The Progressive Women of Hendersonville (PWH) started after Abby Robertson organized transportation for five busloads of women in WNC to travel to Washington, DC, to march in the Women’s March.
Accomplishments were celebrated and plans for the upcoming year were shared. In the past year the group has hosted a weekly postcard event at Sanctuary Brewing where progressives can meet and write state, local and federal officials and candidates about issues that concern them. Lisa McDonald, co-owner of Sanctuary, was one of the founding members of PWH.
The group has also sponsored educational, art and activist events in the 12 months since the 2017 Women’s March. Some of the events include: hosting an art show that was funded by Advocates For the Arts (about 100 artists participated); holding an educational program on the county’s opioid crisis; screening several documentaries covering a range of topics from gerrymandering, climate change, equal rights for women and gender issues. PWH has supported a variety of local programs including Dignity Period that provides feminine products for marginalized females in the county through the school system and homeless shelters, and the Henderson County Housing Assistance Women for the Win Program.
Also during the celebration, Dr. Marie Germain, organizer of the 2017 Asheville Women’s March, outlined progressive accomplishments in the past year and looked ahead to the mid-term elections via YouTube video from Philadelphia where she is assisting the organization of the city’s 2018 Women’s March.
Goals discussed at the celebration include electing progressive candidates, getting younger people involved in progressive actions and advocating for Better Angels that seeks to find common ground between conservatives and liberals. If you are interested in progressive issues such as protecting DACA immigrants, healthcare for everyone, climate change and equal rights, go to pwhendo.org or attend the Friday postcard writing, 4-6 p.m. at Sanctuary Brewing.