Industry figures Kim Marshall and Lisa Starr have joined forces to aid LA’s spa and wellness community as the city copes with the aftermath of more than two weeks of devastating wildfires.

Together, they’ve created a special episode for Starr’s podcast, StarrCast, to shed light on how the fires have impacted the local industry and how it has mobilised to support victims.

During the hour-long episode, Starr interviews Marshall – a 30-year resident of Pacific Palisades, one of the hardest-hit California coastal communities. Marshall shares her evacuation experience and what role she thinks the wellness industry can play in offering support and leadership for LA residents during this time.

Listeners also hear from Catherine Baek, owner of Be Rosy Beauty day spa and salon based in Pacific Palisades, whose business burnt down during the fires, as well as Sparrow Harrington – a maternity massage specialist and Pasadena business owner who had two staff members lose their homes.

Both Baek and Harrington delve into the challenges of operating a business in the current situation.

“So many industry friends have reached out to Kim to ask how they can help,” said Starr, “so we felt that sharing stories and aid resources would answer a real need.”

The special edition of Starrcast is now available on Apple, Spotify Audible and all major platforms.

Sustained support – #L.A. Rising
To provide ongoing support for victims, Marshall is launching a new podcast series this Friday (24 January) titled #L.A.Rising – Stories of Healing, Help and Hope. Episodes will be published weekly and offer a space both for survivors to share their stories and for specialists and community leaders to provide crucial information, resources and support as the city works towards rebuilding.

As a former host and producer of the Global Wellness Summit’s Global Wellness Conversations podcast, Marshall will also draw on her extensive industry connections to provide wellness-focused coping strategies and self-care tools in each episode.

“People need to honour what was, share their personal stories and know someone is listening. It’s what’s kept me going,” she said.

Marshall is particularly concerned about the wildfire’s impact on mental health, especially among young people who have already endured the trauma of the pandemic in their formative years.

As part of her initiative, she plans to donate 20 per cent of the sponsorship funding for the podcast to The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health, a non-profit that supports youth mental health through peer counselling in collaboration with LAUSD.

Produced by Nova, #L.A.Rising is also intended to serve as a resource for other communities affected by climate-induced disasters in the future.

Marshall is calling on those interested in sharing their stories and wellness tips for victims to contact her directly via email at [email protected] or to reach out through Instagram at @swelltheagency.