We asked some of the most talented folks in the community to talk to us about projects they’ve worked on that they still think about, projects that really meant something. Have you had such an experience? Are you looking for inspiration for your next project? Check out the stories below, they are exciting, entertaining, and most importantly – inspiring.

Debra Pralle

Back in 2018, I had a short list of risky, fun, crazy stuff I wanted to do before turning 50 that year. I had been dreaming, dancing around directing my first short film. The script was ready, producers excited to work with me, just had to commit. So I did! And that year I completed my comedy, Period which centers around a young gal in the 1980’s who gets her period. Or at least she thinks so. She’s excited but then realizes that she has scant information, a male best buddy who is terrified, and a single dad who tries his best but struggles as well. We had a nice festival run but I found it somewhat discouraging that more female focused festivals passed. So in December of 2020 I started a YouTube channel and posted it. Since then? We’ve had almost 10 million views! It’s created a community of women (and guys!) who share their stories of getting their period (the good, the bad, the hilarious!) and support each other as we navigate this thing called menstruation. Read more>>

Adrian Read

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was a band I was in back in 2014 by the name of Quantum Split. I once met a friend named Chris Paul that mentioned that this band he knew was in search of a guitarist, and although at the time I wasn’t looking to join a band I decided to check them out. From the first online video I saw of them, I changed my tune. They had a style of rock and hip hop fusion that lit me up immediately. I auditioned for them and got in and that moment changed everything for me. With this band I grew not just as a musician. But as a person. Together we toured the US, we traveled to Europe and Africa, performed in Festivals full of thousands of people, and appeared on Multiple radio stations, magazines and even Television shows. When you think of the phrase “Living the Dream” that was it. Most importantly, my managers at the time saw in me a potential that I didn’t see for myself. In helping to bring that out of me, they kick-started an even more incredible journey that has brought me to where I am today. We lasted 5 incredible years together and I will always be greatful for the foundation that was generated in me by that amazing team and family that I got to be a part of. Read more>>

Huck Kurinsky

Ten-year-old BMX rider Huck Kurinsky is making a name for himself both on and off the skatepark. This Ohio native has been racking up national championship wins since he was just six years old. But Huck’s story goes beyond trophies and medals. He’s also passionate about giving back to his community and honoring the memory of his grandmother, Susan, who passed away from a brain tumor. Huck’s love for BMX blossomed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While stuck at home with remote learning, his bike became an outlet for his boundless energy and a source of freedom. He quickly progressed from backyard riding to competing at the national level, where he caught the attention of Olympians and even landed a sponsorship with Huffy Bikes. Read more>>

Yixuan(sonia) Song

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is Mindmender, an AI-powered mental health companion designed to address the often overlooked issues of mental health stigma, the difficulty of acknowledging psychological problems, and the economic burdens of seeking therapy. The inspiration for Mindmender came from observing the growing need for accessible mental health support, especially in communities where therapy and mental health resources are either stigmatized or financially out of reach for many. Mindmender leverages AI to provide users with immediate, private, and personalized mental health support. It uses data from user interactions and biometrics (integrated with devices like Apple Watch) to tailor suggestions and interventions, ensuring that users receive guidance that is not only timely but also contextually relevant. The platform includes features like AI-guided journaling and AI-based therapeutic conversations, which help users manage their mental health daily. Read more>>

Ben Vose

I spent much of my life just going with the flow, afraid to take risks. That life has given me a wonderful life. However, if I could go back in time and see how a life full of risks pursuing scary dreams would end up, I would jump in my time machine and give it a try. Unfortunately I do not have a time machine. Instead I decided a few years ago I did not want to grow to be an old man wishing I spent more time making stuff. From that time on I have not let more than week go by without working on some sort of sculpting project. That led me to today in my recent project, an art gallery and event space. As a person of faith I believe that community and bringing people from different beliefs and backgrounds together is important. Bridging the gap between art and community was that happy medium that led me to taking that risk of opening Galerie Artax. Read more>>

