Meet Lola Torres | WLC Team Member

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lola Torres and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lola, how do you think about risk?
I see risk as a tool. It’s an inescapable aspect of life that can be imperative to long-term success but also survival. Worldly Love Company serves as somewhat of a safety blanket for marginalized people looking to integrate themselves in a community that embodies revolutionary customs in order to change the current social culture. Part of that safety comes from the absorption of risk from the hands of the public and private or government entities, Worldly Love Co. centers strict transparency guidelines and works to limit personal risk for any and all community members in that way. It important to me that risk always be considered especially in conversations of community organizing and mutual aid, all of the WLC team works to protect each other’s safety. The thing about risk is that most people want to fight it, they think there is no safety in risk but I disagree. As someone who grew up in a lot of risky situations and environments I know that there can also be love and with enough time you learn to cultivate your own safety regardless of the risk. As it stands on its own, risk isn’t inherently something to shy away from but in fact an instrument for change that we should all be building our relationship with. A big part of the social culture that WLC aims to shift is our [people’s] tendency to lean into shame. My hope with Worldly Love is that it can absorb as much risk needed for enough people to step out of their shame and enable a larger conversation about the social, political, and economic dynamics and institutes that design an environment where shame is the default.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The biggest thing that sets Worldly Love apart is our core structure. We currently operate as a mostly private donation based community organization that fluctuates in presence due to demand and fund acquisitions. Because our main focus is on cultural impact we try our best to focus on providing aid and resources to our community rather than taking from it, in cases where we do crowd source it is only for direct mutual aid. We first started on our mission back in 2020 as a small collective that aimed to educate people on diverse topics like police brutality, local voting, wellness, and everything in between. I’m proud to say we have grown and now host a variety of different mutual aid events. It hasn’t come easy though, I’ve had to do a lot of personal work to detach from my expectations and personal desires. In the beginning I would get easily discouraged when an event didn’t have the turn out I expected or by events that had aspects that didn’t quite meet my standards but with patience and determination I was able to come to a place of gratitude. I learned to appreciate the stage our organization was in and also how to appreciate more deeply the small community we had found. I would like the world to know that anyone can be a part of Worldly Love Co., you don’t have to live in a certain area, speak a certain language, or look a certain way. Anyone with an honest and open mind can find a place for themselves with WLC.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the best things to do in LA is to visit one of the many flea markets, my favorite in particular is called Por Vida Los Angeles and they host events every couple or months. If I can’t catch one of them in time the Santa Fe Swap Meet is a great alternative with just as much culture, drinks, and treats. Another activity in LA that I would recommend is a nature hike, commonly overlooked due to the perceived limited options. I love going to the green parts of town on a sunny weekend and finding new hiking routes to explore, a popular one that lots of people probably already know is Runyon Canyon. Los Angeles is such a beautiful and diverse place especially for vegan foodies like myself. One of my favorite places to visit in LA is called Vegan Hooligans, they have a location in the heart of LA and a food truck as well. Mr. Charlie’s is another favorite of mine, I love to show people that vegan alternatives don’t always have to compromise flavor.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A huge inspiration of mine is Shirley Raines the founder of Beauty to the Streetz. I don’t know her personally but the moment I found her content a couple years back I fell in love with her mission and candidness. I admire her dedication to the houseless community in Skid Row but also her bold personality and relentless pursuit for new resources to provide the community. I first came across her content when she was providing haircuts and have seen her expand to snacks, drinks, safety supplies, and now even warm home cooked meals via food truck. Whenever I feel discouraged in my own mission with WLC, I take a look at what she has done and have faith.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldlyloveco/

Image Credits
Worldly Love Company
Teazer Network