Meet Deana Lytle

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deana Lytle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deana, how do you think about risk?
I never used to take risks—I played it safe, sticking to the traditional path.

But after a divorce and a lot of soul-searching, I realized something: you can’t always play it safe. If you want something, you have to go after it. And if it doesn’t work out? At least you tried. So fail, fail again, and keep going.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work is rooted in community, healing, and creativity. As the Swannanoa Ambassador with LEAF Global Arts, I’ve found myself at the center of rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Helene—but it didn’t start with a title. It started with showing up.

In the early days of recovery, I found the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance (SGA), a community-led space where people shared and accessed resources. It became a vital hub for information, connection, and mutual support—especially when everything felt uncertain. From there, I started creating moments of joy wherever I could: organizing pop-up events like a street festival, a winter gathering with free hot meals and essentials, and Love Fest—a simple day of sweet treats, pizza, and photo booth fun, just to remind people what it feels like to smile.

Out of this work came something close to my heart: Therapeutic Play Groups hosted by Verner for children ages 0–8 who experienced trauma from the storm. My son was deeply affected—after fleeing our home, we had to flee again from what we thought was a safe place. These groups have been essential in his healing, and I continue to advocate fiercely for their funding and growth. Too often, children—especially those under five—are overlooked in disaster recovery. I won’t let that happen here.

Then came the Swannanoa Farmers Market. I started it to help vendors, many of whom lost their homes or jobs, begin earning again. But it quickly became more than that. With no grocery store or post office, we lost our third spaces—places to bump into neighbors, share stories, and feel like we belong. The market is helping to fill that gap. It’s a space to gather, to reconnect, and to grow something lasting. My dream is for it to stand proudly beside other longstanding markets in our region.

This work, along with my role on the interim board of the Swannanoa Resilience Coordination Hub (SRCH), is about more than just recovery—it’s about building systems of care. SRCH exists to support effective, efficient, and equitable long-term recovery for the Swannanoa Valley. That includes creating shared spaces for collaboration, coordination, and community—not just now, but for generations to come.

Swannanoa is home. I’m a single mom and a fifth-generation native. I lost my vintage business in the storm. I’m helping to rebuild my parents’ home. And I’m raising my child in the very place I was raised. My love for this community isn’t performative—it’s radical, unconditional, and deeply personal. I don’t want people to come here to see what was lost. I want them to witness what rose from it. Through resilience, collective action, and a shared vision, we are rebuilding Swannanoa—not just as a place, but as a thriving, connected community.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit, I’d be excited to show them not just the beauty of Swannanoa, but the resilience and heart of the people who are still rebuilding here. Many of my favorite places were lost in the storm, but what’s emerging from that loss is something just as meaningful—maybe even more so.

We’d start at Swannanoa Terra Nova, a community space that captures the spirit of what’s possible here. It’s a place to connect, unwind, and enjoy food and drinks from Root Down, the beloved food truck that lost its original home during the storm and now operates inside Terra Nova—a beautiful example of full-circle resilience.

If it happens to be a market weekend, I’d take them to the Swannanoa Farmers Market, which I help organize. It’s a perfect Saturday morning: local vendors, live music, and neighbors coming together to support one another. After that, we’d head over to The Grange in Black Mountain for burgers and a chill atmosphere, with my kiddo playing in the sand pit while we unwind.

A day trip to Lake Julia would give us a moment of quiet, one of the few places that still feels untouched. And somewhere in the week, we’d grab a slice at Good Company, a newer pizza spot that’s already earned a place in the hearts of locals.

The truth is, I spend most of my time volunteering, organizing, and helping to rebuild my parents’ home. I don’t get out much these days—but when I do, it’s all about connection, comfort, and celebrating this place I love. The people here—the ones who’ve stayed, rebuilt, and shown up for one another—are what make Swannanoa truly worth visiting.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shoutout to the Swannanoa community—your love and resilience have been the foundation of everything I do. Special thanks to the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance for providing a lifeline during the early recovery days, and to my family, especially my parents, who lost their home but continue to show up for me and the community at every turn. Lastly, a shoutout to my son, whose strength through his trauma keeps me pushing for healing and change. Thank you to everyone who’s supported this journey—it takes a village, and I’m so grateful for mine.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilrayzofsunshine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deana.lytle97

Other: Swannanoa Farmers Market
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574637454371
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/swannanoafarmersmarket

Community Resource Page – We Are Swannanoa
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567519944720

Image Credits
Jennifer Pickering
WLOS
Mike Belleme