Samantha Brannoch

I have worked with a church down in Franklin. I was able to do Christmas sessions for families who have children with Special Needs. They were all so appreciative and excited to have good pictures of them as a family. I also was one of the photographers for the “A Night to Shine” prom for people with Special Needs. Being able to see their faces- the excitement and just feeling on top of the world, was so wonderful. I grew up with my mother working with Special Needs, and I actually myself have a daughter who is autistic. So, I have grown up learning how to work with different abilities’ and now that my young toddler also has special needs- I just feel it on a different level. I know how challenging it can be, and I want everyone to be able to have amazing memories. Read more>>

Carla Suhr

I have always been curious about social perspectives on housing as a human right and interested in exploring the systemic, historical, and other factors that explain various housing situations, as well as contributing to collective efforts to improve them. One of the projects closest to my heart addresses housing insecurity and is a collaboration with four community partners. Given the dire housing crisis that Los Angeles is currently facing and its disproportionate impact on Latinos, I developed a comprehensive partner-student-faculty project a few years ago in alignment with the LA County’s Stay Housed LA initiative. Through “Sus derechos de vivienda”, we assisted Spanish-speaking tenants at risk of eviction by assessing their cases, connecting them with legal resources, and creating bilingual brochures and guides for volunteers in the Spanish Housing Justice Hotline. In partnership with Chrysalis, we addressed homelessness by helping individuals overcome barriers to workforce reintegration. Students in “Capacitación laboral y alfabetización tecnológica” designed, conducted, and recorded workshops in both Spanish and English on resume writing, interviewing, job applications, and digital literacy. Additional project actions included virtual tutoring for Spanish-speaking children experiencing housing instability with School on Wheels and tenant rights advocacy with Inquilinos Unidos. Read more>>

Ashley Smiley

Eep! I’m going to cheat a little bit and throw a few in here actually. The first truly meaningful project I was a part of was a production called The Streets Have Spoken with Colored Ink at Brava Theatre in San Francisco. I was 14/15 years old and I was a part of a Hip Hop Theatre Company which, if folks think about Hip Hop Theatre now they might just think about Hamilton but no… our version was deeply rooted in not only the aesthetics of Hip Hop (we had a live DJ, most text was in verse/spoken word, etc) but also in the root of Hip Hop being a vessel for Black and Brown communities to voice their truth about the trials and tribulations they are experiencing whether that be gun violence, youth prostitution, environmental racism, housing injustices and more. That particular piece directly spoke to the senseless gun violence occurring in San Francisco and Oakland and to be even more specific, it was taken directly from the lived experience of a cast member. The process and performance of that piece helped me understand just how powerful theatre could be in not only telling the truth of our stories but also its ability to bring community together. The most memorable part of that tho, was actually having members of the local Norteño gang come and not only watch the show, but speak to us, with tears in their eyes, after the show about their own personal experiences with gun violence and WHEW let me tell you, that was epic. THAT was the moment that I knew that this was the way I wanted to effect change in my community and the world around me. Through performance. Through art. Through that person-to-person connection that you can only get in the theatre. Read more>>

Keem. O.dolla

The most meaningful project that I’ve worked on is the project that I’m currently working on. It’s called Trauma Related. The purpose of the project is to speak on all of the traumatic experiences that I’ve endured over my lifetime. Everything from being homeless, being shot at, having an anxiety attack while in school and the most recent death of my mother and other family members. I want to make this project to feel like a movie that other people who’ve been through similar situations can relate and can use it to persevere through whatever they maybe dealing with at the time. Read more>>

