Community Investment Committee
Dr. Dwight Mullen spent his career in public service as a UNC-Asheville professor in Political Science and recently retired. During his tenure, Dr. Mullen taught thousands of students, 40 percent of whom came from Western North Carolina, giving him a unique 35-year relationship and perspective with the residents of our region. While at UNCA, Dr. Mullen also served as Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and as a Professor of Africana Studies.Â
Dr. Mullen is the founder of the State of Black Asheville, which began in 2008 as an undergraduate research project for one of his classes. They researched open-source data sets in Education, Criminal Justice, Economics, and Health then presented their findings at a weekend conference open to all students and the wider community. The intent was to provide data and a sense of urgency to county and city-wide strategic plans as well as offer the students an opportunity to see how policies and institutions impact citizens and residents over the long-term. These findings became indicators of the disparities in many social determinants of health and is just one example of how Dr. Mullen’s work has taken the long view to address opportunities and challenges with creative, but measured, risk-taking ideas that are rooted in data.
Address:
890 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Mailing:
890 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
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Support programs and networks that reduce deaths, treat addiction, and prevent first use
Help reduce disparities based on race, location, education and income factors
Invest in integrated heath care with seamless connections to supportive services
Support communities that promote healthy living and resiliency and help mitigate the impact of trauma, isolation and stress on individuals and families, especially those experiencing poverty
Support a well-funded, sustainable, competitive entrepreneur and small business ecosystem throughout the region
Help build a regional economic ecosystem that supports increased creation/retention of jobs and business ownership
Help build a skilled workforce with the knowledge and technical abilities to excel in a wide range of industry employment opportunities that provide a competitive, sustainable wage
Source, analyze and share a comprehensive, county-by-county data set that paints a full picture of work readiness, economic development and entrepreneurial needs and opportunities specific to Western North Carolina
Work in tandem with Economic Opportunity Strategic Priority to invest in career readiness at the community college and university levels
Support K-12 learning experiences with the resources and sustainability to provide an excellent academic and social-emotional education, so that all students graduate ready for college or career
Invest in an improved early childhood education ecosystem with the resources and sustainability to provide developmentally appropriate, affordable and accessible education and care to support ages birth to five, so that all children in WNC enter kindergarten ready to learn
Source, analyze and share a comprehensive set of publicly available data that provides a regularly updated, county-by-county picture of access, workforce and student outcomes in early childhood education and K-12 education specific to Western North Carolina
Loans, guarantees, and other financial tools to leverage funding opportunities
Increase affordable housing for lowest-income individuals and families
Support age-appropriate resources in affordable and workforce units, rental and owned
Invest in housing with sustainable supports for physical and mental health and wellbeing
Support healthy and safe revitalizations that work against displacement and gentrification, preserve home ownership and create generational wealth.