The most important thing to know about Thomasina Brownlee is that she cares. In talking for almost an hour, Thomasina’s empathy stood out as the interview’s guiding trait. Thomasina was born in the 1950s in Asheville, NC. Her parents were both from rural South Carolina. They moved north to Asheville in order to seek better opportunities for themselves and their children. Thomasina describes her childhood in Western North Carolina fondly, spending 25 years of her life living on Martin Luther King Street. She reminisced with us about the times she spent with her friends at the YMI and Woolworth’s.
Thomasina remembers the Asheville of her youth affectionately touching on the friendliness that has kept her in the town her whole life. Growing up here in the 60s and 70s, Thomasina does not recall experiencing overt racism from the locals, instead stating that the area has always had a welcoming air about it. Thomasina did touch upon just how much Asheville has changed in her lifetime spent here. Expressing a disappointment for the rapidness in which hotels have popped up downtown and the closing of the once black owned businesses that peppered the downtown of her youth. Sadly, gentrification has affected Thomsina.
She graduated from high school in 1974. Sadly, It seems as if every school she mentioned attending, Hill Street, Isaac Helms, French Broad, did not survive the rush to improve the city. Thomasina worked as a cook, at the former downtown restaurant Tripp’s for most of her adult life. She joined the YWCA a few years back as part of the Getting Ahead Program. The mission of the curriculum is to embolden women to control their financial future as well as improve their families and communities. Thomasina has always garnered great joy from helping others. Inspired by the work she saw at the YWCA she decided to volunteer with the Foster Grandparents Program. The program pairs seniors with youth in the community. Foster Grandparents serve as a guide, teacher, and caregiver to children. They help children develop the skills, confidence, and strength to succeed in life.
Thomasina has been involved with this program at the YWCA for just over a year. She lights up when she speaks of the work she does with the children. An important aspect of programs such as this as giving purpose to those who have reached a point in their lives where retirement provides a significant amount of free time. She hopes to become even more involved with the YWCA, expressing an interest in continuing her love of cooking by volunteering to help in the kitchen.
Thomasina also dedicates a significant amount of her time helping to feed the Vets and Homeless in and around Asheville with her church. She spoke of one woman in particular whom she has often found herself driving around searching for, hoping to provide her with a warm blanket and a hot drink. This is Thomasina’s defining characteristic. When speaking with her, one can feel how much she cares.
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Here is our interview with Thomasina, divided into equal halves. Enjoy!
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A rough timeline of Thomasina’s life and the touchstones of her Asheville