Chayah Masters

In 2018, I launched my production company, Rumination Road, because I wanted to collaborate with filmmakers and tell stories that contribute to our world in a meaningful way. I’m a film producer because the power of story has the ability to teach, guide, heal, empower, hold accountable, and achieve a form of social justice when often judicial justice isn’t able to be found within our society. Movies have the ability to shine light on themes relevant to our understanding of the world and offer ideas for how to live and/or be better human beings within it. Take for example, an award-winning script I’ve just optioned, Scent of Marigold, that is a narrative drama ripped from the headlines in 2018 when the first Trump administration had the immigration policy of putting children in cages after separating them from their parents and families when they crossed the border into the United States. This story highlights the failings of those policies and the heartless stupidity of the bureaucracy in dealing with children who happen to be immigrants. In this story, we’ll follow a female Mexican immigrant border patrol guard as she wrestles with her Americanization and watches the treatment of children that could’ve been her when she was brought to the United States by her parents. Read more>>

Mariah Tinkshell Allen

My song Tinkshell Saying Goodbye. This is the first song I wrote with my mother. It’s about my parents relationship, at the time I was young and didn’t have anything to talk about so I asked if I could write about what I saw with my parents and my mother agreed to help me write it. The song got lost after my mother passed but I remember the words and melody, it’s been 10 years but I finally got it rerecorded. Thanks to @lilplentiful for helping me complete the vision. Studio: @mello_368 In Love & Memory of Shemetra Tinkshell Stewart Read more>>

Jessica Snow

My most meaningful project has been the creation (ongoing) of my entire oeuvre. Many people have heard of a sigil – a sign or symbol imbued with magical energy. I consider all of the audio, videos, books and experiences I’ve created to be a hypersigil – a collection of art-works filled with magical meaning and supernatural power. This hypersigil has not only expanded and benefited my little life experience, but also the lives of many others.  From when I was very young, I felt magic rippling under the surface of all things. Over time, I found ways to awaken and activate my relationship to that magic. In 2011 I had a spiritual experience that offered me a revelation – that I had been in a little bubble, meditating and making magic in a solitary way. From that point on, I have dedicated myself to making sure others have doorways into the magical spaces I feel so at home in.  In response to the decidedly non-magical overculture we live within, every thing I’ve ever made has a specific secret charm at its core – it all exists to reawaken us to and reconnect us with to the magic of life itself. Read more>>

Brianna Rhodes

The most meaningful project I worked on was a piece I created for Global Water Dances Columbus called “The Mother Whose Children Are the Water”. Given that we are in a constant state of trying to protect Mother Earth, I found that it was important to go a different route: seeing the Earth as a living, breathing spirit. In the Yoruba religion (branching off as Candomble (Brazil), and Santeria (Cuba) to name a few), is a water Goddess by the name of Yemenja/Yemoja. All life on Earth is created from her and her waters. Her name means ‘the mother whose children are the fish’. I played off of that name and created the title. I also recognized that I wanted to refer to all of us, on Earth, as her children. My idea for this piece was to have the audience go on a journey where they are left wondering what they can do to be better about protecting their mother and being considerate of their water footprint. Read more>>

Mei Gong

I have recently completed a work, and I regard the installation and exhibition of this work as a meaningful ceremony. This work is called Blooming, and its content is about me combing my past growing up experience into my own genealogy then I said goodbye to those experiences and began to reinvent myself. Therefore, the creation materials and techniques of this work were different from those in the past. During the creation process, I could also feel that I was in a new mood and state to gradually shape this work into a way beyond my expectations. It was an intriguing process. Read more>>

Justin Guidroz

I’m currently working on a series of short films, the most important to me is “The Drive Back”, a short queer film that won best screenplay at a few film festivals. After a long drought of not writing, it was my first piece to generate a good bit of interest from readers as well as producers. I loved being able to craft a compelling story with zero dialogue that translates as well on paper as I hope it will on screen. Read more>>

