Photo credit: Gigi Kaeser

The Center for Diversity Education and UNC Asheville's Student Alliance have been joined by a number of community groups to bring the touring photography exhibition "Love Makes a Family" to Asheville. The exhibit will be on view March 11-April 6 in UNC Asheville's Karpen Hall lobby. "Love Makes a Family," which portrays gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their families, is on loan from the Family Diversity Project, a non-profit organization based in Amherst, Mass.

A companion exhibit, "Loving Families," created by the Center for Diversity Education, will also be on view March 11-April 6 in UNC Asheville's Karpen Hall lobby. "Loving Families" takes an intimate look at local GLBT families and shares their stories – straight parents who raised GLBT children, families formed out of friendships, and gay and lesbian parents who adopted or gave birth to their own children.

An opening event will be held from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, March 11, in UNC Asheville's Karpen Hall lobby. In addition to viewing the photos, guests will be able to make crafts, take a digital family portrait and share their reactions to the exhibits on a "graffiti wall." The exhibitions and opening receptions are free and open to the public. They are designed for audiences of all ages.

Photo credit: Gigi Kaeser

"Both photo exhibitions cut through politics and gets to the heart of the issue by showing the loving, caring connections that are so basic to all families, said Deborah Miles, executive director of the Center for Diversity Education, which is located on the UNC Asheville campus."By allowing viewers to come face-to-face with images of GLBT families, it is our hope that these exhibits will contribute to the process of dismantling the destructive power of prejudice and intolerance."

The Center for Diversity Education encourages conversation along the lines that too often separate a community by focusing on ethnic, racial, cultural and religious diversity through exhibits, road shows and staff development programs. The Center has created 11 traveling exhibits about Buncombe County and Western North Carolina on such themes as desegregation, immigration, religious pilgrimage, World War II, genocide and globalization.

Joining the Center for Diversity Education and UNC Asheville Alliance are a number of community sponsors, including Laurey's Catering & Gourmet-to-Go, Bouche Studio for Aesthetic Dentistry, The Cathedral of All Souls, Wachovia Bank, Jubilee! Community, Blue Spiral 1 gallery, Seattle's Flying Fish Restaurant, Midgard Foundation, and Ronald English.

Along with being sponsors, several houses of worship and their leaders have played a key role in bringing the exhibition to Asheville. Among those is Rev. Joe Hoffman, pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, who serves as planning committee co-chair with Noel Nickle and Laurey Masterton.

"Our faith communities have many different kinds of families represented in them – and it is the goal of faith communities to build up and strengthen loving and just family relations," said Rev. Hoffman. "Our diversity is a gift, and I want to see us find more ways to support all families that are loving and just. This project helps us to learn together and support each other more."

Masterton agrees.

"It is important to see below the surface of a family. Love really does cross all boundaries and family really is about love – no matter what," she said.

Free Lectures and Films

Photo credit: Gigi Kaeser

In addition to the two exhibits, a number of free special events have been planned, including:

-- A panel discussion on "Why GLBTQ Families are a Feminist Issue" will be held at 12:20 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in UNC Asheville's Karpen Hall, room 115. Participants include UNC Asheville faculty members Lori Horvitz, associate professor of literature and language; Amy Lanou, assistant professor of health and wellness; Women's Studies Program Director Tracey Rizzo and Lorena Russell, assistant professor of literature and language. This talk is held in conjunction with UNC Asheville's observance of Women's History Month.

-- Local religious leaders will discuss "Interpreting Family and Religion" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, in UNC Asheville's Highsmith University Union, Mountain Suites. Rev. Joe Hoffman, pastor of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, will serve as moderator. A reception will be held from 6-6:45 p.m. in Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall.

-- A screening of "It's Elementary" will be held at 12:20 p.m. Thursday, March 22, at UNC Asheville's Karpen Hall, room 010. "It's Elementary" addresses anti-gay prejudice by providing adults with practical lessons on how to talk with children about gay people. Filmed in six public and private schools, this documentary has aired on more than 100 public television stations.

-- UNC Asheville faculty members will discuss "Conceptualizing Family" at 12:20 p.m. Thursday, March 29, in UNC Asheville's Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall. Panelists include Keith Bramlett, sociology lecturer; Melissa Burchard, associate professor of philosophy; Jim Driggers, literature and language lecturer; and Political Science Professor Mark Gibney.

-- On April 3, panelists will examine "Building Community Support for All Families." Asheville City Councilman Brownie Newman; Carol Duin, co-chair of the WNC chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Ed Farthing, political and community organizer for N.C. Equality; and attorney Diane Walton will lead the discussion. Noel Nickle, founder of People of Faith for Just Relationships, will serve as moderator. The program begins at 7 p.m.

-- The series will wrap up with "We Are Family" at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 5, in UNC Asheville's Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall. During this event, local GLBT families will share their personal experiences and the challenges as well as their reflections on the photo exhibitions.

For more information, call the Center for Diversity Education at 828/232-5024 or click on www.diversityed.org/.