The Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood is a historically African-American community, with origins dating back to the 1700s. By the late nineteenth century, the Rogers-Eubanks neighborhood was composed of black-owned family farms and sawmills stretching from Homestead and Eubanks Roads to the north of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, NC. In 1972, despite opposition from the community, the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County chose Eubanks road as a landfill site. Promises were made to the community to offset the inconvenience of having a landfill in their area, however some of those promises remain unfulfilled today. In the 1980’s the town and county chose to expand the landfill, again in spite of community protest. As a result of the landfill, well water became dangerous and the community had to deal with rodents and illegal dumping. The community organized to demand action from the town and Orange County. Through the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s the community fought to have water and sewer lines brought to the community. In 2007 this socially cohesive and culturally rich community founded a 501-3C organization called Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA).
Today RENA is an environmental justice and social justice organization that provides many services to the community. Education, health, and wellness resources are provided to youth through afterschool care and activities. Adults in the community have access to workshops to help them build connections and achieve personal growth. Food insecurity is addressed through a food pantry and a monthly food distribution program. RENA is an important focal point for this community. The programs they provide serve and unify the community as well as help map the future for further development and diversity.
The Advocate and the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood
The Rogers-Eubanks community sits on the edge of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. This historic African American community, is literally the Episcopal Church of the Advocate’s neighbor. ?The Advocate began working alongside the Rogers Road community almost from the Advocate’s inception. It started with a Habitat build project organized by Rev. Brooks Graebner, bringing together Episcopal churches and AME churches. Our relationship further developed as our founding vicar, Rev. Lisa Fischbeck, attended meetings about plans for developing the Greene Tract, land adjacent to both the Advocate and the Rogers Road neighborhood–with the goal of including affordable housing.
In 2010/2011, as members of Orange County Justice United, the Advocate and RENA participated in the effort to secure closure of the Orange County Eubanks Rd landfill. (The lengthy presence of the landfill in the Rogers-Eubanks neighborhood is an example of environmental racism.) The landfill was officially closed in 2013.
In 2021 Elizabeth Young, member of the Advocate and Alice Graham Grant, then curate at the Advocate, became involved with the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association’s (RENA) food pantry and food distribution programs. During the pandemic, Elizabeth also helped with promotion of vaccine clinics at the Rogers Road Community Center.
Today, the Advocate remains engaged with the Rogers Road community by collecting food for the pantry and by broader participation in the monthly food distribution program. We share the fishing at our pond, and partner financially with RENA through the Advocate tithe. Members of the Advocate serve on the Greene Tract Community Engagement working group, which will bring affordable housing to the area as part of a mixed use housing development. Several members of the Advocate also serve as part of the planning team for an annual RENA-sponsored community building event called Unity in the Community.