Crystal Cauley, Hendersonville Black community activist, school board candidate dies

Crystal Cauley, a well-known and much-admired Hendersonville community leader who started the Black Business Network of Western North Carolina, died June 16.

Cauley, 44, was a longtime activist in Henderson County and served on several local boards, including Safelight, a nonprofit that offers services to survivors of violence, abuse and exploitation.

“It is with a heavy heart that we learned last night of the passing of our board member Crystal Cauley. Crystal has been an advocate and friend to many in our community including Safelight,” the nonprofit said in a post June 17.

"My mother was a great woman. She really enjoyed life and admired everything around her, no matter what it was, no matter how big or small it was," Tyrese Cauley, Crystal's son, told the Citizen Times June 18.

His 15-year-old sister, Tiara, found Cauley unresponsive in the bathroom of their home in Henderson County, Tyrese Cauley said. Paramedics from Pardee Hospital arrived and pronounced her dead.

The Henderson County Register of Deeds has not received a death certificate yet that might indicate a cause of death. Tyrese said they're still trying to figure out what happened.

Tyrese Cauley, 24, said his mother was preparing for the last Juneteenth Celebration she was holding June 19, which she was making "really big and impactful" before focusing her efforts on running for a spot on the Henderson County Board of Education this year.

He said he spent "countless hours" talking with Cauley about her new ideas in between all the events she was a part of. Next on Cauley's long list was a July 27 celebration of Union Veteran Alexander "Alex" Maxwell, to give the 40th U.S. Colored Infantry soldier a proper headstone marker.

"I was just so proud of her. I really wanted to be by her side for her Juneteenth Celebration that was coming up tomorrow," Cauley said. "Once she got the ball rolling on something, she just never stopped. No matter what it was, she always kept going and didn't let anything stand in her way."

Earlier this year, Cauley’s efforts were monumental to Hendersonville’s first proclamation by Mayor Barbara Volk that the city celebrate Black History Month throughout February, according to previous reporting from the Times-News.

More: Celebrating Black History Month: Activist Cauley inspires change in the county

More: Black History Collective of Henderson County to put on Juneteenth events

Cauley founded the Black History Collective of Henderson County with the first Black art exhibition in Hendersonville on March 24, 2019. The mayor’s proclamation is just one of many milestones the collective reached since then, she previously said.

"Others are the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Kwanzaa proclamation by the city and also the Juneteenth proclamation," she said.

In 2023, Cauley earned a “Radical Rest” grant from the Waymakers Collective, an organization that supports Appalachian art and culture.

She was a Hendersonville native, graduating from Hendersonville High School in 1998. Two of her favorite passions were creative writing and books, which comes from her mother, she previously said.

More: Cauley receives Radical Rest grant to support community work

“Her tireless efforts to promote equality and preserve African American history have left an indelible mark on our hearts,” a GoFundMe created to help with Cauley’s funeral costs said.

“Crystal was a beacon of light, known for her passionate spirit and unwavering dedication to social justice. She touched countless lives with her creative endeavors and community projects. Her legacy of love, resilience, and cultural pride will continue to inspire us all.”

Cauley’s father, Gerald Cauley, was in a single-vehicle accident on June 14 on Brevard Road and was transferred to Pardee Hospital, according to Bobby Trotter with Laurel Park Police Department, which responded to the accident.

Tyrese Cauley said his grandfather had heart surgery June 18 that was "very successful."

Cauley came to the scene, Trotter said, but was not involved in the accident.

"Whenever I would ask her about life advice ... she would always say, 'just put God first and make sure this is something that you truly want to do, then don't have any second thoughts," Tyrese Cauley said of his mother.

This story will be updated.

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Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Crystal Cauley Hendersonville Black community activist dies