Over the years as we connected with incredible from folks from almost every imaginable industry we realized that every nook and cranny of our economy is full of small business owners, artists and creatives who live and breathe what they do – and their stories are nothing short of heroic. It’s the immigrant parents who overcame the odds and kept their small business alive for decades allowing their next generation to thrive and the artisans who pour their passion into every piece and refuse to let even the most common items remain mundane that make our communities come alive. The stories below will inspire you and we hope you’ll take the time to read and connect with these incredible folks.
Cindy Toledo
I became widowed suddenly at the age of 57 when my husband died from a sudden heart attack. Immediately I was thrust into a life I was unprepared for. That very night as my family and church family were gathered in our living room, people were praying and someone began to sing “Amazing Grace”. In the midst of that, I heard the voice of God saying: “I will give you all the strength you will need, I will give you peace like you’ve never known and I will give you hope for your future.” Those promises did give me strength to face each day. It was just three weeks after Mike died that I found Modern Widows Club online. The Founder, Caroline Moor widowed for 11 years had begun to invite widows into her home monthly. The website was a blog and the first article was called Crooked Crown, Crooked Heart. The words jumped off the page, particularly one sentence that said you’ve been chosen for this journey. I needed to know there was a reason for this horrific event in our lives. Read more>>
Covi Loveridge Brannan’s Story
Though I’ve been in New York City for almost a decade now, I am actually from the small beach cities outside of Los Angeles. Growing up I pretty much spent all my time with my toes in the sand. I’m the oldest of three siblings, and our parents are both actors, so we had a pretty bohemian upbringing with a lot of creative freedom and support to follow our interests. I got into acting very young, starting with summer camps, and soon joined the youth acting conservatory at South Coast Repertory in Orange County when I was around eight years old. Read more>>
Michael Momoh
My name is mighty, A fashion production manager, designer and fashion quality control specialist. I didn’t dream of designing clothes. I believe strongly that the world revolved around numbers, deadlines, and the intricate dance of transforming sketches into tangible garments. As a intern for a fashion brand named Elbrty, i started by spending countless hours in factories, worked for fashion brands as an intern to build my experience. My days were filled with the hum of sewing machines and the sound of fabrics being cut. Read more>>
Shengnan Dong
I am an artist based in New York, focusing primarily on creating 3D character design and stop-motion fabrication and indie toy design through illustrations, modeling, and sculpting techniques. I think the skills of using 3d printing that represents my design in digital to real life is something exciting to share. My goal is to construct an exciting world filled with amusing and adorable characters for my audience to enjoy. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved experimenting with various media and learning new techniques to expand my artistic horizons. From drawing and painting to CG modeling and sculpting, I am now delving into the realms of 3D printing and miniature-making. Read more>>
Connor Wilson
The short and skinny of it is I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. As far away from the arts industry as you could imagine. But with a love for film. Sort of on the outside looking in. Feeling that a life on the stage or screen wasn’t in the cards for me, I went into sales for about 7-8 years and when I finally hit a point where I was neither happy nor fulfilled in my life. So I picked up everything and moved to New York with no money, and having never been there to pursue acting. Read more>>
So Hyun Park
I graduated from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, where I majored in Motion Graphics. After graduation, I had the opportunity to work with companies like Google and Apple. Currently, I am enjoying working as a freelancer with various companies. Read more>>
Lori Prashker-thomas
My journey has been one of resilience, passion, and a deep commitment to making a difference. As a Jewish birthmother, I navigated the challenges of adoption with bravery and faced significant personal adversities, including surviving suicide, domestic abuse, and bullying. These experiences have shaped who I am and fueled my dedication to advocating for and supporting others facing similar struggles. Read more>>
Brian Heckstall
Do you believe in divine intervention? When I was 14 I fell in love with Fall Out Boy after watching them perform “Dance Dance” on One Tree Hill. This lead me into begging my mother for my first guitar and looking for a teacher. Upon casually strolling through my Crown Heights neighborhood one day, I bumped into the legendary Yohimbe Sampson of Game Rebellion & Meridian Lights. He taught me about Jimi Hendrix, Bad Brains, etc. and brought me to my first Afro-Punk. My first time being in a mosh-pit/seeing black rockstars. I didn’t know it then but this would be my introduction artistry. Read more>>
Cameron Darwin Bossert of Thirdwing
My mom didn’t allow me to see Star Wars until she found a revival screening at an actual movie theater. She wanted to make sure I saw it, at least for the first time, as it was meant to be seen, and not on a tiny TV screen. My mom is not a sci fi nerd. Not at all. It wasn’t about passing down a love of Star Wars. She has simply always been preoccupied by the “experience” of things. The order in which things happen. The order in which stories are told. Building up surprises for friends and family. Read more>>
