Meet LaQuenna Lewis | Founder/ Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with LaQuenna Lewis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LaQuenna, how does your business help the community?
My business impacts the community because it was created for the community. I specifically designed it to serve and address the needs of all disadvantaged citizens in poverty-stricken communities. My dream is to impact the world by implementing LOVE IS WHAT LOVE DOES programs in low-income communities all over the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was born in Greensboro, Alabama but shortly after birth, my mother relocated to South Central Los Angeles, California which is where I grew up and where I am from. At the age of 32 I relocated to Alabama after my children’s father was killed. I was eight months pregnant at the time of the murder. I moved back to continue my calling of service and to escape the loud noise that silence makes when you lose a loved one.

I started serving in the blackbelt in 2016 through another organization I founded in partnership with someone else. In 2019 I founded and birthed LOVE IS WHAT LOVE DOES and serve as the executive director of my nonprofit organization, serving the blackbelt communities of Alabama. My mission is to enrich the lives of disadvantaged citizens and develop their environment through programs and activities that encourage personal growth and community participation. We offer a variety of community services, focusing on the basic needs of those residing in poverty-stricken communities.

The reason why I started this mission of service is because of my adversities growing up. I grew up constantly moving and never having enough of anything. My mother was addicted to crack cocaine which contributed to my siblings, and I being exposed to environments we should not have. I often went days being hungry because we rarely consistently had food. The men my mother brought around molested me for years and so did my mother (once). I recall several times hugging her or talking to her through a glass window while she was in jail. One of the places I remember living with my mom and siblings is an attic above an old closed and abandoned thrift store with no running water or electricity. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my life story, and I am sharing it because it serves as the foundation for the work I do.

When I was 7-8 years old, I got my first glimpse of Love Is What Love Does. I remember it was a sunny day and my mother sent me on an errand, as she often did, that required me to walk down an alley where multiple people use to hang out. Unfortunately, on this day I was raped. I remember being picked up and put on the hood of an old vehicle in a secluded area. Thankfully, I do not remember much about the act itself, but I do remember the presence of God. During the assault, I mentally checked out of the moment and could see myself serving others with joy in my heart.

Love Is What Love Does is a 501 C3 nonprofit organization providing food, shelter, clothing, disaster relief, youth services, elderly and emergency assistance in the blackbelt counties of Alabama. We also prepare monthly hot meals for our incarcerated brothers in the local jail. Thanks to my adversities, I am serving hundreds of people every month. I created this organization because I wanted to serve others the way I should have been served when I reached out for help.

What sets me apart from others is my drive and my fight. My journey has not been easy, but I would not change it at all. I overcame the challenges when I learned that sometimes I must put aside how you I feel and move into action. Even when my feelings are valid, I still must make a choice to keep going. My biggest life lesson so far is “When people SHOW you who they are, believe them.”, Maya Angelou. I heard her say that many years ago when I was a little girl and I have learned to live by it. I want the world to know that I do exist, and I am the definition of unconditional LOVE.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I currently live in Selma, AL where there aren’t a lot of activities to partake in but the history is jaw dropping and still evident today.

When my friends come to town, we are DEFINITELY going to all the hole-in-wall restaurants serving that southern goodness. Even the Waffle House taste better in the south. We will also go check out multiple historical sites all throughout Selma, Marion, Montgomery and surrounding areas experiencing the places where our ancestors bled and lost their lives. Also, we can’t forget the night life. My friends and I love to laugh, and enjoy calm environments. Seeing a comedy show or listening to live music will also be on that to-do list.

Most of my friends are from the Westcoast and will fall in love with the southern hospitality.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shoutout to the most high, God. Throughout my life I’ve had several traumatic experiences that should have broke me. My childhood was filled with trauma, and God was with me during it all. Somehow, he even preserved the desires of my heart and my gift of service. When I get weary, he taught me that it is okay to rest. God never judge me and is still my number one source of guidance on this personal journey.

Website: www.liwld.org

Facebook: Love Is What L0ve Does

Other: Email: loveis.wld@gmail.com