"People Are Not Made to Sleep on Concrete": A Conversation with Rowan Vansleve, President of Hope the Mission and Los Angeles Mission

Rowan Vansleve is president of Hope the Mission, Los Angeles Mission, and a longtime leader in the fight against homelessness in Southern California. Rowan grew up in Sydney, Australia, and came to the United States as a young backpacker, intending to continue around the world. But after seeing the stark contrast between the wealth of Los Angeles and the people living on its streets, he stayed — beginning a career that would take him through community development, microfinance, disaster recovery, and ultimately homeless services. In 2010, Rowan joined Hope the Mission, then a small organization with about fifteen shelter beds. Today, they provide thousands of beds each night, millions of meals each year, and operate dozens of shelters across Los Angeles and the surrounding region. Rowan has also become known for a series of extraordinary physical challenges designed to raise money and awareness for the fight against homelessness — running hundreds of miles through the desert, cycling across America, kayaking to Catalina Island, and completing fifty marathons in ninety days. In this episode, we trace Rowan’s journey from Australia to Los Angeles, explore what he has learned about poverty and homelessness, the limits of one-size-fits-all solutions, and his belief that lasting change begins with treating people with dignity, love, and respect.