So many of us parent the way our parents did – because it’s the only example we’ve had a chance to see up close. We think one of the ways to remedy this is to create a space where people can share stories of the things they feel their parents did right, so we can all learn from those examples.

Jordan Burk

My parents have been ministers since before I was born. Traveling with them all over the world while I was growing up, exposed me to all types of people. It didn’t matter if the groups we ministered to were wealthy, middle class, or the poorest of the poor, my parents would treat everyone with the same respect and dignity every human deserves. They remained the same whether it was on stage, at the dinner table, or if they happened to meet someone at the grocery store. From the beginning, they set the example. People are the same, and we treat them the same no matter their status, title, disability or life situation. Everyone deserves respect. Read more>>

Suzanne Slonim

My parents have been my lifelong role models and inspiration. Both of them were doctors, my father was a cardiologist, my mother a rheumatologist. I knew by the time I was five years old that I wanted to be a doctor. You might think this was the only choice for someone whose parents are both doctors, but my brother is an electrical engineer. Read more>>

Casey Deutsch

I was raised primarily by my mother. She worked multiple jobs to support the family, one of which was making and selling crafts. Her workshop was in the basement of our house and some of my earliest memories are of painting on scrap wood as she worked. As she tells it, I would envision animals out of abstractly-shaped pieces of wood, and paint them with the acrylic paints she used in her work. Once I got older, Read more>>

Ryan Manalili

Being a first generation Asian-American, when I first told my parents that I wanted to pursue music, I expected them to laugh and think I was crazy. I know a lot of Asian-Americans who were expected to join the military, or become a nurse but, with my parents it was always a “as long as you’re happy” deal with them. They have been my biggest supporters since I started taking music more seriously, and truly believe in me. They have me the push to start, and the fuel to keep going. Read more>>

Tiffany Nakatani

I grew up in a single parent home. My mom was a single mother raising my sister and I. She was a young mother. She had my sister at 14 ½ years old and she had me in her early 20’s. So we literally grew up with her. It felt like a fine line of being raised by your mother and older sister. Growing up in a single parent home was challenging. My mom had to work a lot. She was the breadwinner and sole provider of our home. Read more>>

Eboni Muse

My parents did and continue to do everything right! Lol! They are my home, my confidants, my agents, my advisors, my crew, my light, my comfort, my “get right!”. I wouldn’t be the person I am without them. From the moment I let them know that I wanted to perform they had my back. And not only that, they both made sure I knew the hardships I might face. Unfortunately, in this career, actually, in life, people like to either sell you pipe dreams or rain on your parade. Read more>>

Kimberly Vieyra

My mother is my greatest muse. She is an immigrant that came to the US and stayed to give my siblings and I a shot at a different life. Notice how I didn’t say better? Why? Because to be completely honest, my mom had a pretty great job in Mexico and made good money. She followed my father to the US at a shot of unifying our family, she was left single to raise 4 children on her own. I believe all my siblings and I inherited my moms work ethic. Read more>>

Michael McMaster

I am very grateful to have grown up with two loving parents who have always been supportive of me. My mother raised me as one of eight kids and was an amazing role model. To this day I’m not sure how she managed all of us. She seemed to always be there whenever you needed her and she always made us all feel loved and cared for. Everyone says it, but it’s hard to imagine there’s a better mother out there. My father worked hard to support of all of us and to provide us all with great opportunities in life. Read more>>

Jocelin Williams

My mother has been the best thing to ever happen to my life and my creative dreams. As a child, whenever I would have an idea or say I wanted to do something, my mother would asked me, “well what do you need.” She would ask me, “what materials do you need, do you need to take a class to learn more, is there a trip we needed to take,” She wanted to make sure that I had every tool available to start pursuing this dream, no matter how small or big it was, as long as I really wanted to do it. Read more>>

Nore Salman

My dad’s visa to the U.S was based on extraordinary scientific ability since he’s published in the encyclopedia of plant-genetics. My parents are Middle- Eastern academicians who completed their PhD’s in the U.S. Their devotion to the sciences inspired me to succeed; yet the Middle-Eastern community’s conservative nature challenged my identity as a Middle- Eastern woman. Read more>>

Zorica Nesemeier

I believe my parents gave me a solid foundation to live authentically. So, what do I mean by that? They provided structure and boundaries that allowed me to learn right from wrong. Inside of this structure, I had freedom to take risks, own my decisions, learn from my mistakes and still always come home to their unconditional love. In my years of living, I’ve found that most people didn’t grow up in this type of stable environment and that has caused a bit of heartache and disconnect. My awareness of the need for more balance within the human mind is actually what led me to serve in my profession. Read more>>

Ebony Botchway

Growing up in my home, my father was strict when it came to being timely and organized. He believed in writing out the plan and creating a schedule. My parents both believed in putting their all in what they do and in a professional manner. I have dedicated myself to be the same when it comes to how I operate my business Read more>>

Craig Lewin

I was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia which is now Zimbabwe in 1977. The best thing my parents could have ever done for me and my little brother was move us to the United States in 1984. They knew there would be no future for us in Southern Africa, and left everything behind to allow us to live the American dream. Family is everything to me, as I have always had an incredibly close relationship with my parents. This has translated into having an incredible immediate family of my own with my beautiful wife Misty Lewin along with my 4 boys, Preston (18), Cohen (14), Dylan & Dawson (11). They are my world!!! Read more>>

Mesia Rena

They united as one and had me lol. That’s what they did right ha ha. But seriously I tell everyone all the time if my parents didn’t do anything else right in their lives they did get it right with. My beauty & brains came from my mother & my ambition and hustle came from my father. I’ve never seen my dad clock in on a job. He always worked for himself and as a kid I thought he was cool. People used to ask me what does your father do for a living and I would say whatever you need . Read more>>

Leonard Robinson

My parents were the strongest tag team that I have ever witnessed. My father being the stern and militant focused head of household and my mother being the nurturing yet disciplined and grounded spokesman’s. Together they both groomed a large family of which all of my siblings understood God, family, hard work, discipline and respect for others. They taught to say “Yes Ma’am and Yes Sir to everyone. Read more>>

Katy Girlinghouse

My parents always believed in me. It seems a simple thing to believe in your children but then you watch them trying to climb at the playground and know that they’re going to fall because they just haven’t mastered that skill yet. You cheer them on, you say encouraging words, you give them a boost when they need it and then you get out of the way and let them do the work. My parents, Barry and Karen, always showed support and gave me a boost but they knew when to get out of the way so I could test my own skills and learn from my own experiences.  Read more>>