This statement is intended to correct the record and address potential confusion that has recently been brought to our attention. In February, we received an email from Far Right activist and scourge of West Asheville Sanjit L Patel about the presence of his name on our list of "Lifetime Members." We wish to assure our community that we have never accepted money from Mr. Patel.
As it turns out, Sanjit L Patel (henceforth, "Bad Sanjit", for clarity) has a common name and the individual listed on our Lifetime Members list is unrelated.
This potential confusion is unfortunate, since for the last several years Bad Sanjit has demonstrated an obsessive interest in our bookstore. Frequently posting about members of our collective on social media and creepily photographing individuals in front of our store, Bad Sanjit—who apparently doesn't even live in our neighborhood—has also courted media attention by establishing a phony neighborhood association to attack our co-operative with claims that we are "brainwashing" white children and masterminding a crime wave. Yikes.
We have added a note to the Lifetime Members page to clarify that we have never received support from Bad Sanjit. If you'd like to support our co-operative, a reminder that we have a Community Sustainers Program on Patreon where individuals who are not Bad Sanjit are welcome to contribute.