Black and white photo of two elderly hands raised near the top of the image, with a circular logo between them. The logo contains a yellow and orange flower design and the text "Asheville Poverty Initiative EST 2016." Below, bold yellow text reads "UN LABEL ON LABEL POVERTY." Underneath, white cursive text says "Label me to see me. Unlabel me to know me."

Assumptions - Photographs - Stories

Various scenes including a man with headphones smiling, a person viewing portraits of diverse individuals, people cooking in a kitchen, a woman playing guitar, a woman organizing plates at a cafe, and a woman smiling and waving at a cafe.

UnLabel Poverty, a free, three-day event and collaboration from Asheville Poverty Initiative and UnLabel Me, presented by Sugar Hollow Solar in downtown Asheville, featured portraits of patrons, volunteers, and community members with accompanying stories through panels, discussions, and poverty walks.

To learn more about our Realities of Poverty Education Program click here.

Close-up black and white portrait of a smiling woman with glasses, dreadlocks, and a septum piercing, wearing a light-colored shirt against a dark background.
Text on a yellow background with quotes from Mae, a Poverty Education Coordinator, about community, shared experiences, and voices, with 'Unlabel Me' and 'Human. Layered.' at the bottom.
Black and white portrait of a young man with short, slightly curly hair looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a light-colored turtleneck shirt. The bottom of the image includes text that says "LABEL ME" in yellow and black, and "Problem child" in black.
A yellow card featuring quotes from individuals about their experiences surviving homelessness and cold winters, with some references to community projects and reusable water bottles called Heartwarmers.
Black and white portrait of a middle-aged man with long curly hair, a beard, wearing a casual t-shirt, with text "LABEL ME Homeless" at the bottom.
Yellow poster with black and white text quoting a person named Donovan, identified as 12 Baskets Café Patron, discussing homelessness and empathy, and including the phrase 'I'm a reflection of everything.'
A black and white close-up portrait of a middle-aged man with a serious expression, wearing a sleeveless shirt.
A black and white photograph of an elderly person's hand resting on a knee with a quote about love and compassion overlaid, along with the name Cleveland and the phrase '12 Baskets Cafe Patron'.
Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with curly hair, wearing a sleeveless top and a necklace, looking directly at the camera.
A yellow poster with quotes from Leslee, a UNCA professor and volunteer, about human connection, beauty, and brokenness. The poster features her name, title, and a quote about human beings, along with a statement about beauty and brokenness, ending with a signature that says 'Fearless. Radical. Poet.'
Black and white portrait of an elderly woman with long hair and a gentle expression, wearing glasses on her head and a light-colored zip-up jacket, with the label "Homeless" in yellow and the word "LABEL ME" in black text on a yellow background.
Close-up of a person holding a mug with both hands.
Woman with dark hair in a bun, smiling and pointing to her hoodie that says 'Cookies,' making a peace sign with both hands.
A yellow background poster with white and black text, featuring a quote from Glenda, a patron of 12 Baskets Café. It emphasizes themes of equality, happiness, and caring.
Black and white portrait of a man with long hair and a full beard, wearing a T-shirt with the word 'CONTENT' partially visible, and tattoos on his arms.
A yellow background featuring a quote from Aaron, a 12 Baskets Café Program Coordinator, about seeing 12 Baskets as a place for beautiful personalities, faith, peace, and prayer. The quote emphasizes actions over words and love through labor, ending with a note about being a disciple of Christ. The bottom includes a stylized phrase 'UNLABEL ME' and a signature 'Goofy, Kind, Disciple of Christ'.
Black and white portrait of a woman with dark hair, tattoos on her arm, and a septum piercing, smiling slightly. She is wearing a sleeveless top against a dark background.
Profile of Taiya, Asheville Poverty Initiative Board Member, featuring her quotes on wealth and community involvement, with a yellow background and stylized white and black text.
Black and white portrait of an older man with gray hair and beard, giving a thumbs up gesture, wearing a plain T-shirt, with the text "Label Me Unskilled. Homeless." at the bottom.
A yellow poster giving positive messages about homelessness and community support, with quotes from a massage therapist named UnlabelMe.
Black and white portrait of a woman with curly hair, glasses, wearing a patterned sleeveless top, with one hand over her heart and the other on her chest, looking directly at the camera.
A yellow background with the quote from Emily, a poverty educator, about resilience and kindness. The quote discusses reflecting on accomplishments, surviving hardships, and the importance of kindness from others. It includes phrases like "I remember the night I was sitting in a doorway, alone with my backpack," and "When you're on the streets, people label you so quickly." The bottom features the words "UNLABEL ME" and "Advocate. Artist. Survivor."
A black and white portrait of a man with long hair and a beard, smiling slightly, wearing sunglasses on his head and a T-shirt with a graphic design.
Quote attributed to Jacob, a 12th-grade basketball player and poverty educator, about seeking validation through healthy self-esteem and playing music regardless of others' opinions, with a background image of an acoustic guitar and the words "Unlabeled Me" and "Person of Integrity. Musician/Songwriter".
Black and white portrait of an elderly man with a long white beard, wearing a hooded jacket, a knit cap, and a plaid scarf, looking directly at the camera.
A yellow poster featuring a quote from Paul, a volunteer at 12 Baskets Café, emphasizing the importance of community. The quote reads: 'I have volunteered or been here for seven plus years because this place really saved my life and helped me get through a lot of things that I could have never gotten through otherwise.' The poster highlights the value of community with the statement: 'Community is the most important thing in my life. It's the most important thing in the world.' At the bottom, there is a logo with the words 'UNLABEL ME' and the name 'Sewant'.
Black and white portrait of an elderly woman with short hair, wearing a collared shirt, smiling gently.
A yellow poster with a quote about kindness and conversation. The poster has sections with different fonts and a highlighted word, with the word 'KIND' emphasized at the bottom.
A man with glasses, a beard, and a beanie hat is wearing a reflective safety vest and looking at the camera with a slight smile. The background is dark, and the image is in black and white. There is a yellow label that says "LABEL ME" and text that reads "Under no roof, with no walls."
Close-up of hands writing in a notebook with a pen, with text overlay including a quote about writing and creativity, and the name Carnelle.
A black and white photo of a person's hand with a heart-shaped ring, holding a bicycle handlebar. Overlaid text reads: "Old School, 12 Baskets Café Patron. 'I want to be able to do positive work...'" and a quote, ending with "A Man of God. Piano Player."
A black and white portrait of a mature man wearing a wide-brimmed hat, patterned shirt, and necklaces, with a serious expression, pointing toward the camera.

Community Cures Poverty

“12 Baskets' impact can be measured in pounds of food and meals served, but to me the heart is all the small stories of connection. Jensen helps someone get their phone working, they are able to text their sister who was worried about them. A circle of people play guitar and drums in the garden, and a person listening who just arrived in Asheville and doesn't know where they fit, suddenly feels welcome. Strangers sitting at a table bond over their love of peanut butter cookies and then one offers the other a needed ride to an appointment. Happens everyday.”

- Jen Murphy, long time cafe patron and volunteer

UnLabel Poverty is presented by:

Logo of Sugar Hollow Solar with an orange geometric sun icon to the left of the text.

UnLabel Poverty is supported by funds from:

Logo for Dogwood Health Trust with stylized leaves in the letter 'w', and the words 'dogwood health trust' in teal and yellow.