Adrienne Lavey
I’m someone who has always been attracted to things that are misunderstood. Having had intellectual curiosity from a young age, I have a drive to not only understand the thing that is misunderstood, but by making it more accessible to others by educating them about it. Around the same time in my formative years, I became part of the gothic subculture, became fascinated with absinthe, and began pursuing study in operatic voice. These are all things that are misunderstood, mischaracterized, and misconstrued to push an agenda. Demystifying these things to my audience has been a great joy of mine for more than a decade. Read more>>
Michael Matos of Personal Protective Concepts
Personal Protective Concepts (PPC) started as a response to a call for help. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was asked by activists from Brooklyn who were concerned about rising hate crimes and violence to teach self-defense. That moment wasn’t just a teaching opportunity but a wake-up call to the gaps in safety education and resources available to communities facing real threats. What began as grassroots self-defense workshops quickly grew into a mission-driven organization focused on safety education and empowerment. PPC isn’t about fear; it’s about equipping people with the knowledge and confidence to navigate a world that often feels unpredictable. From consulting with organizations to running hands-on safety workshops, PPC focuses on making personal safety accessible to everyone, no matter their background. Read more>>
Su-mari Hill of iLOLA
My journey began with a deep-rooted passion for family and a drive to create something meaningful. My husband Tim and I always knew we wanted to build something together. Our first venture was born out of necessity and inspiration from our children. We opened our first store when our second daughter was just three months old. It was a whirlwind six-week process from idea to opening, driven by the belief in seizing fleeting opportunities and that if you can, you should. Read more>>
Kelly Wong
People who know me today consider me extroverted and a science geek but it wasn’t always like that and I never fully showed the complete raw side of me until recent years. As a child, it was always a question about “Will people like me or will people like being around me.” Those questions stuck with me growing up, and it was hard to make friends, which then turned into mental battles every day. I was the most introverted person ever as a child, and people would have to force me to talk to get any answers out of me or get me to speak in turn, it would frustrate me, and I would say something brutal or not speak at all. It followed me everywhere in grade school; it made it even more difficult because I became a target for teasing and bullying. Read more>>
James Wodarek
I have been an artist as far back as I can remember. As a child, I attended art classes every Saturday morning at the Carnegie Museum of Art. As I approached college I knew I had to be an art major. I became a graphic designer, art director and an illustrator. I eventually would grow into the roles of art educator and curator, but I never stopped exhibiting my work in galleries throughout my journey. I just consider myself lucky that art has been my path, my major and my career. It has been a driving force since childhood. Read more>>
Lynda Martin of Attached NY Marriage & Family Therapy PLLC
My journey into therapy began as a quiet, curious child who often felt out of place. People confided in me, sharing their trauma and pain, and I felt a deep need to help them. This led me to pursue extensive training in trauma work, somatic healing, and attachment theory. Growing up with dyslexia and struggling with depression and anxiety, I was always fascinated by the complexities of human relationships and how early attachment wounds influence adult behavior. I initially thought that if I learned enough, I could make sense of my experiences and fix myself. However, I eventually realized that there was nothing wrong with me and that you can’t think your way out of feeling feelings. This profound understanding transformed my approach to therapy and my personal growth. Read more>>
Tanya D of The Peace We Crave
My journey in recovery started when I almost lost my life while using my substance of choice. My “issues” really began with all the traumas in life – emotional abusive and narcissistic mother, bullies at school, abusive friends, abusive boyfriend. I’ve had anxiety as long as I can remember. I never felt good enough or like I fit in anywhere. So I used substance to drown it all out until that no longer worked and I had to make a choice: keep drowning or find a life preserver. I chose to find a life preserver and started my recovery journey in August 2013. Since then, I’ve not picked up a substance and I had to learn to live life without that crutch. A few years into sobriety, and my chronic pain journey started. I found healing again in a community of like-minded individuals. A few years after that, I had a mental health crisis that almost caused me to relapse and loss everything. Instead of that path, I choose to find different professional help and a new recovery community. While I’m still working on my mental health and trauma, I’ve found my resolve to stay in recovery. I would have been lost without my people and my recovery toolbox. My resiliency to pick myself up each time is due to all the things I’ve learned and continue to learn in recovery. Read more>>
Andi Green
