I was drawn to Asheville by hopes for happiness, a supportive community and education. I found low pay and few opportunities before I was forced to leave
Above: Downtown Asheville at night, photo by Bill Rhodes
This is the latest in our Leaving Asheville series, featuring the stories and perspectives of people who tried to build a life in this city and found they couldn’t. You can read previous installments here and here.
So I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
But that was ok. I am always up for a challenge and 2008 had been a horrible year. I had buried my father, gotten divorced and, like millions around the country, lost most of my money in the great recession. I needed a change desperately, to find somewhere I could live that had community support, a small town feel but without the isolated aspect that many small towns have.
I had been to Asheville before and was smitten. The weather was great, the people were great and then there was that book, Geography of Bliss, that got Asheville the reputation as one of the happiest places in America. I wanted to be happy. So I pulled up stakes in Texas, packed up my two kids, my three cats and left. Just like that Asheville was home.
The first year or two things weren’t too bad. I had lucked into a temporary position at Eblen Charities working as an administrative assistant. The economic collapse had left me not knowing what to do with myself, as jobs were becoming increasingly difficult to find. My time at Eblen that propelled me to go back to school and get a degree in social work. For that I am forever grateful. I enrolled in A-B Tech and spent the next two-and-a-half years basically living off student loans and taking whatever part-time work I could find, hoping for better.
In 2012 I lucked into a job at the Biltmore Estate. I was so excited, what could be better than working at the winery? The pay however was low — really low — and we almost never received tips. At $8.50 an hour and no more than 30 hours a week, I couldn’t make ends meet. I took note that I was the only single parent working there; this position seemed to be more directed at retirees or students. When it got to the point that I dreaded going to work and my paycheck was eaten up by overdraft fees I quit and found a tip-oriented job bartending. This wasn’t much better.
The pay, $3.50 an hour plus tips, was still sickeningly low. I have never made less than at least minimum wage before tips, even for bartending, but I would take anything I could get. By the second month that was there I was already the “senior employee.” Everyone else had been fired or quit. Sadly, that seems to be a common theme here. No one stays anywhere long. Finally the day came when I was no longer on the schedule. Not fired, mind you, just off the schedule.
But none of that mattered, I told myself. I was on my last two semesters at A-B Tech. Surely once I graduated I would find a job. I worked my butt off and finally graduated with my AAS in Human Services. I have never been so proud of myself, as this is not an easy feat for a 40-year-old single parent with two children.
Walking across that stage was the proudest day of my life. I immediately started job searching again, thinking surely something in my field would come up. Finally, it did.
In July of 2014 I was hired as a resident assistant at ABCCM’s Steadfast House. I was thrilled to finally be working with people and using my skills to help those in need. I was, however, mystified at the pay.
ABCCM is a non-profit that works to help people get out of poverty, yet they paid poverty wages. At $9 an hour part-time I was still going to be living hand-to-mouth. But it would be worth it, I told myself. I would take the job, do my best and find a second job to supplement my income.
I got a few interviews at some other local non-profits but was always beat out by that one person with “way more experience” than I had. I was becoming discouraged. I did finally land another part-time job at the mall, working retail, but another $8.50 position in addition to my $9 position was not enough to make it. Shortly after, my hours at the mall were cut and I ended up laid off from ABCCM.
I took various odd jobs over the years, whatever I could find, to supplement my meager income. I cleaned houses, painted mailboxes, ran errands, packed ornaments, worked in a warehouse. If it paid I would take it. But these jobs would get harder to find as the thermometer dropped. In winters, getting anything was like pulling teeth.
After a car accident in 2013 my body was having a hard time doing anything laborious. I couldn’t stand for long periods of time without being in utter agony. I decided to apply for TANF to see if they would bring me some financial relief, but that didn’t turn out to be feasible. No help was available other than food stamps and Medicaid, both of which I was incredibly grateful for.
But I didn’t want to be dependent, I wanted my life back. I wanted to make enough to pay my bills without help. I wanted to be able to afford to get my kids the things they needed, I wanted to be able to do occasional nice things for myself and not be constantly in debt, robbing Peter to pay Paul. I had enough; it was time to leave Asheville.
I wrote this column sitting in the lobby at a local hotel. My son’s school has been so amazing to help us as we ended up displaced (homeless) yet again. The same night I started this column, we left the area on a train bound for Maryland. I had an interview lined up already and given that the minimum wage there is $10 an hour I might actually make a living.
I am saddened to leave Asheville. I have many friends here and taking my son out of his fantastic school literally breaks my heart. But we all know that help runs out. How many times can I keep facing homelessness? How often can I go without? The stress has just about killed me. I’ve lost my car and my home. My health has suffered.
It has to stop. I can’t say I didn’t try Asheville, but you damn near killed me. I was scared to death to leave, but I was more frightened to stay. I will miss this city. I will miss the wonderful people that I have met, my friends, the great weather, the beauty of the mountains and the eclectic atmosphere, but in the end, you might just be a “nice place to visit.”
In my time in Asheville, not a single job paid me anywhere near a living wage. Thirteen days after I left I got a job offer, working in the social work field, making a living wage.
I want people in Asheville to know that if they’re struggling it’s not their fault.
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A graduate of A-B Tech, Thea Bryan lived and worked in Asheville from 2008 to 2015. She now lives in Maryland.
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