Vozz Rich

To date, I’ve had a number of very meaningful and special projects that span music making, collaborations, and live performances. But one in particular stands out to me the most and it was a weekly house music event I co-launched in Dallas known as “The Elysium Project”. Elysium, as it was known ran from February to December of 2023 and our mission was to showcase new and up-and-coming DJ talent based in DFW. The co-founders Felix Castillo, Boston Jones and I felt strongly that in Dallas, like most large metros, paid DJ playing opportunities generally had high barriers to entry with requirements that most new DJ’s couldn’t meet such as a large social media following, 2-4 years of experience playing in paid environments, or having previous residencies at clubs. And in some cases, getting booked is about who you know, and how networked you are. It can be daunting to a fledgling DJ! We knew there had to be a way to shine a light on the hidden talent in DFW.  Read more>>

Ami Yares

I consider myself a singer/songwriter, educator and in a slightly more existential vein, a healer and hope-raiser through my work with BuildaBridge, an arts and education non-profit — the later being a more recent discovery. Today, I remain an always aspiring singer/songwriter and someone who catalyzes art-making to help others achieve a greater sense of self. How I arrived “here” has been an ever-evolving process.  I grew up with the arts all around me. As fulfilling as dabbling in music, visual arts and even a bit of acting and movement felt, my elders tended to characterize the arts as a profession in very static and traditional ways. You could either be a performer or an educator or maybe a combination of both. One would always have to win out on the other. If you pursued performance, it needed to be achieved at the highest echelon to be deemed worthy. To pursue arts education, meant to teach and train pupils to attain excellence in order to “perform” at the highest echelon. Read more>>

Aleah Farrell

At the beginning of 2024 I had a major surgery to repair some damage from my time in the military. It threw me into a major spiral of pain and depression and for awhile really impacted what I thought I would be able to do moving forward in all areas of my life including artistic pursuits. I was offered the opportunity to have a small guest artist show at The Universal Education Foundation and that inspired me to start working again. The first piece I completed for the show was called “Modern Motherhood” and really helped me to process my feelings of the events of the surgery, my divorce, my career aspirations, and the myriad of plates mothers today have to keep spinning. Being a mother is my greatest joy but also the hardest job I’ve ever had. I felt this piece really helped to express those feelings and cracked open the desire to start making art again.  Read more>>

Greg Artavia

I have found that curating for the Writers Round communities have been the most rewarding project i have worked on. The ability to be able to provide a space for emerging artists has been really special Read more>>

Karen Sawyer

Posters are my jam. I love them, they are a thrilling medium to play with visual language and experiment with new concepts. To me, greeting cards are like miniature posters—tiny, mail-ready posters. Art accessibility is also close to my heart (another reason I like greeting cards). People say some version of, “Oh, I don’t have an artistic bone in my body”. Perhaps if more people are exposed to varied art, they might rethink what it can be. Everyone can create something. The right inspiration just has to come along. In 2018, I talked with a friend about posters and how cool it would be to make some that people could stumble upon around town. My friend loved the idea and helped me write a small grant proposal to get the project started. That is how Heavy Jeens, a public art poster project, was born, going strong for over six years now, with thousands of posters distributed for free monthly. The project is supported by Pier Six Press, city grants, and local donations. Read more>>

Bianca Dominguez

The most meaningful project that i’ve worked on is definitely my EP called “Unconditional”, quick backstory i was extremely sad around this time, was in and out of jobs, doubting myself, blacked out drunk for the first time and last but not least going through a breakup with my first and only boyfriend, it almost felt like a coming of age moment, just a realization of knowing its time to let go of a lot including myself you know shed some old skin so it was a vulnerable moment to acknowledge, accept and move on and in the midst of it all i had no one to REALLY talk to so the first song i made (with my friend) was called “Strangers” and it was me venting about the end of the break up from there i became more emotional and it was easy to make songs like “Hope” which is about knowing there is abundance of love no matter what after holding in so much pain, i was proud to end up creating something beautiful in those ugly moments for someone else to relate to and it just felt right to make an EP about the good, the bad and the in between moments of reality. “Ghost is a great one there its my personal favorite i feel empowered when i listen as well as when i wrote it! Just learning to be “Unconditional” with myself and then to the right people was the ultimate inspiration for this. Read more>>

