98: LaRayia Gaston, Activist & Founder Of Lunch On Me, On Leading With Love

The mindbodygreen Podcast

An activist, artist, and founder of the Los Angeles–based organization Lunch on Me (LOM), LaRayia Gaston has made it her life's mission to help those who are less fortunate.

It all began when LaRayia started giving food to the homeless anytime she saw someone in need. Fast-forward to today and LOM serves organic food to people on Skid Row six times a week, reaching 10,000 mouths a month.

She joined us at revitalize in 2018 to deliver a moving talk about the issues of homelessness and brought to the stage Kevin Call, a previously homeless man who credits LOM with helping get him off the streets saying, "You loved me when I didn't love myself."

We are so excited to have her back, this time on the mbg podcast, to talk about the most significant issues she sees in homelessness, how a holistic approach to wellness can create sustainable change for marginalized groups, and the future of LOM.

In this episode you'll hear all about:LaRayia's experience spending 43 days on Skid RowThe biggest misconceptions about the homeless and how you can break down barriers and be part of the solutionThe one thing that keeps her inspired every single dayFor LaRayia, LOM is about "creating a space for people to heal themselves and feel empowered"—and that she does. We hope her words inspire some sort of shift in your perspective and encourage you to always "love without reason."

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