I am Andi Green and I am the creator of The WorryWoos, a children’s book series dedicated to feelings. The WorryWoos began as an art installation I created called The Monsters in My Head. They were large illustrations enclosed in lightboxes with their “emotion” stories xerox-transferred to the face of the light boxes. The idea stemmed from characters I had created during my childhood that I deemed monsters and labeled them with the difficult feelings I was experiencing. I continued to draw these characters well into my adulthood. At the time there was little to no discussions about mental health, no Inside Out, no hashtages #mentalhealthmatters, actually no social media! It was because of this huge hole in the market that I decided to create my own company, Monsters In My Head, to help kids address complicated feelings. It was then that I started my series The WorryWoos. It was kind of a crazy beginning. I was working full-time as a creative director while drawing my children’s books at night. When the first WorryWoo was completed, Nola The Monster of Loneliness, I had no idea what to do. I began emailing some stores I thought might be a good fit,. One of the first stores to respond was The MoMA Design Store and and to my shock and complete joy they brought the first round of WorryWoos in! Prior to this I was so scared to email more stores and because of this incredible response, I began emailing more stores and my real journey began. Read more>>
Dee Sader
Funny story. I’m a college drop out. So I didn’t go to school for fashion. I got a job as a front desk receptionist at a fashion brand in the city when I was 17. The head of design accidentally sent me an email asking for my opinion on a print. Excited she even knew I existed, I gave my input. Ironically, that email was never supposed to be sent to me. It was meant to be sent to a buyer who had my same name at Macys. When I would see the head of design in the kitchen, she wouldn’t even acknowledge my existence. That’s when I knew it had to be a mistake and I asked her. She was so flustered that she made such a mistake but the buyer at Macys actually loved my suggestion. After that, Yelena, the head of design, took me under her wing and trained me into the professional I am today. If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve never even been in fashion. Read more>>
Cas Winter of Accountability Muse
Hi! My name is Cas. I help Neurodivergent and Chronically Ill people struggling with burnout go from feeling stuck, alone, and hopeless, to mastering a toolset for genuine self-care and a bias toward action, so they can choose where to spend their precious time and energy to create the life they want. I wasn’t expecting for this to become my career, but crazy things happen when you become chronically ill and disabled at the age of 14. I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Complex PTSD, and I’m also Autistic. Read more>>
Karnecia Hall of K Monae’s
I started K Monae’s in 2020. I wanted to do something that I loved and only was for me. At the time I was a stay-at-home mom, my husband was just starting truck driving school, and all my time was spent with the kids. I didn’t have an outlet to myself. One night talking to my best friend she told me to consider doing something that I loved to do. I told her I loved shoes and accessories. I started researching everything about a boutique owner and began a game plan. Shopify gave a 30-day trial. I came up with a name blazzin-heelz-boutique. After telling my best friend we considered changing the name to my name K (Karnecia) Monae’s (Mone’t). I didn’t like the way my actual name looked on a logo, so I changed the spelling. After that I started building a website. Not knowing what to do I spent long days and nights creating something which I thought was perfect. I didn’t have any money to start so I began researching drop shipping. I liked the idea but as them went on all of my packages were delayed. This was the same time as COVID so it took my customers months to get their items. Luckly, they were most from people I knew so they were very understanding. I started joining pop-up shops but noticed that I didn’t have enough product on hand, so I had to come up with another game plan. in July of 2020, I started reaching out to vendors and began purchasing items little by little. Now I currently own a small boutique in Birmingham AL. Read more>>
Misha Battiste
I am a certified life and leadership coach. I started coaching in 2022, and launched my coaching business, Become Your Own Muse in 2023. Prior to that, I was a political strategist in the democratic party. I worked on several presidential and federal campaigns from 2014-2022. It was a whirlwind and I’m very proud of the work I’ve done, but I was emotionally burnt towards the end. Politics is personal to me, but I struggled to feel my best and be authentic in the political space. As a coach for ambitious women, I now help women who are in similar positions to me in the past. I help them to bring their magic, leadership, and authenticity to their work and life. Read more>>
Dr. Tammie Mccurry of Confidential Consultants, LLC
I started in the military, which is where I learned the discipline that entrepreneurs must have. I was in the military for six years and earned my associate’s degree in criminal justice, bachelor’s in social science, and later my master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and my Doctor of Ministry in Christian Counseling. I always knew I wanted to help people. I initially wanted to be a lawyer, but I decided that I didn’t want to be forced to represent people who weren’t innocent. I looked into counseling because I liked helping people talk through their problems. Around the same time, I was called into ministry, which laid the framework for me getting to where I am today. Read more>>
Kate Isler of The WMarketplace Inc.
