Working on something meaningful is a common desire – but how? We started asking folks to share the story of how they ended up working on a project they felt was meaningful because we wanted inspiration but also because we wondered if hearing from people from across a range of industries would help us identify patterns making it more likely for anyone to be able to find and work on projects that they would find meaningful.

Abby Boretto

When I think about meaningful projects, I realize I’ve dedicated my life to them — I wouldn’t have spent my time any other way. Over the past 25 years, I’ve raised my three beautiful children, shared countless adventures with my supportive husband, embraced philanthropy, volunteered in my community, and championed civic causes. I even blazed a trail as a silver-haired model and held the title of Mrs. California All-Star United States 2021. Read more>>

Anastassia Rabajille

One of the most meaningful projects I have participated in, is the NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program “Admitted: USA, Round One” Exhibition at Centro the Artes in San Antonio, TX.
As a multimedia artist from Chile, my work references personal narrative of social dislocation, oppression, turbulent governmental estrangement and the exploration of self-identity highlighting my U.S. immigrant experience and personal navigations with the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) process. Read more>>

Allen Thomas

“The Least Greatest” is one of the toughest projects I have ever worked on. My first album (Goliath Must Fall), released in 2015. On the first tour, I felt God doing something in me when I began to truly see that tours weren’t about selling merchandise, but more so leaving an impact on others in a short period of time. I realized that I was different than most and it made me do some digging in my soul to find my identity, Read more>>

Valentina Alvarez

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is creating Soul, a creative coliving space for artists, travelers, and anyone seeking a safe environment to create, connect, and embrace a slower pace of life. This project holds deep significance because it stems from my personal journey as an artist and entrepreneur. Read more>>

Tina Bolt

Most meaningful piece I have made so far is a land quilt based off of a farm that had a big influence on my life, I ended up using the quilt as the backdrop for photos at our wedding last year and will eventually be our quilt for our bed. The backstory to the quilt is that in 2016 I worked on a farm in Entre Rios, Argentina. At the time there was a lot going on in my life and it was a wonderful respite to just clear my mind and reground. One day I had the job of harvesting the pecans and removing their shells. I started noticing my hands were becoming stained through the process. So that evening I decided to experiment and dye a shirt I had with me, the pecan skin created a beautiful brown on the shirt. I’m trying to not sound too corny but something inside of me just felt deeply connected to the process. Read more>>

Kayley Jane Dykman

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is one that is still in the making.

During my final semester in my undergrad at Laguna College of Art + Design, I was finally beginning to find my own artistic voice. It was then that I realized that my passion and drive came from creating paintings that 1. Represented people who looked like me, my family, and my community (a demographic that is largely underrepresented in the media and especially fine art) 2. Shared the beautiful traditions and customs of the Pacific Islands and 3. Combined techniques from traditional portraiture/ figurative painting with innovative contemporary styles. Read more>>

Flor Bromley

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is my 2021 album *Pachamama*. This album is deeply personal because it is a tribute to Mother Earth and the cultural roots that shaped me. Growing up in Peru, I was surrounded by traditions that celebrated the earth as a living entity, and these values instilled in me a profound respect for nature. *Pachamama* was born from my desire to pass these values to the next generation, using music as a bridge between cultures and a call to action to protect our planet. Read more>>

Corey Breedlove

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was my first Album. It was during the lockdowns and I forced myself to put something out even when it never feels finished. Following that release we did a series of shows with a full band, selling hundreds of tickets and merch surrounding the record. Read more>>

Aleksandra Stone

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is Teeth for Sale, a painting series that follows my own journey through life’s complexities, told through the character of the Bird—a stand-in for myself. At its core, the series is both an artistic exploration and a reflection on the way we construct our identities. It’s about how we build our personal narratives, weaving together the full spectrum of our experiences—good, bad, and everything in between—into something whole. Read more>>

Reuben Walton

The most meaningful projects I’ve worked on so far are the singles I’ve been working on for the last 2-3 years that I plan to release as singles. I have worked hard on writing and producing them and getting input and feedback from a lot of different people, which I’m very grateful for. This period has been incredibly tumultuous and chaotic in my personal and professional life and mental health. I also started ketamine therapy for treatment-resistant depression during this time. Read more>>

