Creating Safety And Community Through The Cleaning Cooperative

Meet our Founders: Lulu Hernández

Meet Lulu, one of the co-founders of The Cleaning Co-Op. At just 24, she’s already played a key role in shaping our mission to empower women and dignify cleaning work. From unexpected beginnings to building a revolutionary business model, her story is one of resilience, vision, and heart.

An Unexpected Beginning

When Lulu first arrived in Vancouver, she had no intention of staying long. A quick six-month trip with friends before starting university back home in Mexico — that was the plan. But then the pandemic hit, and everything changed.

Stuck in a foreign country at just 19 years old, Lulu found herself navigating uncertain terrain without the security of family or a clear path forward. “I had a suitcase with all my stuff. I didn’t know what was going to happen,” she recalls. But in the midst of chaos, a family she’d been working for opened their doors — and their hearts — offering her a place to stay and the support she needed to land on her feet.

That kindness sparked a deep understanding of what community can mean — and it planted a seed.

Over the next few years, Lulu found her footing. She enrolled in school, worked hard, and began building a life in Canada. But it wasn’t always easy. Her early experience in the cleaning industry exposed her to exploitation and unjust working conditions — experiences that would later fuel her commitment to building something different.

It was during this time that she met Haley and Paulina. “Meeting them felt like finding a safe space,” she says. Together, the three women founded The Cleaning Co-Op (TCC) — not just as a cleaning company, but as a movement for dignity, empowerment, and transformation.

Building Empowerment, One Job at a Time

Now 24, Lulu plays a central — if largely behind-the-scenes — role in TCC. Based in Mexico, she supports one of the co-op’s largest accounts and manages many of its critical operations: client communication, scheduling logistics, invoicing, and account management. She’s also the on-call support for her teammates in the field, ready to step in whenever needed.

“I used to be the one training new hires, going to the job sites, checking supplies,” she explains. “Now, I’m the person behind the systems that keep everything moving.”

Her adaptability and dedication have made her an indispensable part of the team. But for Lulu, it’s not about titles or tasks. It’s about impact.

Lulu is passionate about the values that shape TCC — especially empowerment. “The word that always comes to mind when I think about women is resilience,” she says. “Moving to a new country, speaking a new language, starting over… that takes so much strength. And I want every woman who works with us to see how powerful she is.”

That’s why TCC isn’t just a workplace. It’s a support system. A place where women — especially racialized and immigrant women — can earn a living wage, access training, and connect with others who understand their journey. A place where cleaning work is dignified and respected, not undervalued.

A Bigger Vision

Looking ahead, Lulu has big dreams for TCC. “I want us to have a physical space,” she says. “Somewhere women can drop off their kids, get a hot meal, rest between jobs, or study for school. A space that feels like home.”

She also wants to prove something to the world — that it’s possible to run a successful business without exploiting others. “You can do good and make money,” she says. “You don’t have to choose.”

For now, Lulu continues to pour her heart into building a co-op that reflects the best of what work can be — collaborative, compassionate, and revolutionary.

“I believe in what we’re doing,” she says simply. “And I’m not done yet.”