The UPLift with Tzedek: Real Talk for Real Change
Welcome to The UPlift - Real Talk for Real Change! We're here to build authentic community relationships and help fuel social transformation in Asheville, NC, believing collective liberation is not only possible but probable as we share, listen, and learn together.
The Tzedek Social Justice Fund is a social justice philanthropy fund that redistributes money, resources, and power to support systems change and community healing in Asheville, North Carolina. Through adaptive, trust-based philanthropy, we resist oppressive systems and work to transform our collective home into a place where everyone flourishes. We fund mission-aligned work centering LGBTQ Justice, Racial Justice, and/or Dismantling Antisemitism; this means we give money to organizations and individuals invested in creating a more fair, equitable, and flourishing society.
We dream of a thriving Asheville where everyone's needs are abundantly met - where everyone is safe, respected, and celebrated. We believe that a community rooted in joy and love is possible - that is, if we can connect and build our shared vision on the value that liberation is for all.
Sound good to you? We hope so!
Let's be real. Let's go deep. Let's get liberated.
The UPLift with Tzedek: Real Talk for Real Change
Live from the Overflow: A Liberation Journey
What if the real power of community impact lies in the little, everyday connections—those ripple effects we can’t always see?
This month, two brilliant minds get candid in reimagining community transformation, starting with a radical proposition: choose yourself first. The challenge? If we really seek to make a lasting impact in our backyards, we must begin from within before it ever gets to the boardroom or the block.
About Amieris:
Dr. Amieris Lavender, affectionately known as Dr. L, is a policy scholar, writer, and relentless community-builder rooted on the power of connection. She is the founder and managing partner of LoveJoyLiberation Community Relations Firm, where their mission is to spread love with joy for liberation. Her passion sits at the intersection of joy, liberation, and collective healing; through her firm, she works to ensure social evolution isn’t just possible but inevitable by bringing people together in meaningful ways, both big and small. Dr. L practices yoga, is a gardener and writer, and loves hosting parties for her friends.
About Niconda:
Asheville native Niconda Garcia is a lifelong advocate for equity who’s spent more than 25 years shaping change in healthcare, criminal justice, philanthropy, and grassroots organizing throughout Asheville. A self-identified barrier-breaker and champion for everyday leaders, Niconda’s approach is grounded in making sure everyone—not just the usual suspects—gets a seat at the table (and knows they belong there). As the owner of the consulting firm Change the Rubric, Niconda partners with individuals, educators, funders, and organizations to drive social transformation. Her work centers on individual purpose and self-concept as catalysts for growth, supporting people and institutions in becoming their best selves while advancing social change. Niconda is a mother, actor, roller-skater, consultant, and lifelong advocate for social justice.
Together, these powerhouses get honest about burnout, abundance mindsets, and what it means to walk in liberation instead of waiting for permission. If you’re ready for straight-up practical wisdom on how healing, visibility, and radical self-care build stronger selves and communities, this episode’s for you.
🎧 Ready to rethink how you approach community impact? Listen now and get curious about what becomes possible when you prioritize self-liberation.
We'll see you same time, same place next month. Until then, peace.
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