The Courage to Nourish: Ground-Up Leadership with Natalie Flores of NourishLA

For Earth Day, Ren Akinci sat down with Natalie Flores, founder of NourishLA, a community-powered nonprofit tackling food waste, hunger, and local sustainability in Los Angeles. In this episode, Natalie shares how she turned a crisis into a catalyst—launching NourishLA during the pandemic to connect surplus food with families in need. We talk about what it takes to lead during natural disasters like California’s wildfires, how she’s addressing homelessness through community support, and the powerful lessons she’s learned scaling a volunteer-driven organization. Natalie’s story is a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership—on the ground, in the garden, and at the table.