Meet Asher Kondziela

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Asher Kondziela. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Asher below.

Asher, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?

I believe my empathy comes from personal experience. I was an awkward kid growing up with an undiagnosed learning disability. I am a queer, polyamorous human that has not always had kind receptions to my identities. My human experience and the people I have been fortunate enough to call friends and acquaintances in life have taught me a great deal about the complexities of peoples stories. Just because I do not experience something does not mean that it does not happen to others. Prism Moves was born from my own experiences and the experiences of those around me, and recognizing that my ability to pass safely through the fitness industry is not a reality for everyone.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Prism Moves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit gym working to fill gaps in the fitness industry. Women, BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals, larger bodied humans and those that want to move their bodies for joy instead of weight loss rarely have access to fitness spaces that accommodate them and make them feel welcome. Prism Moves, was created to become such a fitness space.
Being a nonprofit organization allows Prism to offer free and sliding scale memberships, offer youth programs and collaborate with other nonprofits that serve similar communities. Prism Moves believes that fitness is for everyone and fosters inclusivity by constantly educating and committing to reducing racism, sexism, body shaming and toxic fitness industry norms.
Prism recently received a grant to expand our youth program, is building a mobile fitness van program and hopes to expand to multiple locations in the future.
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Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

One quality is the ability to take risks. I have never been scared of taking risks, even if the potential outcome is scary. I understand risks can be difficult for many reasons, including financial support, community support and more, so not every risk needs to be large. If there is something you have always wanted to do, but have constantly told yourself you can’t, what’s a small step you can take to making that thing happen?

I was fortunate to have an extensive background in the fitness industry before starting my own gym. That knowledge made the risk of opening my own gym a little less scary, and granted me the ability to pick and choose what I wanted to take from my past experiences and what I wanted to change.

What I did not have was nonprofit knowledge, but I have continually utilized the information that is already available. There are plenty of local, state and national nonprofit groups you can join that hold seminars and trainings. There are classes you can take at community colleges. Being curious, adaptable and resilient have made it possible for me to fill in my knowledge gaps.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The number one obstacle Prism is currently facing is funding. As a nonprofit, we want to keep our services affordable and accessible. I believe there is a misconception that just because nonprofits do not pay taxes they have an abundance of extra cash. This is unfortunately not true. Nonprofits feel the same pressures of capitalism that business corporations do, yet are expected to run on smaller budgets, leading to high rates of turnover and burnout. Grant writing is one way we obtain funding, but donations and collaborations are highly welcomed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://prismmoves.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prismmoves/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prismmoves/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prismmoves
• Other: https://prismmoves.beehiiv.com/

Image Credits

Jennifer Alyse
L Requena-Stirling