Juneteenth Bench Unveiling
June 19 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Free
This Juneteenth, join Echoes of the Forest and the YMI Cultural Center to unveil a handcrafted bench carved from a white oak that Hurricane Helene brought down. 
The tree fell in Swannanoa during the storm and washed downstream before it was recovered. In the hands of master woodworker Kwadwo Som-Pimpong of Crafted Glory, salvaged timber sourced through Bee Tree Hardwoods has become a gathering place — and it’s finding a permanent home at the oldest African American cultural center in the country.
Founded in 1893 in the heart of historic Black Asheville, the YMI is a place built for community. On Juneteenth — the day commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans — there’s no more fitting home for a bench about heritage, gathering, and renewal.
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