#0065: Doniece Sandoval on transforming how we see and engage our unhoused neighbors, designing radical hospitality™ + the power of a shower

The Lava Mae goal: to deliver hygiene and to reconnect people experiencing houselessness with their dignity.

Doniece began Lava Mae after learning there were 16 shower stalls and about as many toilets for San Francisco's 7,500 houseless men, women, and children. Think about that math. It just does not work out. In this episode, she talks about how her idea became reality in such wonderful detail. In the five years since launching Lava Mae, 14,000 Californians have been served. Lava Mae is expanding by sharing an open source toolkit to respond to the more than 2,000 requests for help from communities as far away as Zimbabwe and as close as New York. In that same period of time, she has won countless awards and been recognized by CNN, Toyota and other organizations. Doniece, however, is most proud of the honor bestowed upon her by her 12-year-old daughter who calls her a homeless superhero. You know what? Her daughter is so right.

In this episode, we discussed what Radical Hospitality™ is and transforming how communities see our unhoused neighbors. Hygiene is important for everyone, not only for physical health, but for self-worth and self-confidence. Doniece saw firsthand how a shower can change a person, their view of the world, and how the world views them. She also eloquently shared her experience of seeing how bureaucracy and innovation can play nice in the sandbox.

Doniece helps us see ways to navigate interactions with our houseless, sometimes invisible, neighbors, people who need to be and should be seen. She reminds us that being homeless is a set of circumstances, not the identity of a person. 

Selected link love + resources from the episode

Connect with Doniece Sandoval on social media: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | InstagramStart your own mobile hygiene service with this open-source tool kit: https://buildit.lavamae.org/Lava Mae Service Areas: San Francisco | Oakland | Los AngelesThe 3 Pillars of Lava Mae: Mobile Hygiene, Pop-up Care Villages and ReplicationBrett Terpeluk, architectKohler (Bathroom products company)Brené Brown  | Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand AloneKarim Rashid (designer)Hygiene kitsSalesforce CRMBurning Man FestivalAimee Gardner of O+ FestivalResearch on how close people are to being homeless. (75% of Americans are $400 away?)Draper Richards KaplanSarah Blondin, Sarah Blondin is the founder, writer, videographer and podcast host for Live AwakeWorkaholics AnonymousSharon Rowe of EcoBagsKickass Theme Music: “Things Are Getting Better” Written by Rishi Dhir. Performed by The High Dials.Stay in the loop about future Le vital corps Salon episodes or with Kara: Twitter | Instagram | The List (sent monthly-ish including helpful health + lifestyle information)

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