Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Many of you have heard of Vinegar Hill, the thriving black neighborhood that Charlottesville demolished in 1965 as part of an “urban renewal” project. The bulldozing of Charlottesville’s largest black neighborhood was the most tangible example of the intentional destruction of the flourishing black community in our town.
But it wasn’t the only one. And years later, we continue to contend with the legacies and endeavor to answer the question of how to rebuild.
COVID-19 has been a spotlight for many of the ongoing systemic issues in our community. We’ve seen glaring disparities in housing, healthcare, and economic mobility. But, make no mistake, COVID-19 did not create income disparity in Charlottesville. Though Black Americans and other nonwhites have seen increased opportunities for professional advancement since the civil rights movement, and businesses are championing equity, the chasm between white and minority wealth remains and is growing by the day.
Moderated by UVA’s Dr. Ebony Hilton, panelists Yolunda Harrell, New Hill Development Corporation; Sarad Davenport, TMI Consulting; Ester Manheimer, Mayor of Asheville, NC; and Julie Mayfield, City Councilor of Asheville, NC will frame our discussion, explain local history and action, and describe the journey to reparations that Asheville, NC has embarked on. Virtual table discussions will follow, giving attendees the opportunity to share their thoughts, ask questions, and get to know one another.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY TABLE?
Created by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville in 2017 in response to the KKK and “Unite the Right” rallies, Community Table events were established because we believe that none of the most complex problems are advanced or solved by individual people or entities. Instead, they are tackled by groups driven by creating positive and sustainable change.
A Community Table provides a platform for people to come together around a table to share a meal, a conversation, and build common ground, rooted in equity and respect. The new relationships, perspectives, and understanding that come from these events inform how the United Way identifies solutions to issues challenging our community.
Attendees at Community Tables embrace multiple viewpoints, welcome diversity (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religious and political beliefs, etc., act with respect and exercise active listening. They want to foster relationships fueled by trust and respect to strengthen our community.
Community Table Event Overview
A Community Table is free to attend. Approximately 150 people from diverse backgrounds and experiences gather at tables of 10 participants, welcomed by Table Hosts. Table guests get to know their tablemates and are encouraged to have in-depth, honest conversations about local equity issues.
The United Way’s Community Table programs may be different in the era of COVID-19, but they remain vitally important to us and our community as people struggle to maintain connections in an era of virtual meetings and social events. The human desire to connect remains strong and we remain committed to Connecting Community in order to discuss pressing equity issues. These conversations have gained urgency in recent months as the pandemic has exposed systemic inequities (especially in the areas of healthcare and financial stability) which have impacted communities of color for many years.
Many of you have heard of Vinegar Hill, the thriving black neighborhood that Charlottesville demolished in 1965 as part of an “urban renewal” project. The bulldozing of Charlottesville’s largest black neighborhood was the most tangible example of the intentional destruction of the flourishing black community in our town.
But it wasn’t the only one. And years later, we continue to contend with the legacies and endeavor to answer the question of how to rebuild.
COVID-19 has been a spotlight for many of the ongoing systemic issues in our community. We’ve seen glaring disparities in housing, healthcare, and economic mobility. But, make no mistake, COVID-19 did not create income disparity in Charlottesville. Though Black Americans and other nonwhites have seen increased opportunities for professional advancement since the civil rights movement, and businesses are championing equity, the chasm between white and minority wealth remains and is growing by the day.
Moderated by UVA’s Dr. Ebony Hilton, panelists Yolunda Harrell, New Hill Development Corporation; Sarad Davenport, TMI Consulting; Ester Manheimer, Mayor of Asheville, NC; and Julie Mayfield, City Councilor of Asheville, NC will frame our discussion, explain local history and action, and describe the journey to reparations that Asheville, NC has embarked on. Virtual table discussions will follow, giving attendees the opportunity to share their thoughts, ask questions, and get to know one another.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY TABLE?
Created by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville in 2017 in response to the KKK and “Unite the Right” rallies, Community Table events were established because we believe that none of the most complex problems are advanced or solved by individual people or entities. Instead, they are tackled by groups driven by creating positive and sustainable change.
A Community Table provides a platform for people to come together around a table to share a meal, a conversation, and build common ground, rooted in equity and respect. The new relationships, perspectives, and understanding that come from these events inform how the United Way identifies solutions to issues challenging our community.
Attendees at Community Tables embrace multiple viewpoints, welcome diversity (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religious and political beliefs, etc., act with respect and exercise active listening. They want to foster relationships fueled by trust and respect to strengthen our community.
Community Table Event Overview
A Community Table is free to attend. Approximately 150 people from diverse backgrounds and experiences gather at tables of 10 participants, welcomed by Table Hosts. Table guests get to know their tablemates and are encouraged to have in-depth, honest conversations about local equity issues.
The United Way’s Community Table programs may be different in the era of COVID-19, but they remain vitally important to us and our community as people struggle to maintain connections in an era of virtual meetings and social events. The human desire to connect remains strong and we remain committed to Connecting Community in order to discuss pressing equity issues. These conversations have gained urgency in recent months as the pandemic has exposed systemic inequities (especially in the areas of healthcare and financial stability) which have impacted communities of color for many years.
