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

Yana Polshina

I’m glad you’re interested in stories . I was inspired by Flemish floral still life collections around the world and particularly the female artists who were unfairly unknown for years. There were indeed many talented female artists throughout history who didn’t receive the recognition they deserved. One such artist is Clara Peeters, a Flemish painter known for her stunning still life paintings. Clara Peeters was active during the 17th century and specialized in still life compositions, particularly those featuring flowers, fruits, and sumptuous table settings. Her attention to detail and skillful use of light and color truly brought her paintings to life. Despite her remarkable talent, Clara Peeters was largely forgotten for centuries, as many female artists of her time faced significant challenges in gaining recognition. Read more>>

Malaezia Davis

One of my biggest hero’s is my mom . Although she isn’t in the Fashion Industry through her selfless work within the non -profit world , she taught me some core values that can aid in my success in any field. She has taught me that “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance” & how far just an “idea” can take you. With her constant work effort to provide hot meals & resources to families in need even during the COVID-19 pandemic she has shown and inspired many to stop at nothing when it comes to something your passionate about. & that where there’s a will there’s a way. She has pushed be to be the best version of myself simply by providing an abundance of love to not only me , but to the entire world.  Read more>>

Maritza Chagolla

My hero would be my mother Alicia Miramontes, coming from a household of 10 children can be hard, but losing one of your parents at such a young age will mark you forever. After my grandfather passing away, she had no other option but to leave her hometown in Zacatecas and immigrate to California to financially support her family. My mother has always worked in the floral industry, when she moved to California she began to work at floral shops and cleaned houses as her second job. Years later she meets my father, and they decide to start a family in another town far away from where she was. She decides to leave her passion and just focus in one job and her family. They say that things happen for a reason, and I can totally understand it now as I’m older. Read more>>

Nicki Warren

My father, who was my partner in founding Toothbrush Toys, is my greatest hero. He imparted invaluable lessons about life, business, and the importance of being a good person. In 2021, we embarked on our journey with Toothbrush Toys hand in hand. Unfortunately, he had to step back due to the lingering health effects of cancer. He peacefully passed away in August 2023, finding relief from the unbearable pain he was living with. Read more>>

Sadie Varius

My preferred hero is Batman. Batman’s origin story involves personal tragedy, but he couldn’t help turning his weakness into a source of strength. I love this aspect. I use my own life experiences, both positive and negative, to create music that reflects my unique perspective and resonates even more with others. Sometimes I face obstacles and setbacks during my journey. Batman teached me that I can use these challenges to grow and become better at what I do. Read more>>

Daisy Quijano

To summarize of course my biggest inspirations came from my partner and close friends. Whom I am eternally grateful for to have in my life. As cheesy as this may sound, my biggest hero or inspiration would be the little girl inside me fighting for her dreams. As I did some self reflection, as I got older, I never realized how much I shut out my passions due to a lot of traumas. So I treat myself now as the little girl I once was with so much love and compassion because she inspires me to keep going every day since I am fighting for her. She didn’t have a voice growing up. But now she can express herself as she pleases! Read more>>

Apoorva Gaitonde

There are several people who have influenced me in my journey so far. My professors and mentors have shown incredible kindness and generosity in helping me break into the animation industry. My most recent mentorship with women in animation left a lasting impression on me. My mentor, Gustavio Cosio is a storyboard artist at Netflix animation.Over the course of 4 months, we met biweekly to work on storyboard assignments and interact with other artists from the animation community. Many of the guests were coworkers of Gus, who had worked with him on several animated projects. What struck me the most was how they only had good things to say about their working experience with Gus. Read more>>