We are so inspired by the businesses in our community because of how many of them are committed to helping to make the world better than it is today. Check out some great businesses below and how they are helping others.

Lisa Tahir | Psychotherapist, Podcaster, Inventor, Artist & Author

I am passionately committed to working with people to heal through all of the senses of the body by utilizing: intuition, therapy, energy healing, meditation, Reiki healing, crystal healing, nutrition, sound frequencies, yoga, exercise, podcasting, writing, teaching, and speaking on topics related to psychoastrology®️,spirituality, emotional health, mindset, and mental well-being. I incorporate these various modalities and approaches on an individual by individual basis. Everyone sees life through their own eyes, and I am able to connect with the people I serve by seeing through their eyes and thereby tailoring our work together so that they are best served. Read more>>

Camille Rustia, Marly Kluge & Chrislynn VanSkiver | Founders

When we started UkayLA, we were inspired to create beautiful, quality clothing that doesn’t harm the Earth the way fast fashion does. Mass produced clothes inevitably create heaps of textile waste, and often times that waste is made of synthetic materials that don’t decompose. North America alone sends over 10 million tons of clothing to the landfill every year, 95% of which could be reused or recycled. It has been our mission to reduce this textile waste one garment at a time by using discarded fabrics in our designs. We also curate vintage clothing and make the necessary repairs to prolong their lifespan. We strive to create a line of clothing that helps consumers change the way they think about shopping. When clothes are cheap and poorly made, it is easy to think of them as disposable. Read more>>

Tom DeCaigny | Creativity Connector & Arts Education Champion

The California Alliance for Arts Education fights to ensure all young people receive the high-quality arts education they need and deserve. As school districts across the state of California grapple with tough budget and reopening decisions, our statewide Arts Now Campaign provides local advocates, parents and educators with the critical tools and support they need to keep creativity in our schools. We help make sure the arts continue to inspire a better future. Multiple studies show arts education not only decreases students’ feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation, but also positively impacts all-around academic performance. Students who receive a quality arts education are: ● 5 times more likely to stay in school; ● 3 times more likely to get a bachelor’s degree; and ● 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. Read more>>

Ima Carnelus | Entrepreneur

I gave birth to my son prematurely at 22 1/2 weeks pregnant and I had to shift in ways that I wasn’t expecting but knew was necessary for not only his health and well being- but for our new Family dynamic as well. My life was forever changed as I watched my son fight through the NICU. We were seeing miracles take place right before our eyes and it inspired me. I wanted a way to express myself creatively while also honoring all of the little miracles around the world. At the time there weren’t many apparel companies creating inspirational pieces that truly spoke to me, so I decided to create it! Thus Halos & Miracles was born. My goal was to create something that would empower others families to make a statement and show the world that miracles do exist! Read more>>

Jill Morley | Writer & Filmmaker

Shining a light on underrepresented communities and subcultures humanizes the people in them. Exposing the truth in a compelling, unexpected way is my goal. When you’re writing or developing a film, you start completely on your own. It’s a little seed in your brain that, if you work hard and are lucky, grows into climbing ivy. This is why I like to have a positive and encouraging message. Often the means to doing this is being vulnerable about my experiences and showing my own path of growth. My documentary film, “Fight Like a Girl” was very difficult to make on a lot of levels. Sometimes, I wanted to stop, save my money and turn my energy to something that would be less stressful and easier. Read more>>

Sr Puig | Photographer

I’m not a doctor but I’m an artist. Art is very much needed, now more than ever. We have an obligation as artists: to warn and inspire the world, and bring hope in times of war. There are two types of people, who will take advantage of people and who will help people. During the quarantine I was able to inspire the world, reinventing photography, and bringing it as an option to hundreds of creatives around the world. I lead a movement of hope and I inspired the world of creatives. I bring hope with honest artwork and now we can print proof of our triumph over fear: Imagination. I was the first in the world to offer virtual photoshoots to my community and to the world. The movement went viral. I only took credit for helping others like me, in need of creation. Read more>>

