Over the past few months we’ve reached out to members of the CanvasRebel community to dive deeper into their stories. We wanted to learn how they got to where they are today and we heard stories that will keep our inspiration cup full for a long time. Their stories, lessons and humor have lifted our spirits and we hope you’ll take a minute to check out the stories below.

Kim Karr

After being a teacher for 13 years, I co-founded Digital4Good in 2013 to inspire students to use digital technology safely, responsibly, and ethically. Around that time, I had been working as a middle school teacher for 13 years. Students at my school were dealing with fake pages, passive-aggressive text messages, and people sending or requesting nudes. Having to deal with these complicated issues on top of everyday responsibilities was affecting not just their ability to learn but their overall well-being. These struggles are what motivated me to start the “Digital First Responder” training program. Read more>>

Tanisha Woods

I began my journey into the realm of legislative policy and human resources upon completion of my first degree in Political Science. I was involved in the student government and participated in the intercollegiate legislature. Initially I found it extremely provocative to realize that the system of democracy has a time limit and it still remains the same tool by which the United States finds useful to compromise on actions with, for, and by the people. After working in a career field that I didn’t choose, it chose me; social work. I understand more completely the element of human struggle, relationship dissonance, and working with a demographic that often times find themselves in a constant wheel of struggle and stereotyped. Read more>>

Paulette Stout

Like many people, I started as a reader and had the audacity to think my voice was needed in the marketplace. I began writing the genre I most read a the time, murder mystery. But I quickly pivoted to writing stories with a strong social pulse that offer the powerful substance of women’s fiction and the deep personal connections and spice of romance. Readers say my books make them think and feel, and I work hard at my craft to be sure that I always exceed expectations. Read more>>

Harshita Manglani

I am Harshita from Hyderabad , A proud mom of two young boys and an entrepreneur. My journey as an organic Product manufacturer started in a very humble place—my own kitchen. I’ve always had a passion for natural and organic products, especially when it comes to hair care. This passion was fueled by my own struggles with finding effective and safe hair products that I could trust. One day, I decided to take matters into my own hands and began experimenting with different natural ingredients to create a hair oil that would meet my needs. Read more>>

Darryl Chambers

I started in entertainment in 2018 after one of my mothers coworker’s saw my prom photo and stated that I tool great photos. She went on to say that I should try modeling; I gave it a shot and that crossed over into acting and hosting. Read more>>

Gautier Abadie

Originally from France, I began my career with scoring short films, feature films and documentaries that received numerous awards. After pursuing film scoring studies at The Juilliard School, I obtained a Bachelor of Music in Musicology at the Toulouse University and Master of Fine Arts in Music Composition at the Vermont College Of Fine Arts. ​ Read more>>

Debbie Squizzero

I started seeing and sensing Spirit around the age of six.

During my late teens and into my twenties, a few significant things began to happen. I started to dream vividly about my deceased loved ones in Heaven. They appeared to me as if we were still together in the physical world. There were a few commonalities in all these dreams. My loved ones were no longer struggling with any mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual hardships they may have carried in the physical world. They were always full of love, and I could feel it telepathically, or they would tell me in the dream, or visitation, as I now know it to be. Read more>>

Gerard Huerta

After I graduated from Art Center College of Design, my wife and I moved to New York City to work as a commercial artist. I was hired as an album cover designer, the best job a kid out of school could get. After a little over a year at CBS Records I went freelance to expand into other areas of design and artwork. I continue today as a self-employed artist. Read more>>

Aileena Gallego

I’ve always been an artist, ever since I was young. Throughout my life, my experiences have shaped and inspired me—from losing a parent at a young age to seeking validation in men, which made me realize I had codependency issues I needed to work through. Over time, I saw that a lot of women struggle with this, and I started to understand how important self-love is, especially in the choices we make about who we allow into our lives. Read more>>

Xinyue Wu

Hi everyone! I’m Xinyue Wu, the founder of PinPaint. My journey started with a desire to enhance positive emotions through everyday products. Initially, I launched XinyueDesign and participated in an art market hosted by AAAAH, where I showcased products like a picnic bag with a unique twist—you could select pins to customize and add to an existing scene on the bag. I also featured a comb that made the sound of rain. The first pop-up was a huge success, with the bags selling out and the combs gaining a lot of attention. Read more>>