I’ve never been one to follow the conventional path, and I’ve always embraced risk. At 21, I packed up and moved to Seattle, I had no job and no plan, but a few years later, I had an opportunity that would change the course of my life: a role at a small technology startup. That startup turned out to be Microsoft, and what I like to call my “200-year journey in technology” shaped my future in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Read more>>
Kelia Reed’s Story
Well I started back in 2018 after I moved to Kentucky from Kansas after quitting my job for good maybe a year or two before that. I honestly started posting content on YouTube because I wanted free wigs because I use to have to wear my sisters because she always had wigs that I couldn’t afford at the time. Fast forward to this year 2024 and I’ve gone viral on almost every platform I never thought I’d be on today, which includes YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, & Instagram. I’ve had an instagram since 2012 but never posted my personality or thoughts there until 2022 and within that first couple of months I had mad 100k followers off of my thoughts so I just kept going. I posted on TikTok first where I went viral then decided to move over to instagram where I continued almost each time I posted. Read more>>
Sally Pederson of Global Citizen Life
Well, it wasn’t just one event. It was a series of events that, over two years, made me decide the time for change is now! I will sum up the major points and not get into too many details, or we will be here for a very long time. Within about two years, I received a court-ordered death certificate for my husband. He went “missing” seven years prior. It was determined shortly after his disappearance that he was murdered, although his body has never been found. It was a very tough time. Read more>>
Risa Iwasaki Culbertson
Let’s see… how DID I get here?! lol. Somewhere along the back and forth of growing up between Japan (where my mother is from) and the States is where I realized the joy of not only creating art to entertain myself but how fun it was to share with those around me. The child-like playfulness of those days is something I hold on to even today, as I continue my journey on existing in the world as a maker of things and artist. The curiosity of how I could better survive as an artist lead me to business school (which, in my opinion, is a great place for artists to go!) and gave me a foundation for starting my stationery line, Papa Llama, which was inspired by all those heart felt letters from my mom and our family. I wanted my cards to maintain the authenticity of having them made not only from the heart but in the city I call home, San Francisco. Which lead me to figure out this thing called letterpress, got a bunch of very heavy machines and became a printer for 10ish years. It wasn’t until my dear friend nudged me to bring out all the wacky stuff I was making after hours by curating my first solo show late 2019. When the pandemic hit, it turned everything upside down, and forced me to shift gears. I leaned into my art for survival and ended up finding my voice and joy in needle felting. Read more>>
Paula Muller of CareLink360
I was born in Santiago, Chile, in the early 70s, as the first daughter of a young, hardworking family. Growing up in Chile shaped much of who I am today. I was blessed with a loving and supportive family who constantly encouraged me to pursue my dreams. That kind of encouragement is invaluable; knowing that, no matter what, your family will stand by you whether you succeed or fail, gives you the freedom to explore, take risks, and grow. It’s a gift I’ve carried with me throughout my life. Read more>>
Paras Juneja
I was born and brought up in India, and for a long time, it seemed like I was on the path to becoming an engineer. But, in the last stretch of preparing for my engineering entrance exams, I realized my passion lay elsewhere. That’s when I decided to switch lanes and dive into the creative world of animation and design. I completed my bachelor’s in Animation and Design and then took a big leap by moving to Germany to attend Miami Ad School, where I pursued a Master’s in Advertising. It was an incredible experience, and I planned to work in international advertising agencies. But then COVID happened, and I had to return to India. Read more>>
Kevin Schreck’s Story
I always gravitated toward visual storytelling. Whether it was drawing from a very early age, designing board games, creating picture books, and eventually making movies on a Hi-8 camcorder with puppets or my family, I always felt most at home with expressing myself through visual stories. Music, language, sound effects, and all of these other elements mattered to me, too, of course. That was the exciting thing about cinema: it’s a “Gesamtkunstwerk,” a total, cohesive work of art that is brought together through many different creative disciplines. Read more>>
Kiara Grimes
The more my journey continues the more I realize how early my journey began. Ever since I was a little girl singing in the elementary talent shows and performing in dance recitals I was always subconsciously preparing myself to be a performer! As I’m getting older I’m understanding and witnessing the power of networking. One thing can always lead to another and I’m excited to see what’s next! Read more>>
