Asheville March & Rally for Medicare For All!
Start: 2021-07-24 10:00:00 UTC Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)
End: 2021-07-24 12:00:00 UTC Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)
This is a virtual event
In solidarity with Medicare For All events that will be happening across the country on Saturday, July 24th, we will be holding our own event in Asheville!
The Asheville March and Rally for Medicare For All will begin at Mission Hospital, and then proceed to downtown Asheville. You may join us either at Mission Hospital, or if you are unable to walk with us, you can just meet us downtown for the rally.
Complete the form on this page to receive updates about the event, and to let us know you're coming!
When:
10:00am: Walkers will meet at Mission Hospital, at Hospital Dr. & Biltmore Ave. Mission's owner, HCA, contributes to the largest anti-Medicare For All big money group in the country. We want to let them know that we're fighting for people over profits.
We'll have guest speakers and music too!
10:30am: Walkers will begin the sidewalk "march" to Pack Square downtown. There will be sign-waving, shouting, and music!
11:30am: We'll all gather for the downtown rally at Reuter Terrace in Pack Square Park, with guest speakers and songs. And we'll let you know how you can take the next steps to keep fighting for Medicare For All.
Where:
You can find a map of our marching route and rallying locations here.
Who:
This event is being sponsored and organized by a coalition of multiple Asheville political & nonprofit organizations.
- Asheville DSA
- Asheville Racial Justice Coalition
- Democratic Women of Buncombe County
- HealthCare For All WNC
- Indivisible Asheville/WNC
- Progressive Democrats of Buncombe
- Stronger Together of WNC-North
- Sunrise Movement Asheville
- Western Circle of NC Poor People's Campaign
Let's March & Rally Safely!
This will be a safety-first event. That means:
- We encourage participants to bring a mask and wear it when you are within six feet of others. We wear masks in solidarity with children, who have not received the vaccination yet, and in solidarity with our immuno-compromised friends and neighbors.
- Stay on the sidewalks as we are walking and rallying.
- Do not bring weapons.
- Bring a bottle of water.
- Wear sunscreen and a hat.
What is Medicare For All?
Medicare For All doesn't just mean allowing all Americans to receive the benefits that seniors in the U.S. currently do. It's a complete reimagining of healthcare in the United States, necessary to level the extreme health inequalities that we face.
Medicare For All means that anyone in the country would receive essential and primary medical, dental, mental, optical, and reproductive care, with no out-of-pocket costs, no insurance premiums, and no bills in the mail.
If you want to learn more about Medicare For All, you might begin in one of these places:
- National Nurses United (NNU): FAQ About Medicare For All
- "About Single Payer" from Physicians For A National Health Program (PNHP)
Where to Park
If you're joining us for the entire march, or just the rally, you have options for getting there!
Assuming you won't be taking public transportation, or using a "ride-sharing" service, here are some different strategies you might choose to take.
Note that the distance between the two rally sites—from Mission Hospital to Pack Square Park—is just shy of one and a quarter miles.
Option One: Park Downtown and Walk Down to Mission, Returning Downtown with the March
You may choose to park downtown, walk down to Mission Hospital—planning to arrive around 10am—and then walk back downtown with the other marchers.
If this sounds good, try parking at the garage across from the Buncombe County Courthouse.
You may also try parking at the nearby One Oak Plaza—it's the building with the SECU Bank in it, at the corner of College St. and Charlotte St. If you park here, you can then easily take Charlotte St. southwards on foot, down to the start of the event.
Option Two: Park Near Mission Hospital, March to Downtown, and Later Return to Your Car
Parking near Mission Hospital may be a more convenient option if you don't wake up early, or if you have more time after the event than before!
There are office parking lots on the Southbound side of Biltmore Avenue, just before you reach Hospital Drive, that are likely to have free spaces available on the weekends.
Do be aware that if you park by Mission, and then you walk to Pack Square Park, you will then be walking back to your car at noon. The good news is that it will be mostly downhill!
