences for future gatherings.
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By blueridgepride | October 17, 2022
We are so grateful to our performers - all of them local to our community. Featured here are photos of our Main Stage, Cafe Stage, and DRAG performers, as...
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By blueridgepride | October 17, 2022
What an amazing day! Check out our photos of the Welcoming WNC Procession and Blue Ridge Pride Festival. If you have photos and videos to share, upload them to...
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By blueridgepride | October 17, 2022
Each year, we count on our exhibitors to deliver the messaging and services at the festival. That’s why we put so much stress on bringing as many different organizations...
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By Butch Thompson | September 19, 2022
The kick off to Blue Ridge Pride Festival week always starts with our senior prom. This year the Generation Plus committee choose the theme 'The Love Boat' and there...
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By blueridgepride | September 19, 2022
Main Stage Lineup 11:00 AM Opening & National Anthem Led by the Asheville Gay Men's Chorus 11:15 AM – Asheville Gay Men’s Chorus The Asheville Gay Men's Chorus entertains,...
By blueridgepride | July 1, 2022
We use a software tool, Signup Sheets, to register volunteers to work at events and on projects where no interview is required. This is a quick guide for any...
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By blueridgepride | July 1, 2022
We seek to make the Pride Portal a community-driven information resource. Here is how you can get involved.
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By blueridgepride | June 17, 2022
Blue Ridge Pride traces its roots back to 2009, when the community banded together to hold its first festival on a public space in Martin Luther King Park. For...
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By blueridgepride | June 16, 2022
Our Mission & Vision Our mission is to promote equality, safety, and quality of life for western North Carolina’s LGBTQ and allied communities, working as a united community through...
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By blueridgepride | June 14, 2022
If you are having trouble adapting a picture you want to use on our site to our size and ratio requirements, here is a free tool you can use.
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By blueridgepride | June 14, 2022
A central source for links to forms and information that volunteers may find helpful.
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By blueridgepride | June 7, 2022
There are a lot of incredible archives that capture the rich history and culture of the LQBTQ+ community. Check these out!
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By blueridgepride | May 23, 2022
Blue Ridge Pride encourages visitors to use the transportation options with the lowest carbon footprint.
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By Butch Thompson | April 4, 2022
...we’ll showcase digital media produced from the 92 oral histories...
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By blueridgepride | April 1, 2022
RASP is North Carolina's online alcohol safety training that is required of volunteers who want to serve alcohol at events. It only takes 15-20 minutes.
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By blueridgepride | March 25, 2022
Overview of terms and conditions for performers at Blue Ridge Pride events.
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By blueridgepride | March 25, 2022
All Performers, or their parent / guardian if they are under 18 years old, must review and consent to the following policies, releases and waivers.
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By blueridgepride | March 25, 2022
An Opportunity for Community Services, Advocates, Artists, and Businesses
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By Butch Thompson | March 22, 2022
That's right, spring has sprung and with that comes new activity in our programs, projects and events. Thanks to all our local business support for helping us make 2022...
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By blueridgepride | March 15, 2022
A virtual series of spotlights on our LGBTQ community leaders and influencers.
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By blueridgepride | February 9, 2022
Please complete these steps at your earliest convenience.
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By blueridgepride | January 31, 2022
This is a Daily / Weekly / Monthly checklist of tasks for maintaining the virtual center. It includes direct links to complete each task and some basic instructions.
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By blueridgepride | January 30, 2022
How to get your post noticed where it needs to be noticed.
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By blueridgepride | January 30, 2022
Our Contact Information Please note: We do not have a physical center to visit. We maintain a virtual center to better serve our rural community. General Email: Hello@BlueRidgePride.org Mail: PO...
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By blueridgepride | January 29, 2022
These links will only work for a few people with access to the backend of the site.
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By blueridgepride | January 24, 2022
We explain the rules of the road for submitting news, articles, events, and other content to the site.
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By blueridgepride | January 17, 2022
Instructions for using our Volunteer Sign-up Sheets.
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By blueridgepride | January 13, 2022
We are a community-based oral history and physical artifacts archive dedicated to preserving LGBTQIA+ history of the south. The archive offers community training workshops (where you learn how to...
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By blueridgepride | January 13, 2022
Follow us on Instagram @wnc_lgbtqia for the most current news on our project. Publications associated with our archive include . . .
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By blueridgepride | January 6, 2022
Conducting an oral history project can be a lot of fun. Do it with your family, church, or organization. It is a great way to learn about the person...
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By Butch Thompson | December 17, 2021
Have you seen the latest edition of our newsletter? Here is a link for you to enjoy the latest information from our programs, events, calls to action and more....
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By Butch Thompson | December 10, 2021
If you missed it, our monthly Rainbow Inspiration brought another fresh, diverse and interesting story for our community. On December 1, World AIDS Day, we met Eric Holt. Eric...
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By Butch Thompson | November 26, 2021
Visibility is important as we grow our community, together. On Saturday, November 20 Blue Ridge Pride walked, drove, and floated in the annual Asheville Holiday Parade. There were cheers...
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By blueridgepride | November 23, 2021
If you shop at Amazon, you can support our mission, with no additional out-of-pocket costs.
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By blueridgepride | November 23, 2021
Find out what you need to understand about powers of attorney at this free webinar.
