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.

Yvette Rock

My father is the late Humphrey Amstelveen. My mother is Catalina Amstelveen. From a young age, my parents supported my creative path. They witnessed my love for art and never once, told me not to make art or pursue it. My parents never said the words, “You can’t make a living as an artist,” “You’re going to be a starving artist,” or “Why don’t you become a doctor or lawyer?” The words that stuck with me for my entire life were, “Never give up!” My parents valued me as a person and because of that, they valued my creative choices. Read more>>

Athena Saxon

My parents are extremely supportive in my pursuit of the arts. Maybe inadvertently, they taught me how business and art are equally important. My parents own a mom and pop record store in the SF Bay Area. I grew up understanding the value of hard work and finding joy in the everyday. The store was my sister and I’s playground. We were often there after school, on weekends, during breaks in the summer, and even holidays! It was a second home and a place of deep and constant renewal. A place of work but also a place of great exploration. We seemingly had full range to engage within our environment. Read more>>

MaryBeth Hyland

Both my parents were entrepreneurs who went for it when it came to following their passions and making a living from them.

My mom was an art therapist who had a traditional career but also went out on her own and created murals with women experiencing homelessness. She showed me that you can make a vision a reality when you see it clearly and know how it’s going to make a difference in the world. Read more>>

Jason Moore

They instilled in me a strong work ethic and to be resilient in my pursuit of what I wanted out of life. Read more>>

Desirae Sanders

My parents taught me the value of hard work, education, integrity, compassion, and service to others.

I was raised by two working middle-class parents who both held master’s degrees in education and raised eight children on teachers’ salaries. My mother taught third grade, and my father taught at an alternative school during the day while working evenings at a hospital as a histologist. While we were not wealthy, my father worked tirelessly to ensure we never went without. He made sure we never realized we were struggling financially. I cannot recall a single holiday, scholastic book order, field trip, band camp, or basketball camp that he did not make happen. Read more>>

Laylah

My parents have had an immense impact on my life and creative career; there hasn’t been a moment when I haven’t had their support. Growing up, I always loved art, but it started as a hobby. As I gained confidence in my work, I began to consider it as my main career for the future. I remember being nervous about mentioning my plan to my parents, as fully pursuing art is often seen as an unstable choice. They were immediately on board, pouring into me as an artist and leaving me more encouraged than ever. Read more>>

Mary Beth Bender

Growing up my parents had a strong value towards education and life enhancing experiences. I’m so blessed that they invested in my education and experiences because not only have they shaped me as a person, but I believe they have also lead me to want to help both educate and inspire others. Read more>>

ANGELA HENRY

My parents raised us to believed that telling the truth will always set you free, as well as respecting others, i grow up with the notion that i can never disrespect my elders and they must be called by their ser-names to this day that same notion carries through in my family i teach it to my children and they taught it to their children, it has gone already through 3 generations and my hopes is that it will go on forever, my parents gave me a wonderful gift that has always served me well. Read more>>

Cory Garrastazu

My parents always supported me and believed in me and put me in the best position to achieve my dreams. My father was born in Cuba and came to Miami and met my mother. Together, they pushed me with athletics and academics and because of them I have been able to be the man I am today. Read more>>

Samantha Solliday

I think the two biggest things my parents instilled in my sister and me were work ethic and accountability. It’s shaped the way we do everything, because we were always told: “Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.” That value is everything in the wedding industry.

This is an incredibly emotionally driven field—so many decisions are based on feeling or emotional connection. Being honest and accountable to your clients builds the trust that is absolutely necessary to succeed in this business. Read more>>

Courtney Green

My Mississippi-born parents, married for over twenty years, raised not just their own children but an entire generation of kids they encouraged through college and into their dreams. They divorced when I was ten, later remarried, and even after life took them in different directions, they remained close friends until the very end.

My mother, born in the fifties with grit, fire, and sass, was a go-getter in every sense. A registered nurse with a big caring heart, she showed me what resilience looked like — even in the face of personal struggles. Her battle with addiction and our time apart weren’t the end of our relationship; they were a refining fire. Our love grew stronger through honesty, forgiveness, and grace. She taught me that strength isn’t the absence of hardship — it’s how you stand back up after being knocked down. Read more>>

Shanita Perdomo

My childhood upbringing was emotionally difficult. My mother was a full-time drug addict and a per diem parent. I’m fairly certain she married my stepfather because he was able to financially support her and her drug habit. But once he found out she was pregnant, he made a decision: he stopped using drugs and became a family man. My mother, however, continued using while my stepfather worked two jobs to provide for my siblings and me. Read more>>

Jessica Brass

When I look back on my childhood, one thing that stands out most is the grace and patience my parents showed whenever I became interested in something new. Whether it was sports or the arts, they never pushed their own ambitions onto me. They asked questions, listened, and shaped their encouragement around what was in my own heart. Read more>>