Abigail Wild
I was a loner as a child. I wanted to be by myself, creating fantastical worlds in my mind. These worlds were my happy place and where I wanted to live. My real life was full of hospitalizations and screaming parents. I wanted no part of the mundane, just the fantasy. So I sat at my little pink desk drawing, painting, and writing. I just didn’t fit in and I was okay with that. When it came time to make college decisions, my parents had hopes and dreams of having a travel agent in the family. It didn’t work out for them, so I decided to go to school for visual arts, graphic design, to be more precise. My family didn’t understand what graphic design was, so all of this confused them greatly. They still say “We sent you to school for computers, why can’t you fix our computer?” Fixing computers was not at all what I was learning, of course. Read more>>
Omkcar Shethe
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Omkcar from India who wasn’t very good at academics. However, he was always creative with his excuses for why he didn’t score well on tests. He decided to use this creativity for something bigger. He tried making films but soon fell in love with advertising, especially writing ads. He went to an ad school to learn more and became a copywriter. His job took him from India to New York, and together he has been working for five years. Read more>>
Janelle Nelissen
Hi friends, I’m Janelle. The founder, CEO and creative behind The Sage Creatives, a website design and branding studio for small businesses and creatives that don’t just dream, they do. For me, it’s not just about building pretty websites, it’s about building foundations, telling stories, and connecting people. I love learning about the passion that drives people to start their business, what their “why” is and how they wish to show up for their community. It’s the most important part of my creative process. By fully understanding what my client is all about and how they do what they do, I can establish their voice, build their brand, and bring their vision to life. Read more>>
Elizabeth Redford of Tablespoons Bakery
I am a former classroom special education teacher who founded a nonprofit bakery. Our bakery serves as a vocational training center for young adults with developmental disabilities. My connection to this work first started as a kid. One of my best friends in elementary school was born Deaf and lived in both a hearing family and hearing community. I saw her navigate an educational environment that wasn’t always set up for her academic success. I was later diagnosed in middle school with a learning disability and then experienced this same challenge for myself. These experiences led me to ultimately pursue my master’s in education from the College of William and Mary, focusing on Special Education. Read more>>
Jason Melhorn of Hops and Barleys & Beerded Goat Brewing co
I had no real idea what I wanted to do with my life. There were no subjects that really sparked my interest in school, and continuing education didn’t seem to spark any passion whatsoever. At the age of 16, my uncles owned a family restaurant which also offered catering’s. I remember getting some calls from them when they were short dishwashers for their off site catering jobs, and asked if I would be willing to step in when they were in a bind. From there, I developed a real interest in the hospitality industry. I started food running, serving, bartending, and then transitioning into the kitchen to learn cooking. I developed a passion for food, people, and now as of late, a burning desire for leadership. Read more>>
David Schipper of Strategic Learning Clinic
I have lived and breathed education and a life of service to students and families for decades. It began with tutoring students in my neighbourhood when I was still a teenager myself. As a young adult, I was a door-to-door tutor man, tutoring students in their homes after school and on weekends. Later on, I opened my first learning centre, 2Torial Educational Centre. In 2013, the co-founder of the renowned Strategic Learning Clinic chose me to take over the then-nearly-24-year-old institution. Today, under my leadership, Strategic Learning Clinic works with students across North America, teaching them how to read, write, and conquer math. The common denominator in my work is my love for the future of the young people in our society. Read more>>
Emily Friedman
I started out working in development and as a casting assistant in reality TV. That really helped me learn the pitching process and allowed me to get my first job working in creative development in advertising. I was later able to go freelance and spent over five years working on pitches across the media industry as a designer, copywriter, and strategist. Parallel to that work, I’ve built a portfolio as a freelance producer and director and have been able to use my skills in pitch packaging to bring my own work to fruition. Read more>>