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By blueridgepride | November 1, 2021
Organizations add value to a community in so many ways. We highlight a few that are particularly relevant to our website and audience. We start from a position of...
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By blueridgepride | October 31, 2021
A student profiles Professor Wray's efforts to capture the oral history of the WNC LGBTIA+ cmmunity.
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By blueridgepride | September 23, 2021
We appreciate that this cancellation affects our exhibitors, vendors, and sponsors. We want to help you to recover or to redirect your funds as quickly as possible.
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By blueridgepride | August 9, 2021
These are the instructions issued by Downtown After Five for their partner program.
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By blueridgepride | August 4, 2021
We are taking a more community-driven approach to ensuring security this year.
By blueridgepride | July 29, 2021
It’s time for some inclusion, y’all! That’s the theme of this year’s Blue Ridge Pride Festival. So, mark your calendar for Saturday, September 25 at Asheville’s Pack Square Park...
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By blueridgepride | July 22, 2021
This is an occasionally updated count of festival exhibitors by category.
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By blueridgepride | July 16, 2021
Strength in Pride / Business Alliance Order Form Welcome! Thank you for all that you do to support our community. How it works: Select from one of four collection...
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By blueridgepride | July 10, 2021
Crowd Manager certification is an online training that focuses on fire safety and emergencies. We are required by North Carolina to have a certain number of crowd managers at...
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By blueridgepride | June 28, 2021
Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce Announces Partnership with Blue Ridge Pride As They Continue Their Regional Expansion to include Western North Carolina
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By blueridgepride | April 23, 2021
Mountain Xpress interviews Amanda Wray about the project's adjustments to COVID and its expansion into Spanish-language interviews.
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By blueridgepride | March 19, 2021
2020 In 2020, Blue Ridge Pride reduced fundraising efforts, encouraging our sponsors to lend their support to organizations most affected by COVID. Our board also elected to draw down...
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By blueridgepride | January 19, 2021
In 2020, Blue Ridge Pride reduced fundraising efforts, encouraging our sponsors to lend their support to organizations most affected by COVID and to those supporting COVID relief. Our board...
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By blueridgepride | January 15, 2021
A collaboration between Western Carolina University, the University of North Carolina Asheville and the Blue Ridge Pride Center will gather oral histories, archival materials and photos for an ongoing...
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Whether it’s healthcare, mental health services, general wellness, social activities, places of worship, sports, etc. – helping to make sure that LGBTQ+ members of our community have safe and/or comfortable place...
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By Butch Thompson | December 17, 2020
We are proud to announce our involvement with Buncombe County's initiative Age-friendly Buncombe. Having a seat at the table helps to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is represented in planning...
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By blueridgepride | December 4, 2020
COVID may be s nightmare, but we have never had so many tools for surviving and finding joy at a distance.
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By blueridgepride | October 14, 2020
The October 7th Generation Plus Live virtual segment allowed us to share some important information and links regarding voting and what are we voting for in this election. While...
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By blueridgepride | October 6, 2020
Generation Plus has announced upcoming topics for its monthly series of virtual events that address issues and topics of current interest to an aging population.
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By blueridgepride | September 18, 2020
Our September 16 Generation Plus Virtual Meetup focused on voting essentials. Absentee voters will love the new tracking tool.
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By blueridgepride | May 25, 2020
BRPC has cancelled all previously scheduled events. It's immediate focus is supporting critical community needs. It is exploring alternative event formats.
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By blueridgepride | May 11, 2020
This week, Blue Ridge Pride issued $2,000 in additional grants to community partners who are on the front lines addressing the impact of COVID-19 on the local LGBTQ Community....
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By blueridgepride | May 5, 2020
In 2019. the Partner Funds first year, Blue Ridge Pride awarded over $7,000 in grants to 20 local organizations that support our community.
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By blueridgepride | May 5, 2020
Thanks to your generosity, we have raised over $6,000 for emergency relief for the members of our community in Western North Carolina.
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By blueridgepride | March 9, 2020
Blue Ridge Pride launches a virtual LGBTQ Center to serve western North Carolina and nearby communities in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Virginia.
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By blueridgepride | January 22, 2020
In its first year, the Blue Ridge Pride Community Partner Fund awarded $7,500 in grants to twenty organizations in western North Carolina.
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By blueridgepride | January 1, 2020
In 2019, Blue Ridge Pride established the Blue Ridge Pride Community Partner Fund. The fund's purpose is to support the many groups, organizations and projects that seek to uplift western...
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By blueridgepride | December 16, 2019
In 2019, Blue Ridge Pride made three important policy decisions. It established the Blue Ridge Pride Community Partner Fund. The purpose of the fund is to support the many...
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By blueridgepride | November 1, 2019
Selected News Articles and Media Coverage Concerning Blue Ridge Pride
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By blueridgepride | October 25, 2019
This year, Blue Ridge Pride launched a new events program, the Movie and Mixer Series. The series featured four films and attracted over 400 theatre-goers. It raised more than...
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By blueridgepride | July 25, 2019
Blue Ridge Pride announces new partnership with Green Man Brewery to support its new Community Partner Fund.
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By blueridgepride | February 28, 2019
Reporter Lilly Knoepp speaks with Invisible Histories Project founder Josh Burford and UNC Asheville Professor Amanda Wray about archiving the untold stories of queer history in the South.
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