Diamond Brown

I feel that all of the campaigns I have been a part of are extremely meaningful. I have been so fortunate to work with so many artists in the beginning of their careers and one artist in particular that stands out to me is my work with the the Fenty brand. I worked with Rihanna on her first collaboration with Puma and her collaboration with Stance promoting a sock line while doing a scavenger hunt around NYC back in 2015. Fast forward to 2024, Rihanna has become a mogul and billionaire in fashion and beauty… Read more>>

Debasmita Dasgupta

The graphic novels that I write and draw are all very close to my heart. Certainly it is a tough call when I have to pick one as the most favourite or meaningful. However, to answer this question I would like to talk about my first Young Adult graphic novel called “Terminal 3”, which took me nearly 5 years from its inception to publishing. The story is about a 17-year old, Khwab Nazir. The word “Khwab” in Urdu means “Dream”. She is a muslim girl living in the valley of Kashmir in India. Kashmir is a place that is often referred to as “the heaven on earth” because of its scenic beauty. However, Kashmir is also one of India’s most troubled states. Read more>>

Stephanie Hall

The most meaningful project that I’ve worked on has been me!

For the past five years, I’ve been on a journey of healing, empowerment and self discovery.

Through my journey, I’ve healed from mental illness, physical health issues and past emotional pain and trauma.

Through my healing, I’ve come into my identity, mission, purpose and power in life. Read more>>

Riley & Nubsthepups Steinger

The most meaningful project we’ve worked on has to be our fundraising events for local rescue dogs. Each event has its own story and heartwarming impact, but if I had to choose one, it would be our second Annual Costumes for a cause this past October.

It all started when I adopted Nubs, my three-legged hero, who came into my life and changed everything. He showed me the resilience, love, and joy rescue dogs bring, even when they’ve faced hardships. Inspired by him, I wanted to create a platform where we could not only celebrate dogs but also give back to the rescues that save lives every day. Read more>>

Sade Lythcott

In March 2020, when the pandemic landed in New York, it left a lot of uncertainty around how our industry could survive such an unprecedented health crisis combined with socio-economic upheaval and an overall reckoning of how we, as communities, as a society, and as a country, could move forward. I would categorize the pandemic as the single most important and influential moment in my career. As the daughter of artists, activists and as a producer my instinct, was to lean into the uncertainty and see how I could use my voice and my position to support our sector and help our city recover. Read more>>

Elena Karaytcheva

FUNNY/SAD! That’s my most meaningful project to date. A book, a short film and a play all born out of a year in a trailer on a goat farm in West Texas. I’ve told this story many times, but rarely in writing so this should be fun. It started, as many tales of personal transformation do, with a breakdown. As in my 04′ Jeep Cherokee had broken down in a small town in the West Texas desert with the hood steaming and my back tires just a few inches past the railroad track that cut through it. One would imagine that I, too was inches away from my own breakdown as no one ends up in the middle of nowhere for no reason. I was in a really dark place and conveniently, there were no mechanics in town. Read more>>

Joel Alvarado

Well for me that is exactly the case. I have managed to change something labeled the “Worst” into being the best thing for me.
Being on Warner Bros hit show, “Worst Cooks In America: Spoiled Rotten” Season 27 has done soo much for my career. I made friendships on the show that will last a lifetime! It is truly rare to make any besties on a competition series. Recently, I returned from filming a Christmas Movie in West Virginia with Leona McTaggart Chapman who was also on the show with me. Leona and I presented our journeys in the Entertainment Industry with fellow cast members- Dean Cain, Julie McCullough, Richard Grieco, Josh Novey, Cydney Chase, and Eddie McClintock. We encouraged the cast and crew of our new feature film. Read more>>

Paula Sofia

This year, I had the honor of partnering with Attorney Danielle Hernandez, President of the Tampa Bay Latin Chamber and Founder of Agatha’s Recovery Fund, to launch my single *Esta Noche* on November 16, 2024. It was more than a music release—it was a collaboration with purpose. We raised $2,500 in ticket sales, all donated to Agatha’s Recovery Fund, which helps victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and immigration issues access legal representation and find safety. Knowing our efforts could directly impact lives made this project deeply meaningful. Read more>>

Joseph X Casillas

Gladlyinsane has been the most important thing for me. Actually, the fifteen year anniversary for it is coming up next November, in 2025.
Gladlyinsane was something that started as a bunch of friends just making silly videos in backyards after class. But over the years it has evolved into something more serious and a means in which we create. Finishing up 2024, we’re wrapping up a promo campaign. Throughout all of 2025, there should be a new promo every month. Not just promoting Gladlyinsane, but also our website. While we’re transitioning to more drama / horror based short-form content, our identity remains in comedy. That’s the core of Gladlyinsane. Read more>>

