From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The University of North Carolina Asheville has unveiled the schedule for the Post-Helene Symposium, a faculty-led, interdisciplinary event taking place Sept. 24–26, a UNCA news release stated on Aug. 28.

"The symposium will bring together storytellers, scholars, students, and community voices from across the region to explore the themes of 'Remembering, Rebuilding, and Reimagining' on the anniversary of Hurricane Helene," the release stated. "This free three-day event will feature panels, concerts, art exhibitions, interactive activities, and much more to amplify the voices of Western North Carolina and position Asheville to lead the conversation about the storm, its aftermath, and how the city envisions its future.

William Bares (NEH Distinguished Professor and UNCA professor of music), who co-founded the event said in the release, "It is heartening to see our entire campus community pull together at this important moment for our city. With over 70 separate events involving hundreds of participants, the symposium will provide needed opportunities for learning, processing, planning, and healing.

“The faculty proposals have shown a real commitment to serving and involving all of Asheville, and that’s reflected in this schedule.”

The release added, "Through a partnership with media outlet NC Local, the symposium will feature a storytelling event, The Heart of the Mountains: Stories from a Year of Courage, Kindness, and Community after Hurricane Helene. The Sept. 24 evening event will bring together 12 news organizations from across the state to celebrate community, unsung heroes, and first-account stories that have yet to be told. Beginning with a 'News Cafe' reception in the UNCA Blue Ridge Room, guests can meet journalists who covered Helene and learn from representatives from Grow NC—The Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, initiated by Governor Josh Stein. The evening will continue with powerful storytelling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, when neighbors became lifelines and communities across the region rose together in resilience.

NC Local Editorial Director Laura Lee said in the release, “With so much emphasis on recovery and rebuilding, there hasn't been enough time, space, or energy to reflect and tell some of the stories of people who jumped in and took care of one another at hours of greatest need.

"This event and symposium are an opportunity for everyone to take a step back, process, and really reflect on all that happened and appreciate those things that maybe seem small that we did for one another in those really challenging times. The headlines were full of big heroic things, but there were so many moments of people helping one another, and that’s the fabric of what WNC is. While this is a really solemn and difficult occasion, it is in some ways a celebration of that fabric that we’re all connected by, and an acknowledgement of what we did for one another.”