Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliet DeAmicis.
Hi Juliet, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got involved in my community in 2021 for many reasons. Coming out of the pandemic, it felt like everyone around me was struggling silently. Rates of isolation, depression, and suicide were at an all-time high, and I was weighed down by it all. Between global warming, political tension, and economic uncertainty, everything I paid attention to was out of my control. I needed somewhere to put that restless energy so I could stop feeling so powerless.
Around that time, I read Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and his “Circle of Influence” idea stuck with me. You can’t fix the entire world, but you can start with yourself and the people around you. That idea grounded me. If I couldn’t change everything, I could at least try to make my own community a little better.
Which led me to my first community project: Creating a pickleball club from scratch. Even though I had never played before.
I had seen pickleball online and thought it looked fun, social, and like a great way to get physically active. I had just moved to Lemon Grove and asked on Facebook whether any pickleball courts existed here. People chuckled, not in a mean way, but in that “oh honey, you’re new” kind of way. Lemon Grove had been overlooked and underfunded for so long that basic amenities were almost a running joke. But I didn’t know that yet. I just knew I wanted to get out and play.
So with a few new friends, we launched a pickleball club using whatever we had. That meant taping lines onto old, cracked tennis courts behind a school. The nets were torn, the concrete was splitting, and on weekends the campus was mostly empty. But none of that mattered. I knew people just needed somewhere to show up.
And they did! Week after week.
Starting something at the tail end of the pandemic turned out to be perfect timing. People were looking for routine, friendship, and something positive to look forward to. Even with our makeshift setup, the club managed to garner a dedicated crowd of players. We even had important politicians show up and take pictures with us. At this point, I knew we were onto something much bigger than just pickleball.
We needed to take the energy we were cultivating and capitalize on it. This lead me to create Lemon Grove Happenings.
At first, it was supposed to be a simple umbrella account to help promote the sports club. But it quickly became something much bigger. I started sharing local events, highlighting nonprofits, showcasing small businesses, and capturing the everyday happenings of this “little lemon” of a city. Without ads or a budget, the page garnered traction because people were hungry for connection, pride, and visibility. I viewed, and still view my account as a battle cry. We are Lemon Grove and we’re not to be ignored.
At the moment, I’m delighted to see that Lemon Grove Happenings reaches more than 100,000 people a month. It has helped sell out community events, inspire new volunteers, spotlight hidden talent, uplift nonprofits, and I hope, bring a renewed sense of pride to our city. Although we still have many goals to acheive, I’m excited to continue growing this account and expanding the possibilities for our neighborhood in the ways I know how.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the biggest things I underestimated about running an events social media account for my city was that it would turn me into a public advocate. Every day I receive messages from people who have questions, concerns, complaints, or ideas for Lemon Grove, and I often have to triage them. Sometimes that means connecting people with the right resources, sometimes it means validating someone’s experience, and sometimes it means helping them figure out who to talk to next. It is a lot more hands-on than I ever expected.
Another challenge is the responsibility that comes with being seen as a “voice” for my neighborhood, especially since I am not originally from here. I want my account to reflect the city honestly, while also keeping things constructive and positive. That can be a difficult balance when we face real issues like homelessness, aging infrastructure, economic struggles, misinformation, and even online negativity. Managing that balance while staying real and fair was something I definitely underestimated.
Starting a Facebook group was another learning curve. I thought it would be easy to maintain, but moderating conversations in a way that keeps things healthy and aligned with the group’s purpose can sometimes be tough. Being the person who decides what does or doesn’t belong in the group can feel like I am silencing people, even when it is just about sticking to guidelines and keeping the space safe.
And then, there is the algorithm. Social media is expensive, and I make minimum wage. I cannot afford to boost posts or run ads the way larger organizations can, so staying visible and competitive is a constant challenge. Trying to draw attention organically, especially in a world flooded with content, can feel impossible some days. What makes it even more ironic is that my whole goal is actually to get people off their phones and out into the community, not glued to a screen. Figuring out how to make that mission work in the middle of algorithm chaos is a challenge I think about often.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Right now I work as a barista. Coffee shops, especially the one I work at, are true third spaces where people gather, share ideas, and build relationships across backgrounds. I saw it as a strategic way to integrate into my community. Working behind the counter has introduced me to a good swath of the city and allows me to interact with the people of my city on an everyday basis.
Outside of the job title, the way I see myself is as a cultural artist. It is a term I made up, but I view my city as if it were a living material that can be shaped much like a sculpture. My background is in social activism art, the kind of work that challenges the status quo and uses creativity to push conversations forward. I love asking questions like: Can we shift perspectives even with limited resources? Can we create new leaders? Where are the grey areas we can explore? What can we change to make something unique to where we live?
That curiosity is what connects all the projects I work on today. Whether it is starting a sports group to get adults playing again, helping organize neighbors who are turning their yards into mini wildlife refuges, or running a social media account to encourage a local sense of pride, I am always exploring how far creativity, community energy, and a little bit of momentum can go. I look for practical, low-cost, high-impact ways to change how people see their own city. Sometimes all it takes is a roll of painter’s tape, a phone, and the will to think outside the box.
What I am known for is creating momentum. I am always asking, “What can we try today? What can we do with the resources we already have?” That mindset has allowed me to build things that technically should not exist without a whole lot of funding, but somehow do, because of how supportive and powerful the Lemon Grove community is. People are the most valuable resource.
What I am most proud of is that everything I have helped build in Lemon Grove has been done without a budget. No grants, no sponsors, no big marketing dollars. Just creativity, trusted partners, and donations from local organizations and residents.
I believe what sets me apart is not money or formal authority. It is my ability to recognize extraordinary talent and possibilities in people. Everyone has a special sauce, and when someone is finally ready to share their gifts with the world, I aim to be first in line to support them, amplify them, and help them step into their potential. At this point, I even seek it out. I often ask my followers, “Do you want to create something in Lemon Grove? Let me know, because I have the connections, ideas, and reach to help you make it happen.” I genuinely believe the only way to make Lemon Grove an amazing place is for the people who live here to activate through their talents, stories, and strengths with all of us. My role is to notice that spark in someone and help them bring it forward in a way that strengthens the whole community.
What does success mean to you?
Success, for me, is seeing everyday people recognize their own influence and step into it. If I can help even one neighbor feel confident enough to start a project, share their gifts, or take action for the good of our community, that is success in my book.
Pricing:
- FREE
- JUST
- PARTICIPATE
- and follow
- @lemongrove_happenings ;p
Contact Info:
- Website: https://revitalizebroadway.wordpress.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemongrove_happenings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/989033778930256
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietdeamicis/
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/q3r40UZZb7w
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lemongrovehappenings
Image Credits
Juliet DeAmicis
