Given the chaos of social media as of late, it seems important that I start using this. If you know me in real life or have been following me online, you know that this season has been truly terrible. The little unincorporated village I call home, Swannanoa, is considered ground zero for Hurricane Helene. Before September, locals called it “Swanna-nowhere,” now people all over the world know about it and we have to clear the (crumbled) roads every other week so a different politician can bless us with their presence.
I’ve learned a lot since September and I’m still learning, but the absolute biggest takeaway has been the power of community. Those first days when no one could access us, we helped each other tirelessly. A little later, existing mutual aid networks, non-profits and small businesses across Western North Carolina arrived. As the days continued to pass by, we saw even more help in the form of family, friends, and just regular every day people. We all relied on each other to get by, we still do.
The past few weeks have felt overwhelming and disorienting. My town has made headlines again as Trump visited for a second time. Well intentioned reporters are interviewing residents asking what we’ve thought of the federal assistance throughout the disaster. As aid is continuously dangled in front of our faces and used as part of a political blame game, I’ve been really proud of my community for always pointing back to each other. We did this! We helped ourselves and while we would love more help and resources, we will continue to take care of each other with love, empathy, and respect regardless.
I’m realizing that collectively, we have way more power than we think– not just here in Western NC, but across this country. Somewhere along the way, as a society we were tricked into staying in our lane, being good little cogs in the machine working ourselves to death with no time to build meaningful relationships. We forgot how to even talk to our neighbors, much less form a functioning community. The storm, as awful as it was, forced us back to what’s important here. I’m so sad for all that we lost, but I’m also thankful for what we have gained. I hope to carry these lessons with me forever.
Organizations to support:
> Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance
> Bounty & Soul
> Valley Strong Disaster Relief
> Beloved Asheville
Special shout out! My partner, Alex Willis, was recently interviewed on The 1A: The Future of FEMA episode. Listen here to learn more about FEMAs role in recovery.
Local, volunteer-led clean up is happening every Saturday in Swannanoa until the end of March. The goal is to clean up as much debris as possible before the leaves come back!