Jill Alper

Working on this art curation project was incredibly meaningful for me, not only because of the sheer scale—200 paintings and 80 artists—( which we mostly bought the art from the South East ) but because each piece selected had meaning to my client and created a new story.The opportunity to introduce all kinds of art to my client, organize meetings with galleries and the art studios, was a way to celebrate diverse perspectives, create new dialogues, and honor the craft of so many talented artists. Throughout the process, I was deeply moved by the connections and experience my client was having. The paintings seemed to echo each other across styles, themes, and even generations. It was gratifying to bring these works together.; We bought all kinds of art from Estate art to up and coming artists. Read more>>

Makayla Paganini

Working with Prada Beauty has been one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on. I love what they stand for in the beauty community and how they inspire people to be themselves in the creative field. I think we should all accept each other for our differences and unique artistry. Read more>>

Stephen Hinton

Getting the green light for my first solo exhibition has been the most meaningful project of my artistic career thus far. As with most artists, we all dream about a solo exhibition one day so when I got mine, my concentration and focus went into overdrive because I wanted to do the absolute best I could. The body of work focuses on my teeneage obsession with magazines and print media. I grew up as the last generation before the internet was a household thing, and as such got all my pop culture from magazines. The artwork in this body of work also serves as a bit of nostalgia to the 90’s. The end result was this being my favorite body of work to date. The work is currently on display at Ford Gallery PDX until the end December 2024, otherwise, please visit my website ArtXPrincegnarls.com to view the artwork. Read more>>

Mary Josephson

My first Public Art Project was for the waiting area for Family Court inside the Donald Long Juvenile Justice Complex in Portland, Oregon. I waited in that area myself as a single mother and wished I had something to look at that calmed my nerves and lifted my spirits. When the Call for Art for the space happened I knew how I wanted to transform the space, and comfort those who often had to wait for hours for their case to be called.. I made 2 paintings for the project, one a scene of a family reading a book together, another a park scene filled with diverse people immersed in myriad of activities, surrounded by lush vegetation, birds and animals. Read more>>

Gabrielle Lansner

The most meaningful project that I have worked on to date is my short film, I AM NOT OK. In June 2020, following the death of George Floyd, I came across a Facebook Live post by my friend and colleague, Tiffiney Davis. Ms. Davis is the Executive Director of the Red Hook Art Project, a free art and mentoring program for low-income youth based in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where I had been mentoring and volunteering for several years. From her kitchen, in the thick of the Covid pandemic, Ms. Davis spoke about her outrage at the unending killings of Black Americans, the protests and her fears for her son. It was an impassioned plea and call to her community and to the world at large to protect the lives of Black children. My heart was pierced by her words and her pain. This is what spurred me on to create I AM NOT OK. I immediately asked Ms. Davis if I could use her words in my film. She said absolutely. Read more>>

Rylen Besler

The most meaningful project I worked on was a short film I submitted for Innovate Dance Film Showcase. Having wanted to create videos since I was 13 years old it was really exciting being able to make a project and collaborate with others. I collaborated with filmmakers, Omar Benson and Alexander Decebal-Cuza on this project. It was a fun process finding ways to tell a story through dance. We did run into various obstacles along the way which forced us to get creative in a time crunch and learn as we went along. My film is called The Exchange it is about the dynamic and complex outcome of two people coming together to care and be cared for – through the process of “The Exchange” we follow a boy that is met with the dance of denial, acceptance and forgiveness.  The project has been well received and the most fulfilling thing I have ever worked on and I look forwarding to doing more projects like this in the future. Read more>>

Sadithi De Zilva

I think every project I’ve worked on has had some sort of emotional tug on me for one reason or another, but most recently, I had the privilege of co-directing a short film called Sight. It was the second project produced by the company I co-founded, Scrappack Productions, and it became one of the most meaningful experiences of my creative journey. When we first received the script, we immediately recognized its potential to be something extraordinary. Sight is a zombie film, but it’s far from the typical action-packed, survival-driven narrative. At its core, it’s an intimate story about Myles, a man struggling to find a pair of glasses as his eyesight deteriorates in the middle of a post-apocalyptic world. What begins as a seemingly simple quest transforms into something much deeper: Myles discovers community, love, and a renewed sense of purpose along the way. Read more>>

