UNCA Post-Helene Symposium

Panel: Confronting the Gap: Examining Hardships and Assistance for the Latino Community in Times of Crisis in Buncombe County

Thursday, Sept 25 from 10:30-11:45am

Mullen and James Humanities Hall

When Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in September 2024, the scale of destruction was staggering — over $59 billion in damage and countless lives disrupted. Yet, not all communities were able to access recovery resources equitably. This panel centers on the experiences of nonprofit leaders serving the Latino community in Buncombe County, where survivors encountered systemic barriers to assistance. Panelists will discuss how legal status, lack of documentation, language inaccessibility, and the near absence of culturally competent FEMA resources created a widening gap in post-disaster aid. Through testimonies and organizational insights, the panel will examine how groups like Unete, IAM, CORE, and Pisgah Legal responded to the needs of underserved Latino residents. This session highlights not only the failures of formal recovery infrastructure but also the grassroots resilience and advocacy emerging from within the community.

https://www.posthelenesymposium.com/post-helene-events/confronting-the-gap%3A-examining-hardships-and-assistance-for-the-latino-community-in-times-of-crisis-in-buncombe-county