Community Cultivators
Events that Move Community beyond the status Quo
What: curated conversations (typically with industry leader panelists and small groups)
Why: Designed to change the context of our community conversations, provoke those who are present to serve as leaders in their every day interactions, and offer use-able tools to address specific community issues.
How: Curated Moderation + Community Servant-Leader Panelists + Engaged and Invested Panelists
These events equalize the perspectives of both panelists and participants---fostering a non-hierarchical conversational atmosphere.
Our aim is that all those present walk away with more social insight and a willingness to promote social capital in their everyday lives.
SUMMER 2025
“Becoming New Earth” is an opportunity to collaborate as a community and center our attention on people and initiatives that are creating new social dynamics.
Asheville, North Carolina
Cultivators usually center around curated conversations. Our formula for success is:
Mindfully collaborating with local industry leaders to curate an intentional panel discussion that fuels our civic awareness.
Incorporating small group discussions to foster deeper engagement.
Presenting provocative facts and reflection questions to stimulate critical thinking and personal personal insights and group dialogue.
Ensuring an approachable format that facilitates open communication between panelists and participants.
These events equalize the perspectives of both panelists and participants---fostering a non-hierarchical approachable atmosphere.
Our goal is that people who joins us emerge with deeper social insights and a strong commitment to fostering social capital in their daily lives.
Past Cultivator Events
SPRING 2025 Community Cultivator
Using Connection and Civility to Reduce Polarizing Political Discourse
In early June of 2025, we held a community conversation on applying civility as a form of activism. We explored how to shift our community norms of “us vs. them " and embrace ideological diversity for continued dialogue and movement toward opportunity. This conversation provided diverse insights on how to make that shift and maintain a human perspective.
“How did we get so divided?”
JOE HAMILTON OFFERS INSIGHT INTO THE CONTEXT OF HOW OUR IDEAS GET SHAPED.
FALL 2024 Community Cultivator
Centering the human in our hospitality industry
In November of 2024, we gathered an impressive panel and moderator together with a vibrantly diverse audience at Grassroots Kava House.
Moderator: The creator of beauty and mastermind Natalia Levey of HI Hospitality Group
Our selected Panelists represented diverse aspects of the hospitality industry, and also had direct responsibility over staff: Heart-focused Caitlyn Smith of Herban Flow, Master-mind Lokesh Vale of Twisted Indian, “Gravy” Suits of Grassroots Kava House.
Our community nominated Panelist: Andy O’Malley of Brick Street Farms.
Together, we fostered more collaborative and informed awareness regarding the people who serve in our local Hospitality Industry. We busted myths, we explained laws and the origins of certain social norms and we raised respect for those to choose to care for our well-being and community pleasure.
Our aim was to educate and learn from one another, to consider our personal impact on the humans within this system and to raise our conscious choice making in how to honor and support their valuable contribution.