Frank Dunham Jr

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is undoubtedly Cherry House, an original play set to debut Off-Broadway at Theatre Row, NYC, in February 2025. As an African American writer and director in New York City, my journey in bringing Cherry House to life has been an artistic and personal labor of love. Set in 1859, the story follows an African American Madam in New York City who risks her life and livelihood to protect a wanted woman, throwing her entire world into chaos. The historical context is critical, exploring themes of resilience, identity, and sacrifice against a backdrop of an era often romanticized but rarely seen from our community’s perspective. The project is deeply meaningful to me because it is rooted in both my personal history and the larger narrative of African American resilience. As a native New Yorker and storyteller, I’ve always wanted to craft narratives that honor the complex legacies of African Americans in this city and the often-overlooked contributions they made during such a tumultuous period in American history. The support of By All Means Alliance, a nonprofit led by Christopher Means, has allowed this story to grow beyond its initial vision and gain the momentum it needs for the upcoming Off-Broadway run. Read more>>

Tolulope Odebunmi

Seeing myself as an actor has been a journey full of ups and downs. As the saying goes, “hard times don’t last, but strong people do.” I’ve had the opportunity to work on many projects, but one that stands out is my experience with the British Council’s Film Lab Africa. It was an incredible opportunity where I got to write, direct, produce, and act in my own film. Film Lab Africa provided me with a grant to bring my vision to life. The selection process was intense, with thousands of entries submitted. They narrowed it down to 60 participants, and even now, I still ask myself, “Why did they choose me?” It felt like a dream come true—no, it is a dream come true. We went through 14 weeks of classes, pitching our projects to industry professionals, and eventually, I was one of the 20 selected to receive the grant. I poured my heart and soul into this project, and the experience itself is worthy of being a film. Read more>>

Teresa Martinez

I believe art should be meaningful, whether I’m recreating earring designs, crafting my own pieces, or collaborating with children. My work celebrates la cultura Latina, fostering connections to heritage and home. Witnessing the nostalgic joy it sparks fuels my passion to create. Sharing art with children through workshops, especially piñata making, has been incredibly rewarding. It’s a chance to pass on the tradition and empower them to continue creating their own vibrant expressions. Read more>>

Bailey Parker

Recently I have released a collaboration project with fellow artist Jade Haa titled “Subject to Change”. The project is centered around positivity, good vibes, and being open to change. Jade and I are independent artists with solo projects that fall more along the lines of rock and hip hop with heavy tones so we decided to come together to juxtapose the majority of our art in creating a project to bring joy and shine light on the joys of life as opposed to our struggles. Read more>>

Nicholas Lombardo

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was developing and opening my private training facility (gym). This venture is rooted in a passion for health and wellness. I’ve spent my entire professional life caring for sick individuals in the hospital setting, much of which is self-induced disease. The patients I see are often in their current state due to a lifetime of poor decisions. Witnessing this daily has further fueled my passion for wellness and focusing on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. My creative side naturally gravitated to photography at a young age, leading me to take digital photography classes in high school and undergrad. For years after, I struggled to find my niche. Eventually, I found myself enjoying and excelling in fitness photography, successfully merging two of my passions. Read more>>

Yvonne Gutierrez

What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on? Tell us the backstory so we understand circumstances/context and why it’s meaningful to you. When thinking about the most meaningful project, this speaks directly to my personal teaching goal. Teaching dance is and will continue to be my most meaningful project. It is a work that comes deeply rooted guided by my ancestors. No matter where I am, teaching is an emerging work in reciprocity with myself and the students in the space. My experience in my early years living in a Cuban home and in the dance studio were a catalyst for a constant connection with my afrolatin blackness. It’s what has lead my entire career with a deep recall of family, cultural expression of my direct and diaspora rooted self. In my path there has always been a therapeutic need to create space for gathering and unifying various types of people through dance of all ages; inclusive of participants as well as observers. A calling to teach with a cultural connection. Read more>>

