In the midst of the busy holiday season, Lime, the electric scooter company, and Lit Soul Candles came together to host a relaxing candle making workshop at Wanderlust Hollywood. The event aligns with Lime’s new “Urban Optimist” campaign which highlights local leaders who focus on building up and connecting communities. This night did just that, and more!
Upon entering the event, we were instantly embraced by the intimate outdoor venue. The twinkling string lights, glowing fire heaters and Lit Soul Candles lit up the space, inspiring a warm ambiance for gathering. What was even warmer were the other guests that made up such a diverse and amiable crowd. The hors d’oeuvres served consisted of delicious options like avocado toast and a skirt steak with tapenade toast. Light bites, good drinks and engaging conversations created a great start to the night.
The candle making workshop was led by none other than the founder of Lit Soul Candles herself, Monica Rae. Through her passion for giving back and embracing meditation and mindfulness, she and her company have been a light in the Los Angeles community. The containers used for Lit Soul Candles are actually upcycled soup cans. Each and every candle helps provide meals to the homeless on Skid Row. Additionally, each of these candles are infused with crystals to inspire mindfulness and promote spiritual well-being. After learning that, we could not wait to make our own candles!
The Candle Making Process
First, we all grabbed a can, pasted our wick to the bottom and selected a healing crystal to sit at the bottom of our candles.
Next, we got the chance to smell all the essential oils and selected two scents for our candles. Our final decision was lavender and sage, which created an invigorating scent combo!
Lastly, we poured our scented oils into our hot wax and poured it all into our can.
After thirty minutes or so, we had our custom-made candle!
The Panelists
While we were waiting for our candles, we were introduced to a panel of entreprenuers and speakers that had also partnered with Lime. The moderator was Brian Terada, who runs a non-profit organization called Be Free. The idea behind the slogan was to find a safe community that individuals could come out to and be vulnerable with. Terada explained, “It’s about showing people that you’re going to love them no matter what”. Lime also partnered with Be Free to create a night of Be Free stories where people could “share the parts of themselves that they thought were unlovable.” They wanted to highlight Be Free, LGBTQ+ individuals and people who had been through different things in hopes that we can all better love and understand each other.
Sofia Chang, an illustrator and designer by trade, also spoke at the panel. She recently moved from New York to sunny Los Angeles. What’s really important to Chang is her idea of a “tribe” and finding community in Los Angeles. Currently, she is partnered with Lime to create a series of urban illustrations that showcase what Los Angeles means and how Lime fits into that community. She also created the artwork that was featured on the free and sustainable sweatshirts, pins and stickers. If you want access to any of Chang’s merchandise, find her products at the Urban Optimist Los Angeles showcase in December 2019.
Monica Rae, the founder of Lit Soul Candles, explained what her company does for the upcoming holiday. For the holidays, Monica really likes to get out and connect with the community. With the candles, it was a full-circle movement where they donate food and then connect to people who buy and make the candles! Another strategy that Rae uses is social media. She uses the tool to find volunteers who fill backpacks up with necessities like beanies, socks, baby wipes. During the holiday season, the volunteers deliver those care packages to people on Skid Row. Rae encouraged the audience to volunteer for things that bring them joy and connect to others outside their bubble.
Lastly Maya French, co-founder of the plant-based beverage Koia, explained ways she connects with people. In Los Angeles, there are many transfers who may not have time or resources to go home for the holidays, so during the slow season, her company likes to throw a lot of mini-events to connect people and make them feel less alone during such a family-oriented season. Finding people you have common values with is a very important way to share ideas and build a community. Overall, the night was truly an intimate and warm gathering. At the close, we were encouraged to take another candle and give it as a gift this holiday season. Thank you to Lime and Lit Soul Candles for allowing us slow down, escape the busy LA life and take a moment to connect with others and build community.
To find out more information on how you can help give back to the Los Angeles homeless community with Lit Soul Candles, visit https://www.litsoulcandles.com/ online or on instagram, @litsoulcandles.