🎙️ In this episode of the Landmark Difference Makers Podcast, we sit down with AJ Lovewins, filmmaker, activist, and founder of Our People Rise, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities through storytelling and transformational education. AJ’s story is one of resilience and recovery: after years of battling addiction and living unhoused, he has devoted his life to inspiring hope and creating real change.
From Hollywood to Homelessness
AJ grew up in a small town with the challenges of addiction and divorce shaping his early life. After high school, he pursued acting and screenwriting in Los Angeles, finding early success but also falling into the grips of crack cocaine. That spiral led to three years of homelessness in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district—an experience that brought him face-to-face with despair, shame, and survival.
Finding a Way Back
AJ’s turning point came when he reached out to his foster mother and found his way into treatment. Though recovery was long and difficult, he eventually built a foundation of healing through 12-step programs, counseling, and transformational education. A pivotal moment came when he participated in Landmark’s Self-Expression and Leadership Program, creating a project that became the nonprofit Harmonic Humanity, providing work and dignity to people experiencing homelessness through music and street vendor programs.
Love Wins
Throughout his journey, AJ held onto a mantra: “Love Wins.” It became both a survival tool on the streets and the name of one of Harmonic Humanity’s first albums, which included music donated by artists like Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and Sarah McLachlan. This belief—that love and service can open new possibilities—is at the core of everything AJ creates today.
✨ Want to hear AJ’s full story? Listen to Part 1 now and discover how service and transformation became his lifeline.
✨ Stay tuned for Part 2, where AJ shares the vision and impact of Our People Rise—from documentaries to toolkits for transformation.
✨ Join us live! Be part of the Landmark Difference Makers experience. Visit Our Events Page to attend upcoming recordings and connect with inspiring leaders like AJ Lovewins.