About the Founder

For years, we have all witnessed the growing homelessness crisis throughout Los Angeles. During the past three years at Ramin Studio in West Hollywood, I witnessed its impact firsthand. Seeing people living in the nearby alleys and around our studio made the crisis deeply personal and impossible to ignore.

Day after day, I saw its impact not only on people experiencing homelessness, but also on the surrounding community. Watching the crisis continue to grow reminded me that our communities needed more than temporary solutions. They needed a different approach.

My experiences were not limited to West Hollywood. Throughout Los Angeles especially in Downtown Los Angeles, Central Los Angeles, East Los Angeles and Skid Row I saw the homelessness crisis on a scale that was impossible to ignore. Sidewalks, freeway overpasses, alleys and neighborhoods had become home to thousands of people. I often found myself asking, “Is this really Los Angeles?”

At the same time, I found myself reflecting on Marie and the extraordinary way she lived. Even through life’s greatest challenges, she never lost her ability to bring people together or make others feel welcome. Her example reminded me that one person’s kindness can have a lasting impact on countless lives.

After Marie passed away, I found myself asking one question repeatedly: How could I keep the memory of such a remarkable woman alive? I reflected on the values she lived by and the example she had left behind.

I created A Day of Sunshine in November 2025 to honor Marie’s legacy. At that time, however, I had not yet discovered the direction the organization was meant to take.

The following year, I witnessed more and more ordinary people experiencing homelessness in the area surrounding Ramin Studio. They looked like anyone you might pass on the street, challenging many of the assumptions we often have about homelessness.

Watching homelessness continue to grow firsthand became a turning point for me. It reminded me that homelessness is not defined by appearance. It can affect people from all walks of life.

I realized that the most meaning way to honor Marie’s legacy was not simply to remember her, but to carry her spirit forward.

Building on Marie’s exepcional ability to unite people, I envisioned a larger, trusted community that brings meaningful partnerships together to inspire hope and explore a different approach to addressing the growing homelessness crisis.

That is how A Day of Sunshine found its purpose and direction.

Mandana