Megan Withey

I have been interested in many different aspects of the arts since I was really young. I remember when I was about 5, my parents signed me up for a painting class. We would sit and paint and listen to opera. My teacher would explain the stories to us while we were painting. That pretty much set the tone for my whole vibe in life. I thought life was going to automatically be a fairytale and when it wasn’t heading that way- I had to make it happen myself. Read more>>

Tamara Velasco

Hello! My name is Tamara (Tammy) Velasco and I am the proud owner of “Leon + Maeve.” This small business focuses on upcycling secondhand clothing (adult and children) and giving it new life by adding patchwork and embroidery. Read more>>

Coral & Shani Dayan

We’re Coral and Shani Dayan, sisters, best friends, and co-creators of Craving Social. We’re four years apart and incredibly close, not just as siblings but as collaborators with a shared vision and passion for telling real stories about Southern California.

We were born and raised in the Valley of Los Angeles, but our upbringing was far from the “typical” LA experience. We grew up in an immigrant household, surrounded by hard work, family values, and culture. Our father runs a thriving agriculture business based in SoCal, so from a young age, we were deeply connected to the land, the seasons, and the people who make this region so rich, not just in produce but in tradition. Read more>>

Susan Finch

Running a national nonprofit as a volunteer requires income from somewhere. I run two businesses that not only support me financially but provide skills that directly benefit Binky Patrol.

In Business:

“Our podcast has three listeners” → Strategic distribution that actually gets heard
“Our CEO sounds robotic on air” → Authentic host training
“Our website is being held hostage” → Digital asset recovery
“We have 47 software subscriptions we don’t understand” → Tech stack optimization Read more>>

Fandy Wu

I’ve been passionate about fitness since high school and never looked back, which naturally sparked my curiosity about nutrition. That interest led me to major in Nutrition Science, and I eventually earned my degree from Boston University. Read more>>

Carly Fauth

My journey with fitness started long before I ever became a fitness professional—it’s always been a part of who I am. With over 15 years in the industry, I built a career as a fitness instructor, passionate about helping others feel strong and confident. I launched FitFunCarly in 2022, a virtual fitness community that makes movement accessible for everyone. But everything changed when I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. Read more>>

Emily Henderson

I started my Pilates journey as a client first. I fell in love with the practice from the very first day. I was a consistent and determined client for many years. My first instructor who was also Classically trained gave me the encouragement I needed to pursue certification. She believed in my physical abilities as well as my experience with pedagogy. I was flattered but I wasn’t prepared to take a huge risk and leave my career in teaching. I was already well established in education, I taught in the classroom in New York City and the outer suburbs. Eventually, I transitioned into instructional coaching of teachers in K through 12 and it was around this time that the Pilates certification bug began to “bite” again. Read more>>

Vladimer Botsvadze

My journey has been a blend of hard work, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of growth. I was born in Georgia in the late 80s, to parents who instilled in me the values of self-esteem, discipline, and dedication from an early age. Growing up, I was always the diligent kid, and their support, both emotional and practical, was a game-changer. From a young age, I learned to approach life with a “glass half full” mindset, always finding opportunities even in challenges. Read more>>

Corree Roofener

As a young mother, I was attending community college to get a degree to further my life. One of my required classes was a basic bookkeeping class. I absolutely loved the class, more than any other class I took. After finishing my degree, because that is what you are “suppose” to do. I went on to never actually work in my degree field. I held a multitude of different positions in management, manufacturing and health care. About a decade later, I was at home full-time, when it was brought to my attention that someone I knew needed a bookkeeper. I was interested in this as I could do it from home, but also because I remembered how much I loved that class back in college. Read more>>

Kev von Holt

I always had this desire to explore the abstract side of art , as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, I would think while taking breaks from music , “I’d really love to explore the movement and texture in abstract art “ one day I found a trash can full of paint … while on my nightly trash scavenger hunt on the Philly streets … next to that trash can of paint was a bunch of canvas with fruit and landscapes scrawled on the haphazardly. .. I hauled them back to my tiny walnut street apartment and began to start to let out 30 years of angst and emotion onto the canvas . And then and there , the connection was made and the journey began. Read more>>

