We asked some very thoughtful members of our community to reflect on what they’ve learned from their heroes.

Chantal Taylor

My hero is my grandmother, Gloria Taylor. She has been a constant source of inspiration and strength in my life. Her unwavering love, kindness, and resilience have shaped me into the person I am today. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from my grandmother is the power of perseverance. Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her life, she never gave up. She taught me that setbacks are just opportunities for comebacks, and that with determination and a positive mindset, we can overcome any obstacle that comes our way. Read more>>

Jennave Traoré

To be inspirational is to be powerful and possess a skill not everyone has mastered. One of my biggest inspiring heroes has always been Steve Harvey. His story is very inspiring and I look up to him because I can relate to his journey. I have learned lessons from Mr. Harvey related to love and relationships as well as faith and success. He taught me how important it is to find your gift(s). He says your gift is what you do best with minimum effort and that we all have at least one. He also taught me that once you find your gift, it’s connected to your purpose and you should pursue it relentlessly. Do not worry about the money, it will follow. Read more>>

Kivan Quiñones

I think Noah Davis is one of my heroes because he not only built a successful career as an artist but also established the Underground Museum, making art accessible to those in underserved neighborhoods. His dedication to democratizing art and creating a platform for underrepresented voices inspired me deeply. I aspire to follow his model and establish a similar space in Puerto Rico, fostering a vibrant artistic community for all to enjoy. Read more>>

Maida Salkic

My hero is undoubtedly my dad. He’s been my greatest inspiration, especially because of the incredible journey we went through. Surviving the Bosnian war was a testament to his resilience, and the fact that he moved our entire family to a new country and started from scratch speaks volumes about his determination. The lessons I’ve learned from him are invaluable. He taught me to push through obstacles, never give up, and work hard, no matter how tough the circumstances. His unwavering strength during our transition period was incredible, and it’s a story that’s deeply ingrained in me, reminding me to persevere in the face of adversity. My dad’s unwavering spirit has been a guiding light throughout my life, shaping my values and my approach to challenges. Read more>>

Robert Ham

Pat Tillman. I never heard of Pat until I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and there was a memorial at the USO dedicated to him and his story. There are still many people who don’t know who he is or vaguely know his story. The short of it is he was a professional football player who after the 9/11 terrorist attacks gave up a $3.6 million dollar contract with the NFL and joined the Army Rangers. He did a tour to Iraq and then one to Afghanistan where he was accidentally shot by a fellow soldier during a confusing firefight. Subsequently the military tried to cover-up his death. Read more>>

Olivia Martinez

My mother has always been my hero because she grew up in Mexico living paycheck to paycheck very humble person always helped my grandparents cook,do house chores and work the farm since she was second oldest out of 6 siblings she then became a mother at a very young age and unfortunately ended up being a single parent to my brother! I’ve learned from her to never give up on your dreams to always keep pushing forward no matter what because she did the same with no help whatsoever nobody to motivate her because my grandmother as always been very old fashion so one day my mother decided to save money for a sewing machine and eventually she bought one and she started sewing, she made wedding dresses. Read more>>

Rachel Pearson

My personal hero is my mom. She has a heart of gold and isn’t afraid to make the hard decisions to help her loved ones and her succeed. Growing up I was frequently told the story of how my dad got into flight school and the tough decisions they had to make. In order to advance my dad’s career first, my mom chose to move to another state right after getting married and work long hour jobs for him to be able to pursue his dream. It took her years to be able to catch back up to her own career but her sacrifice and willingness have always left an impression on me. Being so selfless ultimately not only benefitted my dad, but made our whole family very stable over time. She later decided to go back to med school while raising my sister and I and become a PTA. Her willingness to sacrifice and encourage is truly a trait I long to have one day. Read more>>

Elise Post

My hero is my Dad (Doug Post), not only because he is an amazing dad, husband, friend, and boss. But because he is an inspiration, He and his brother started their own company “R&D Enterprises” in 1987 and are still going strong. He has taught me that being a business owner has its ups and downs, that the work never ends, and that it can take years to make it successful. While all of that sounds difficult, he has showed me all the positives over the years. It gives you the freedom of being your own boss, spending as much time as you want with your family, and the satisfaction of making your dream come true. Read more>>

Eddie Herena

My heros are the people that refused to give up on me. People that took a chance on me in spite of my worst decision or popular opinion. My heros are people that care and want to see me succeed. People I can count on. People that understand me an my trauma. People that wan that want to help, and not take. Read more>>

Dimitri Milbrun

I have few heroes who influenced my work and how I see it. I grew with them and my work grew too. I’m totally aware about the fact that they are only humans and I’m kind of agree with the “never meet your heroes” quote. I can say my greatest hero is George Clinton, leader of Parliament/Funkadelic. George Clinton taugh me how free my mind and let my ass follow. Through his music, his lyrics, he helped me to understand some places in my mind where I wouldn’t go because I was too scared for. Read more>>

John Dusek III

My Parents, they taught me how to learn and always forgive me when I did something dumb, as long as I learned from it. Read more>>