Traci Adams | Mural Artist & Illustrator

What I have noticed in the 25 years that I have been in business is the impact that my mural art has on many levels, beginning with family/household and going all the way up to public art that is viewed by millions of people daily. The most interesting part is that the impact at each level is equally as important as the next. For example, when a client hires me to design and paint a mural in their first baby nursery, they are at an exciting positive shift in their lives, starting a family and evolving to a new level of their life journey. The mural I create not only sets the tone for this new family and this new little baby, these new parents; but it becomes a source of happiness, identity, imagination, inspiration for the child as he/she grows up in this room with my art on the walls. Read more>> 

Jon Brandi | Wellness Coach & Certified Trainer

We love people! We believe that helping our community is through one person at a time to create lasting change. We help people make positive changes in their health and wellbeing through fitness, nutrition and lifestyle intervention. We thrive on changing lives by creating a ripple effect from one person influencing many. Some examples of this are: -creating a supportive community vibe in our small group program where members interact and encourage one another in their goals and habits. We celebrate wins no matter how small. -coaching our private training members which led to them influencing their families to change to healthier eating habits and increase their activity. Read more>>

Kim Somers Egelsee | Life Coach, Intuitive & Podcast Host

Being a life coach, intuitive, Tedx speaker, author and podcast host, all of what I do has the purpose of raising the collective vibration and shifting consciousness, finding purpose and adding in joy and harmony for those who I coach or do readings for, those who read my books and those who are listeners of my podcast Talk Purpose and Truth. The teachings, lessons and words, guests with authenticity, vulnerability and wisdom and messages I put out; help others to heal, awaken and evolve. Read more>>

Marla Stone | Life Strategist & Professional Organizer

During the time I was a former psychotherapist, I helped 1000’s of people heal from trauma. With my organizing/decluttering business, I-Deal-Lifestyle Inc continues to help people daily, to not only get space organized and companies organized, we help everyone reach an organized inner life, not a mundane life. Helping each individual, family, or business is our goal. We facilitate people to change their language to eliminate impeding language and to increase productivity 10-fold. This idea of improving how one talks to reach goals and dreams has spread through people’s lives and communities. The book I wrote, The Clutter Remedy: A Guide To Getting Organized For Those Who Love Their Stuff, is not only about decluttering space, but more importantly, decluttering strategies that are not working for you any longer. It is about reaching the ultimate and ideal life that you deserve. Read more>>

William Stranger | Furniture Designer and Maker

I started working with wood 33 years ago and it quickly became clear to me that living trees were more important in the world than another table or chair. From that point on I have made sure that my work has as little impact on the environment as possible. Today, with climate change an ever increasing threat to life as we know it, it is more important than ever to preserve the world’s forests as a carbon capturing mechanism and a refuge for biodiversity. To that end, I use as much wood as possible that is salvaged or recycled. My primary source of material is local urban salvage. Trees that are blown over or cut down due to disease or construction are milled on site or at the arborist’s yard. Read more>>

Meg Young | Founder

When I decided to launch Cailini Coastal – an ecommerce shop that offers curated, luxury coastal home décor – I knew I wanted to use it to impact other people in a positive and direct way. I have always been active philanthropically and drawn to organizations that help children and families. Since the business was selling home accents, it made me hyper aware of not only how fortunate those of us are who are able to shop for these little luxuries, but just how many families struggle to have the basic need of a home. In the United States today, one child out of six lives in poverty and families with children make up 35% of the people who experience homelessness. Staggering stats. I chose to partner with Family Promise – a national non-profit that helps low income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence. Read more>>

Emma Hall | Director & Artist

At Love the City Thrift Store we are lucky enough to have powerful impact in the lives of our community, ranging from the awesome encounters in our storefront, where we emphasize an environment that is welcoming and loving, to our monthly and quarterly giving that spreads to all ends of the earth. While our emphasis is on outreach to the homeless and assisting low income families through partnerships with networks such as the Culver Needs team through CCUSD (as well as countless churches or organizations), we also get to participate in being a solution for ending fast fashion and fighting climate change by offering sustainable alternatives through secondhand shopping and recycling. Read more>>