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The Tzedek Social Justice Fund (Tzedek) is excited to announce that Paula Swepson Avery and Al Murray are the winners of the 2025 Tzedek Brilliance Awards.
The Tzedek Brilliance Awards are a one-time, no-strings-attached grant of $50,000 honoring Asheville leaders who have engaged in impactful, intersectional efforts to further racial justice, promote LGBTQ equality, and dismantle antisemitism. Unlike the majority of Tzedek’s grantmaking, which funds organizational work, the Brilliance Awards are designed to cultivate the well-being of individual brilliant community leaders by recognizing and rewarding their past contributions to making Asheville a place where everyone can thrive.
Paula Swepson Avery received the Ella Baker Brilliance Award, which honors a Black community leader in Asheville who has empowered and organized others to address systemic oppression.
Al Murray received the Pauli Murray Brilliance Award, which honors a community leader who, like Pauli Murray, has been involved in a wide variety of social justice efforts and who leads with the wisdom that all struggles for liberation are connected.
Inspired by transformative grantmaking models that shift power dynamics between funders and grantees, the Tzedek Brilliance Awards invest in innovative individuals driving meaningful social transformation in our region.
When I think of brilliance, I think of persistence, purpose, and people like Paula and Al,” said Libby Kyles, Tzedek Executive Director. “Their brilliance isn’t about spotlight; it’s about spark. They ignite possibility in others. At Tzedek, we believe redistributing power starts by recognizing the brilliance already thriving in our communities. Paula and Al embody that truth. Their work shows how deep local leadership and intersectional vision can reshape systems, nurture healing, and inspire collective action.
About the Awardees
Paula Swepson Avery
Paula Swepson Avery is the Executive Director and Founder of West Marion, Inc., the first and only Black-led nonprofit in McDowell County. A visionary and equity-driven leader, Paula has transformed the organization into a catalyst for community empowerment and systems change.
With deep expertise in community mobilization, equitable development, project management, and resource generation, she has guided West Marion, Inc. from $10,000 in seed funding in 2016 to an annual operating budget of $100,000 in 2017 to an annual operating budget of $1.2 million in 2024. Under her leadership, the organization has cultivated strong partnerships with community members, funders, and institutional stakeholders, earning widespread respect for its integrity and measurable impact. Paula’s unwavering commitment to equity has inspired lasting change, advancing opportunities for historically marginalized residents and creating pathways for shared prosperity across McDowell County.
A passionate advocate for youth empowerment, Paula believes in nurturing the leadership potential of young people, helping them discover their strengths and envision new possibilities for their futures. Known for her authenticity, transparency, and trusted leadership, Paula also lends her expertise through service on several boards, including Mountain BizWorks, Impact Health, the McDowell Technical Community College Foundation, and the Foundation for Health and Leadership Institute.
I’m truly honored to receive the Brilliance Award,” shared Swepson Avery. “This recognition reminds me that real change happens when we lead with heart, courage, and community. The light we create together is what makes the work meaningful. I share this honor with everyone who continues to build equity, hope, and opportunity.
Al Murray
Al Murray is a white, nonbinary parent, storyteller, and collaborator. Their commitment to collective liberation is deeply informed by their rural Southern roots and the conviction that empathy and connection—even in disagreement—are what allow us to imagine and build shared futures.
Since moving to Asheville in 2012, Al has been a bridge-builder across sectors—supporting youth, advancing LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and helping institutions reimagine how they share power and resources. They began their local work as Youth Programs Manager at Youth OUTright, later serving as Director of Relationships & Special Projects at the Campaign for Southern Equality. In 2023, they co-founded a national project that supported equity and inclusion in camps and youth-serving organizations across the U.S. and Canada. They currently serve as Development & Communications Manager at WNC Health Network.
Guided by four essentials—tell the truth, make the right connections, be in right relationship to power, and take care—Al approaches collaboration and their community with empathy, intersectionality, action, and hope. They believe joy is not only a resource, but a reason, a tactic, and a goal.
I’m honored and so humbled to receive the Pauli Murray Brilliance Award from Tzedek,” stated Murray. “It has been a gift to support and be supported by my community. I’m sharing this honor with the communities of people I’ve been so lucky to create with, to struggle and to celebrate with—who make joy, honesty, and bravery strategies for change.
About the Grantmaking Process
A total of 17 nominations were submitted for the Ella Baker Award and 14 for the Pauli Murray Award. After in-depth discussion and careful consideration, Brilliance Award recipients were selected by a nine-person committee of Tzedek staff, board members, and past Brilliance Award honorees.
While the Brilliance Awards spotlight two exceptional social change catalysts, we recognize the depth of talent, dedication, and passion within our Asheville communities. Our financial resources may be finite, but our gratitude and admiration are boundless. Every individual who steps up to make a difference is invaluable, and this is undoubtedly true for all the nominees who shared their stories and impacts with us. Thanks to all who participated in this process.
Learn more about Tzedek’s approach to social justice philanthropy here: https://tzedeksocialjusticefund.org/social-justice-philanthropy/