Episode 25: Paul Asplund
Paul with Lava Mae founder Doniece Sandoval
“One Saturday morning, he didn’t get in contact with me. And I didn’t hear from him on Sunday. And Monday afternoon, I got a text from one of his friends...”
From the Episode
Wardo cleaning a water tank
About Paul
Paul Asplund was born to a political family, where he learned about fairness, justice, and good governance from his father, a Democrat, and his mother, a Republican.
Armed with their wisdom and a modicum of optimism, Paul ended up… a homeless, hopeless drug addict at age 26.
With a more realistic view of himself and the world, Paul co-founded his first non-profit with some friends in 1994, providing a pool of volunteers to other small non-profits. He continued to stay involved, volunteering for some non-profits, serving as a board member and executive director for others, all the while holding various odd jobs to support his search for purpose and meaning in his life.
In 2014, Paul met Doniece Sandoval, the founder of Lava Mae, an organization that got its start providing mobile shower facilities to the homeless. She asked him to join the board, and he subsequently ran a number of initiatives as a full time employee.
Fast forward to today. Paul has stayed sober – and housed – for 35 years.
He's annoyingly passionate, charming, and engaging. His father often said Paul was a "silver-tongued Devil," which Paul has always worried was somehow racist given his dad's upbringing in rural Minnesota and the various circumstances surrounding the compliment.