Karin Capellan

My entrepreneurship began in the peek of the coronavirus pandemic June 2020. I am a flight attendant by trade and many of my flights were being cancelled daily. This time was difficult for everyone and the inconstancies of day to day life made it difficult to think about the future. It was at this time I attended an auction for a rental company that was shutting its doors after over 20yrs in business. At this auction I quickly discovered how successful this industry really is and how demand was quickly on the rise due to venues and locations of gatherings being limited. Unfortunately I left that auction unable to purchase any items because the price for these items exceeded what I was able to spend at the time. Read more>>

Nathanael Nunemaker

I started Farmer Nate’s in 2020 during peak lockdown. With all my free time, I decided to grow my own food in my small urban backyard. The peppers I planted thrived, leaving me with an abundance of jalapeños and habaneros that I didn’t know what to do with. To preserve them, I started making hot sauce. My friends and family loved it, so I kept refining the recipes while also building a brand, forming an LLC, and obtaining FDA certifications and manufacturing licenses. Read more>>

Eva D’Luscious

I’ve been training Burlesque performers, producing shows and building community since 2012. First in Sebastopol, CA, then in Portland, OR when my family relocated here.

To me, teaching feels like passing along sacred power, especially for people who don’t often see themselves represented on stage as beautiful or sensual. I first started after the birth of my second son – now about to finish High School. Read more>>

Brandon Peralta

How much time do you have, it’s a long story haha! It’s hard to say exactly where my career “started” so to speak. Music has been my passion since childhood, and I pursued it with everything I had. I was studying Classical Trombone Performance at Queens College, on track to minor in Composition and Theory, but by 2015, I hit a mental wall. Between working two jobs, commuting across boroughs, and spending every free moment practicing, I burned out. I decided to take a year off to regain balance and figure out my next move. Read more>>

Persephone Bennett

I came out of the womb knowing I wanted to be a fashion designer. My favorite toys were a jar of buttons and a box of scarves to drape around myself. I took every opportunity I could to learn more about sewing, design, textiles, and drawing. I went to the Rhode Island School of Design for Apparel Design, and have been working in fashion and making custom pieces ever since. Read more>>

Mario Cerrito

I had always been a writer and story creator for as long as I could remember.

When I was about 12 years old I wrote my first horror story. I was always very interested in the horror genre.

After my baseball career ended in college I went for a period of about 10 years without finding another passion.

I wrote my first official screenplay in 2007 and in 2012 I produced my first official film. Although it was only a trailer, I loved the process and that led me to creating my first feature film titled Deadly Gamble in 2013. Long story short it is 2025 and I’m embarking on making my 5th feature film (Human Hibachi 3: The Last Supper.) This film will complete the Human Hibachi trilogy. Read more>>

Indiana Madrid

I’d be happy to! My journey began in Bernalillo, New Mexico, where I was born and raised. I initially pursued soccer and even played in college, but after my sports career, I discovered a passion for skincare. This passion was inspired by my mentor, Marti Hutchison, a trailblazer in the beauty industry. Read more>>

Quan. B

Well it all started in church, singing in the choir at a young age helped me find that love for singing. Also coming from a family of music I just knew music was installed in me since birth. From watching my dad travel across the US singing gospel quartet music and learning about other relatives that have their hand in the music industry. I am where I’m at today because of the inspiration that I come from. Read more>>

i had to go through a lot of struggles financially in putting in my own money for my films, in 2021 my crew dropped out so i had to hire a line producer to help me, she turned out to be a sleazy con artist who took my money, i was also fired from my job and my father was diagnosed with parkinson’s disease all in the same month, so it took a long time to make my movie. Read more>>

Megan Vaughan

Though Vaughan House is now a place to celebrate joy, that joy would not exist without heartbreak. After suffering a miscarriage, we found solace in nurturing plants. Each one, carefully and lovingly selected, at times with the help of our son, Max, selecting plants as well. In June 2017, I woke up one morning with a single thought: “I want to build a greenhouse.” My husband Mitch and I immediately got to work and didn’t stop until it was finished in April 2018—each aspect designed and built solely by the couple. ​​I’ve touched every single leaf and petal of every single plant and flower that calls it home. We found out we were pregnant with Marigold the day it was completed. There was also a double rainbow in the sky. Read more>>