Kinjal Shah of GlobalMavin LLC and Verity Motions
I began my professional journey by joining my father’s business, which he established 25 years ago in India. Throughout my education and schooling, I had the opportunity to witness the company’s growth and evolution firsthand. After completing my education, I joined the business with a vision to expand into the North American market. We made the big decision to start operating in Canada and the US about four or five years ago. We have since committed to expanding our footprint and building our brand in these markets. I have gained a great deal of knowledge about the industry and priceless insights from this experience, which has set us up for future growth and success. Read more>>
Whitney Taylor of W Cosmetics
From a young age, creating my own beauty brand was a dream I was passionate about. The opportunity to turn that dream into reality came during my college years, where I started in my dorm room with just three lip colors. Today, I’m proud to have expanded to a full range of lip colors and other cosmetic products. Reaching this point has required immense dedication, hard work, and perseverance. I knew that achieving greatness meant fully committing to my vision, and that’s exactly what I did. Now, W Cosmetics is featured on some of your favorite celebrities, gracing TV screens and magazines nationwide. Read more>>
Carol Anthony’s Story
I remember being asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and having no idea how to answer. So my whole life path has been about finding the answer(s) to that question, which has led to many different starts and restarts, widely different destinations and reasons for going there. If I have learned anything along this path, it is that even as you may put forward your best effort for success in reaching your destination, you may end up somewhere else other than where you thought you were going. For me, the labyrinthic road to finding purpose in what you do has not ended. At age 70, I have unretired to start a new job that represents a purpose that has probably been hibernating in me for decades. Have I discovered finally what I really wanted to be when I grew up? Maybe, or maybe I will discover what the 70 year old me was meant to be. Read more>>
Sayali Bramhe
My path was clear to me from a young age thanks to my wonderful parents and my mentors/teachers growing up. I was given free rein to express myself in any way I chose, and I happened to pick…drama. I started out with acting at a very young age, I was part of nearly 25 Print and TV Commercials and had played a supporting role in Onir’s ‘I Am’ in 2010. I was enrolled into Bharatanatyam (Indian Classical Dance) classes at the age of 9. Bharatanatyam invariably turned into a consistent form of practicing and sharpening my acting skills given the importance of ‘natya’ (dramatic aspect of the dance) in the dance form. Read more>>
Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Moreman’s Story
I do not want the starting point of my story to be when I was born profoundly bilateral sensorineural deaf. However, I must share this because it is integral to understanding my journey and how I got to where I am today, accomplishing many things with determination and diligence. Having published poetry collections titled *Reclaiming Calla Lilies* and *Was sie sieht | What she sees*, my forthcoming collection, *ThreeS into Infinity*, chronicles my cochlear implantation journey. Initially, I did not want to undergo cochlear implantation. However, when I learned that I was selected to be part of the TEDxBirmingham 2018 cohort as a speaker, my first step of action was to schedule the surgery. This was not an impulsive decision but one made after eleven months of researching, interviewing, and evaluating the benefits and risks of cochlear implantation. Even after this extensive process, I was still uncertain until I received the email congratulating me on being selected as a TEDx speaker. That moment made me realize the significance of living out the message in my proposed talk. I was, and still am, the message of my TEDx talk. Read more>>
Michael (jusmic) Stewart
I got my start by doing talent shows. I took my development further by attending Mercy college where I got a bachelors degree in music. In the early 2000’s I performed at the “Voices of Tomorrow showcase” Presented by BMI in conjunction with the non-profit educational organization Add Joy To Learning where I met Hollywood Producer and the CEO and founder of Mozell Entertainment Group Richard Willis Jr who became friend and mentor to me. I toured and produced music with his artist Reyn and scored music for Fox News Corps documentary “Don’t Count Us Out” as well as other Docufilms and Apps. I’ve also recorded and produced independent albums of my own “All Good Things Come From God” and Tomorrow’s Too Late” Read more>>
Boujee Mustard
I started taking pictures when I was around 14, I started off with event photography. I then branched out to portraits and fell in love with the versatility and creative put into them. Since then I’ve been photographing non stop. Read more>>
Dr. Stephanie Grunewald of Ancorio