Margaret Ude

One of my most meaningful projects to date was my Mural Mentorship with Dallas artist Marissa Caggiano. Earlier this year, I was approached by a local artist about a mentorship and mural opportunity. I connected with Marissa on Instagram and then we had a face to face meeting where she explained her practice and what the mentorship would entail. I was a bit nervous at first because I had never completed a super large scale mural. It was a new realm for me. The mentorship was designed to strengthen artist’s business literacy and give artist experience in completing and pricing mural work. The main portion of the mentorship was designing and painting a mural for For Oak Cliff Community Center. This project was so meaningful to me because of all of the layers of work that went into the final product and the actual execution. I spent 5 months working alongside other artists, with the help of Marissa, to create a piece that people would feel invigorated and inspired by. There were so many proposals, long nights and paint swatches that went into creating this mural. This project really gave me an idea of all the planning and collaboration that is needed to make a public artwork successful. Read more>>

Malau Quintero

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was when I began delving into the entertainment industry as an interviewer. Early on, I realized how powerful and impactful it can be to bring someone’s story to life. Every artist has a unique journey, and I became passionate about uncovering and sharing these narratives. One particular experience that stands out was interviewing an artist who, at the time, was just launching a new musical project. It was her first interview, and the excitement and nervousness in her voice made the moment so real and raw. Fast forward a few months, and that same artist is now a Latin Grammy nominee. Knowing that I was part of her journey from the beginning and had the chance to showcase her vision and passion to the world was incredibly meaningful. It taught me the impact of being a platform for rising voices and made me realize that our voices, as journalists, hold more significance than we often think. We’re not just sharing information; we’re empowering, uplifting, and connecting. Read more>>

Lauren Flanagan

By far, one of the most meaningful projects that I have worked on was photographing Three Sisters Intertribal Powwow located at the Atwood Lake Fall Festival every year. Being the granddaughter of a residential school survivor, it is such an honor to be able to document Native American ceremonies and dances for my children and future generations. Read more>>

Christy Harst

For years, I’ve been trying to break into male dominated sports voice over promo, but despite top-notch training and creative marketing, I made little headway. During an online workshop with a prominent promo talent agent, I asked what my chances were to voice a promo for male dominated sports. She was honest: not so much. She explained that while there are opportunities for women in male sports promo, they are few and far between. She urged me to make my own path. If there isn’t even a door for me to knock on, how can I get in? Frustrated, disappointed, and quite frankly angry I knew I had a choice to make. Either I give up on my goal of voicing for male dominated sports, or I build the door for not only me but for all women in my industry to have greater access to these opportunities.  Read more>>

Kassie Thornton

Debuting my one-woman show, That Don’t Hurt My Feelings None, at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and recently selling out the U.S. premiere at Dynasty Typewriter has been a dream come true. This show is more than a performance; it’s a confessional—a reckoning with my roots in a Kansas farm town of just 500 people, coming to terms with God, family, and queerness. Taking it from Edinburgh to a sold-out stage in Los Angeles, I tell my story and peel back layers to explore the humor, heartbreak, and resilience it took to fully love and accept myself, unapologetically. Read more>>

Jasson Harrold

Worked on a project called “concrete & whiskey” with poet , artist ,actor “Omari Hardwick “ for the last two years. It was recently nominated for a Grammy Award for best poetry/spoken word album at the 2025 Grammy awards. I had the pleasure of producing and engineering most of the project . I was credited with executive producer. I met Omari about 5 years ago . We worked on a few songs prior. Then one day he called me to work on this album . Throughout this process. He created 50 songs . There were many long nights . Failures , setbacks . We almost missed the deadline for it to be considered for the Grammys .  Read more>>