Juneteenth—the day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States—seems a fitting time to recognize the legacy of HCDP’s own Crystal Cauley, who died suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this week after a lifetime dedicated to positive change, including her successful work in encouraging the City of Hendersonville to recognize this important holiday.
When HCDP asked for people to accept the challenge of running for office, Crystal stepped up and joyfully began her race for Henderson County School Board.
In everything, Crystal put her heart and soul into making our corner of Western North Carolina a better place. In fact, it’s almost impossible to name all the efforts Crystal spearheaded in her beloved community, from founding the Black Business Network of WNC to volunteering with the 7th Avenue/Brooklyn Community Garden to serving on the Historic Preservation Commission and the Safelight Board. This week alone, Crystal was busy working on two Juneteenth celebrations—one that occurred on June 13 and one coming up on June 29—in addition to managing her campaign, being an active mom, and juggling a multitude of other projects.
Thank you, Crystal, for your service to all of Henderson County and for your willingness to run for office. We are grateful.
(To read more about Crystal’s life of service, see the coverage in the Times-News and the Lightning as well as the City of Hendersonville’s social media. A GoFundMe has been set up to help her son and teenage daughter.)