I’m Dr. Stephanie Grunewald. Personally, I am an empath, nature lover, and lifelong learner. Professionally, I’m an Alignment Strategist, Psychologist, and Speaker. My empathetic nature, resilience, and love of learning are interwoven throughout my life story. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider, struggling to fit in. Despite desperately wanting to belong, my heightened awareness of the emotions around me also led to needing a lot of time in solitude. This need for solitude became the foundation for my love of learning, as I found comfort and escape in books and academic pursuits. Read more>>
Stephanie Franco
My journey has been an adventure. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I remember being stuck in non-profit jobs that weren’t fulfilling me nor paying well. I would joke with my friends that I was in a “mid quarter life crisis”, questioning if I studied the wrong thing in school and what I truly wanted to do in my life. Despite these questions, I was always doing some type of storytelling work at my jobs and it brought me a lot of joy. In 2022, I took the leap and bet on myself. It aligned in my life because I was actually at a job that was depleting my soul. When that chapter came to a close, I began my freelance journey. I had to believe that pursuing my creative dreams was possible and that nothing could stop me. I had no idea how I was going to get there, but I knew I wanted to pursue writing and producing in the film and audio industry. I was scared it wouldn’t work out, and a couple weeks later, I got an opportunity to be an Associate Producer at Stage 13/Warner Brothers. Read more>>
Larnique Mickens
How does one go from military service to the world of funeral directing? Well, grab a seat; I’ve got a story for you! My journey begins in sunny West Palm Beach, Florida, where I was raised by two incredible women—my mother and grandmother—who instilled in me the values of hard work, compassion, and community service. After proudly serving 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, I transitioned into civilian life. But instead of jumping straight into a new career, I found myself becoming my husband’s trusted note-taker. You see, he has penmanship that even the best decoders would struggle to understand! At first, I thought my role was just to jot down his notes and offer advice when family members reached out. I would often joke that my words didn’t really matter; I was just there to ensure his message was clearly conveyed. Read more>>
Beth Uznis Johnson
I began my journey as a creative writer more than twenty years ago and worked as hard as I could to publish my first novel in January 2024. So, what’s next? Having accomplished my goal to be a published author doesn’t mean I’ll have the chance to publish another. The work continues. I now need to take a deep breath, utilize everything I learned along the way, keep writing, and keep submitting my work. It’s strange sometimes to accomplish a goal, only to feel back to square one. There’s often a bit of a letdown, like you expect the whole world will change. But. I need to remember that I have tools to do the work and the next book awaits. For writers, it’s getting back to it that matters most. Read more>>
Margo Tantau
I’ve been interested in creativity and have been one to notice details all my life. My mom was an interior designer and brought her work home in a good way- she included us in her thoughts, projects, designs and ideas. I think this definitely planted the seed of thinking about the many elements of design early on. I was fortunate as well to have a dad that was an airline pilot, so that too was a gift, as we could travel for next to nothing, and we did. I always dabbled with drawing, painting and making things, and when it came to school, I got a design degree, although it wasn’t very specific. My parents encouraged me to get a broader education instead of, say, attending an art school, but I wish in hindsight that I had gone the art school route and had more focus in one area. Read more>>
Francis Jeremiah Oshogwe
As an artist, my journey began with a deep passion for drawing and painting from a young age. I seized every opportunity to create, finding solace in art. This passion led me to study at the School of Art and Industrial Design at Auchi Polytechnic, where I graduated in December 2019. In 2020, I became a full-time studio artist. However, during this time, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown posed significant challenges, limiting my access to materials and making it difficult to practice. Surprisingly, this period of isolation turned into a revelation for me. I spent nine months working on just one painting, yearning to create every day but restricted by the resources available. Read more>>
Andrezza Haddaway
I’m Brazilian, living in the US for 12 years. I never thought that I would move anywhere away from my comfort zone since I have pretty solid roots in my country, with my family and friends. I met my husband, who is American, through a community online for photographers from all over the world. two strangers, one in Brazil and the other in the US, leaving comments at each other’s pictures. Until one day I posted a sunset photo and he sent me an email talking about it and I wrote him back. We never stopped it, we sent emails to each other everyday. The whole thing feels surreal to me until now. Read more>>