Rhonda K. Brown

About seven years ago, I began a journey that would reshape how I understood my parents and their profound love for the arts. It started with the difficult news that my father had Alzheimer’s. Not long after, I realized that my mother was also slipping, though her condition seemed to follow a different path. At the time, I was divorced, living in Chicago, juggling a career, raising two kids, and navigating the constant demands of life. My weekends were spent driving back and forth to my childhood home in Cleveland, trying to manage their affairs and maintain the house. The physical and emotional toll was immense. Read more>>

Jessica Eichman

My most meaningful project is the one I am creating now. After painting in the abstract expressionist tradition for many years, I have recently begun to incorporate symbolic imagery into my work. The change began during the pandemic when I began to notice symbolic shapes and images showing up in my abstract paintings. At the time I was interested in unobstructed emotional expression—gestural work that came directly from the body and the heart without passing through the thinking mind. The new symbolic images seemed too intentional to me, so I rejected them, painting them out whenever they would show up. Read more>>

Jhazzy Jhane

I was reached out to by a composer when I first started my poetry Instagram. He liked my poetry and wanted to compose a song based on what I had written for his upcoming virtual show. It was such an anmazing experience! Probably one of the coolest experiences I’ve had. Read more>>

Jeremiah Stlouis

So far the most meaningful project I’ve worked on was a song called “Hemorrhage”. It was a collaboration with a friend in Canada. It really came together quite quickly and overall is one of the strongest examples of where I want my project to be. Droxus and I came together on a whim and worked really well together. Definitely one of the best releases by far. On top of that the label we released on has a huge audience. All and all a great experience. Read more>>

Breaja Morgan

My most meaningful project that I’ve done was walking in Paris Fashion Week. I never wouldv’e imagined myself being able to say that I accomplished something like that, even when I still say it today, it doesn’t feel real sometimes. I made the decision a week before I had to leave to go to Paris, so it was a very short notice for me but one of the best decisions. It made me realize that I can really go further with my modeling career. Read more>>

Elizabeth Lashay Garland

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on has been the creation and development of Slay the Mic (STM) Multimedia and Tha Creative Playground, a dynamic creative content studio. These ventures are more than just businesses; they are extensions of my passion for empowering others, fostering creativity, and creating safe spaces for expression and innovation. Read more>>

Sadie Sanchez

I wrote a book called DIMENSIONS: 100 Questions to Help You Understand Your Perspective.

DIMENSIONS is an immersive journey of self-discovery and healing for those seeking to unlock a more confident and authentic version of themselves. The book introduces a unique framework centered on six dimensions of perspective: personal history, environment, beliefs, emotions, relationships, and identity. This comprehensive approach helps readers understand the multifaceted nature of their views and uncover the influences shaping their perception of themselves and the world around them. Read more>>

Jon Spreez

I’ve always looked at life as a series of eras and new iterations of self, hopefully each better than its predecessor. As a creative I’ve been blessed with a medium, in music that has allowed me the privilege to document and catalog every one of these moments and transitions. So when pondering which project was most meaningful I started to consider which of these transitions were most impactful to the man I am today. Was it when I was working on the final record of The White Owls series, when I was a young man becoming a father for the first time? Could it have been the explorations of loss and grief I had to wade through while writing In It’s Midst, or the depths of love and it’s pain within an album like It’s Not Easy Loving Spreezy? Read more>>

Liana Jaden

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my EP that is set to release in March of 2025. I have been working on this EP for multiple years now, with the songs being written over the span of 6 years and working in the studio in 2022. This 5 track EP contains songs that hold pieces of my heart in them. Specifically the lead single, Overthinking, has been incredible to share. The amount of people who have reached out to tell me how much they relate to and love the song is insane. I am so glad to provide an outlet for them. The concept of the EP surrounds the idea of Overthinking. Read more>>

Alexandria Hall

I just recently painted a large wall in Nashville, TN for a lovely family that wanted to commission a mural to honor their daughter that had passed away. The family was so kind and showed such a respect for the artwork we were making that it brought a new sense of perspective to my own work. We worked together for 6 months creating a design that embodied the vibrant and unique sprit of their daughter and what she loved the most. After two months of painting we had a celebration of life ceremony at the mural unveiling and so many people who either knew the family or lived in the area came out to show support. Read more>>