Jessica Marcy

I started my career as a civil engineer with the hopes of helping the planet. I quickly realized that most of the jobs available did not offer that opportunity and began blogging about food, sustainability, and health. In about 2016, I was working for a small environmental remediation company when I was introduced to PFAS, and its ubiquitousness in our society. As a soon to be mother I began diving more into my roots (I grew up hunting fishing and foraging), and began practicing herbal medicine. I wanted to remove as many toxic exposures from our home as possible. The more I learned the more I wanted to learn, and eventually decided to begin studying to become an herbal clinician. I started producing teas and herbal remedies as a way to pay for my clinician training and in 2021 I began seeing clients regularly. Currently I am taking a break from seeing clients to focus on teaching and writing. Read more>>

Dylan McMains

Growing up, my step-mother always took photos of us at family gatherings/outings and I never quite understood why. It never felt like a fulfilling or important thing to do, it always felt like a chore. But, for some reason, on a family trip to Florida in 2014 I got this idea to try it for myself – to take photos of anything and everything for the sake of preserving memories. This proved to be a much more enjoyable endeavor than I originally thought it would be – I loved looking for fascinating sights and patterns and my friends on social media really seemed to love it as well. When I got back home to New Mexico, I kept it up and continued looking for things in nature that stood out to me. Read more>>

Sharita Wilson

Sharita Wilson is a mother, performance artist, and a leader. A native of Oklahoma City, raised in Spencer, Oklahoma, she graduated from Star Spencer High School and pursued a major in Education at Oklahoma State University. Sharita’s passion for education and mental health empowered her to become a career registered Behavioral Therapist as well as fuel her entrepreneurial spirit in owning her own cleaning company, 3 Queens Cleaning (OKC). Formerly a co-chair for the Oklahoma City Public School’ Student Experience & Equity Committee (SEEC), she was able to capitalize on over a decade of mental health service and become an asset to her community and grow her personal platform among the annals of edification for youth programming. Sharita serves as the President of Poetic City and leads the operations of it’s Adopt a Street Program for the past three years. Read more>>

Shawn Ahkeah

I been doing art for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved to draw anything from animals to cars. I loved to look at artwork in books and magazines. As I grew older I’ve taken many art classes offered in my school years. After graduating highschool I joined the Air Force and sort of put doing art on the back burner. After the my stint in the military I got into land surveying and construction which I spent 17 plus years doing. I missed creating art and June of 2018 I made a career change and decided to paint full-time. So far it has been rewarding. Read more>>

Jupiter F. Stone

I started from an island now I’m… well on a different one.

My parents moved to Hawai’i when they were young. They met there when they were older. Then there was me.

I was born and raised on the island of Oahu. I grew up on the west coast in a town called Wai’anae where I had the absolute privilege of spending the first 24 years of my life.

Apparently I always had, “it”. I started performing on stages at 4, I began theatrical training at 7 and by the time I was 17 – I was co-producer of the highest ranked high school news media program in the nation. In my early 20’s I got scouted by Disneys’ The Lion King on broadway and was told I needed more training than my island could offer me. I was advised to move to New York City. Read more>>

Melisa Bonetti Luna

I’ve always wanted to be a singer, but I didn’t know I would end up being an opera singer. Because of my heritage, I grew up exposed to a lot of Latin music, including ballads and boleros, but also a lot of salsa, merengue, and bachata. Because of my NYC roots, I also listened to a lot of Hip Hop growing up, which was thriving in the 90s in NYC. I was lucky enough to get accepted to the FAME school, LaGuardia, where I was exposed to other genres I had never listened to before. There I learned about jazz, opera, musical theater, gospel, art song, and so forth. Read more>>

Zainab Sillah

My acting career began in Freetown, a pivotal move that marked a significant turning point after leaving Makeni, the fourth capital city of Sierra Leone, to Freetown, the capital city of the country, i found myself immersed in a vibrant cultural scene, a city bursting with life and inspirations; you see people filled with the pearl of life, hustling just to succeed and achieve their dreams and visions. I was inspired by their passionate euphoria to succeed, so, i got inspired to pursue my passion for Rapping. Because the intensity of what I absorbed from people around me, I felt a rhythm to tell their story through rap. Read more>>

Kelsey Davis

My journey into photography began in 2019 when I bought my first camera. Photography had always been a fascination of mine, and finally holding that camera felt like the start of something special. In college, I dabbled in modeling for a photographer, and while I enjoyed being in front of the lens, I couldn’t shake the curiosity of what it would be like on the other side of the camera. Read more>>