Daniel Azarian
My passion for filmmaking ignited when I was a child. My father, who owned a Super8 camera, encouraged me to create films. By age 10, I had learned how to operate the camera, and by 12, I was editing my films. In those days, editing involved viewing the film in a hand-cranked viewer, physically cutting it, and taping it together with splicing tape. I quickly began making my own science fiction and horror films in our New Jersey suburban backyard with our friends, featuring alien and monster invasions. Filmmaking was my passion. Read more>>
Melinda Matticoli’s Story
I started dancing at 3, and began professionally working a few years ago! I work in New York and Los Angeles and hop between the coasts. I love working on film and in the contemporary field. Read more>>
Kathy Taylor of Be THAT Academy LLC
I was raised in Norfolk, VA, and I discovered my passion for helping, teaching, and organizing events at a very early age. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Norfolk State University, focusing on Education and Business, I dedicated almost 20 years to working in early childhood education and managing an event-planning company. Now, I serve as an Inclusive Leadership Perspective Strategist at Kathy Taylor Consulting LLC, offering various services focused on coaching and leadership development. I am also passionate about supporting Multi-Passionate Entrepreneurs and Creative Thought Leaders through my latest project, Be THAT Academy LLC, guiding them to turn their dreams and visions into reality. Read more>>
Joy Edwards
In 2014, I received a chemical burn on my scalp from a perm left on my hair for too long by my stylist. As a woman of color, perming my hair was part of my beauty ritual, and every once in a while I would get burns, but this time was different. Previously, if my scalp began burning she would start to rinse the perm out of my hair within a few moments; however, this particular day, she was double-booked as usual, but she couldn’t get to me right away and I suffered what I’m sure were second degree burns. Read more>>
Xavier Thomas
Roughly around 2017, I was on the verge of graduating college and being one of the first in my family to receive a degree. During that time I was curious about writing a book, and I reached out to a family member that already had knowledge about the publishing industry. I wanted to know the ends and outs. So, he mainly walked me through writing my first book and taught me the challenges of publishing. Now I currently have 5 books on the market. Read more>>
Zakkiyyah Salaam of ZS Legacy LLC
ZS Legacy LLC, a small business rooted in the heart of community. My name is Zakkiyyah Salaam, and as the founder and an independent community organizer, I am dedicated to creating meaningful change by empowering local small businesses and fostering sustainable communities. ZS Legacy LLC is more than a business; it is an initiative of love, born out of a disire to minimizing social disparities and uplifting marginalized communities. With an MBA in organizational leadership and years of experience in program development, fundraising, and partnership cultivation, I have been able to harness my skills and network to drive impactful community projects. Read more>>
Anya Zhang
I have loved art ever since I could remember. I love all art forms, creating them, and living with them. My parents are not very artistic, that’s why they wanted to cultivate artistry in me. My mom would read me stories every night before I went to sleep, and they have been taking me to drawing, dancing and piano lessons. I was not able to understand the fun in some of the classes, and now I do, I should’ve taken the classes more seriously because it’s gonna be useful for my artistic career. But I don’t want my career to be limited to only one art form. I enjoy on stage performances, as much as I enjoy drawing and writing in my own time. I believe ideas need to be executed in different forms in order to achieve the optimum effect. I want to build a comprehensive artistic career, not limited to one or two identities. It’s going to be a hard path, which I can already foresee many obstacles coming on the way. But I still want to give it a shot. It’s only a beginning, but I want to leave my mark on this world. Read more>>
Samantha Parker
My name is Sam, I go by SamRay in the Las Vegas community. I was born and raised in the Las Vegas Valley. I grew up in the church, but always had a creative outlet. I’ve done theatre, painting, photography, pottery and poetry. I didn’t have the worst childhood, but it definitely wasn’t easy. I don’t think I would have been able to get through most of it without my creative outlets. Most recently, Poetry has become my whole world. I was invited to a Spotlight Poetry open mic in June of 2021 and have been inseparable since. My main goal is to put words where others can’t. Navigating tough feelings while also helping heal others. Read more>>