We asked some of the most talented folks in the community to talk to us about projects they’ve worked on that they still think about, projects that really meant something. Have you had such an experience? Are you looking for inspiration for your next project? Check out the stories below, they are exciting, entertaining, and most importantly – inspiring.

Emily Kissa

The topic I chose is meaningful projects as I have had a couple collaborations in areas I am passionate. One specifically was a collaboration with huddleverse which brings awareness to mental health. I love being able to use my platform to bring awareness to different topics I find meaningful like mental health, bio conservation, and different problems with the ocean., especially through my small business. Read more>>

Courtney Barriger

Almost a decade ago I was given the opportunity to start my own clothing line. When I say given, it was actually won. My little old self was named America’s It Girl on a silly reality TV show that was broadcast on Women’s Entertainment. The winnings was an apparel line, sponsored by the TV show, and as I went into research mode, I discovered how toxic the apparel industry had become. Read more>>

July Turner

One of the most meaningful projects I have been apart of has been released this February. I wrote and recorded my self-titled debut EP (4 songs) for about a year until I recorded the songs June 2022. A lot of the writing was done in the process of moving from Atlanta, GA to Nashville, TN. I moved to Nashville to start my career in the music business and started looking for a producer and someone I could trust help bring my vision to life. Read more>>

Richard Wilson

The most meaningful project has been to refine my songwriting and performing – and be true to my artistic identity – and make it a career! I write soulful blues and jazz songs and perform solo (electric guitar and voice).
As I say during shows ,I explore the intersection of jazz, blues, soul and gospel – and try to take the music onwards, but inspired from these amazing genres. Read more>>

Luke Park

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve had the privilege of working on is a short film called “Ibrahim,” where I was the director of photography. This project was very special, not only because of its unique storyline but also the unique circumstances and context surrounding its creation. Read more>>

Dane Newton

There are two projects of mine that I’d say are my most meaningful. Congregation for the Outcasts, a documentation of the pre-COVID hardcore music scene in Kansas City, and Edison’s Nightmare, a current work in progress that illuminates experiences of post-traumatic stress. Read more>>

Richard Tichelman

I am currently in the midst of what’s been my most meaningful project yet. It all started about 4 years ago. I had just signed with with my manager at the time, she came into the picture and brought me into lots of writing sessions, and as you’d believe it we soon had an album. it came together swiftly and was indicative of my head at the time. Read more>>

Ely Yancey

We recently released our second EP, titled “SON.”. This EP is a culmination of the work we have put in the last three years being a band, with all of the songs being meticulously picked apart and worked through by every member of the band. The first song written on the EP, titled “HERE TO STAY.” was originally written by myself in the Fall of 2021, and from there we continued to write more music together. “MENTAL GOODBYES.” Read more>>

Vaja

My new single is a cover of Depeche Mode’s “People Are People,” which I co-produced with Oscar-Nominated & Award Winning film composer Steve Horner. This classic anthem means so much to me because it’s about uniting humanity & ending racism. Read more>>

Eric M. Cooper

Eric M. Cooper has been writing novels since 2002, His drive is to publish meaningful stories for the readers. Eric’s first novel series was Knight Seeker. Each of the three books in his sage has a meaningful purpose and intent for the reader. Read more>>

Giovanni Gioia

Two years ago, I lost my incredible mom, Pennie, to her2+ metastatic breast cancer. I wanted to create something that would honor her, bring joy and happiness like she always gave to the world, and raise awareness and money for researching the same or similar types of cancers that she was diagnosed with. Read more>>

Gracie Hall

Nashville is saturated with musicians and creatives. I find that for most, words and music comes so naturally to everyone. However this idea that channeling emotions into a song or creating a sound is something that I have a difficult time articulating. For me, I find fulfillment in creating images that represent a specific sound. Read more>>

Carly Gee

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on so many special and meaningful projects. From being invited to gardens to pick and preserve their homegrown garden blooms, to being trusted with baby showers, anniversaries, and wedding bouquets. I just finished a project that was an absolute honor and joy for me to work on. Read more>>

Beth Ribeiro

I worked on a documentary called “Captive Audience” and it was my most meaningful project yet. This is mostly because of the people I worked with – Jessica Dimmock (director) and Joe Rivera (director of photography). It was really sensitive subject matter that both Jess and Joe handled with such care and craft. It was really powerful to contribute to such an important story. Read more>>

Niko Kokkinos

Creating a clothing brand has always been something that I had passion for, but I didn’t have a clear image of what I wanted the concept to be focused on. I slowly started working with the idea of my cultural background of being Greek. I created the concept of Modern Lusso through my eyes as being first generation born in America. Read more>>

Rob LaColla

There’s some projects out there that take you to a place you wouldn’t normally go. Like playing a father who’s lost his son, to a sociopathic murderer. Fortunately, I’m neither one of these people. But understanding each character has made me a more sympathetic, emotional, and understanding person. I’m grateful for so many of the projects I had the opportunity to work on because many of them helped me see what others may be going through that we may not understand. Read more>>

Scott Stout

Primarily it’s The Gumbo YaYa Radio Show. Launched in January 2013, GYYRS was created to support NEW & INDEPENDENT artists and help them get the airplay they deserve and recognition by top producers in the industry. Our goal is to provide a platform for Musicians, Singers & Song Writers to achieve THEIR goals of being signed to a label or agency or having their music aired, recorded, published and/or performed. Read more>>

Justin Shiels

It started with a breakup. Like most stories. But what followed was a deep desire to understand myself fully: the good, the bad, and the not-so-awesome. Therapy, daily journaling, and illustration changed my life and led me to launch a weekly newsletter that helps creative humans live a more intentional life. Read more>>

Ryan Manley

One of my biggest passion projects is a production company focused on female centric stories called Minx. I created it with my good friend and fellow screenwriter Janelle Goforth. Our working tagline for now is “Female centric stories are our bread and butter” It’s still just in the planning process and it’s far away from being realized but we’ve already come up with a lot of unique projects to lead with. Read more>>

Sheba CreativeAF

My most meaningful project happens to be the most recent project I worked on. I had the pleasure of supporting my client Blake’s BBQ & Burgers close their doors after 42 years in business. Most people wouldn’t think of marketing or seeking media coverage for the closing of a business, but it was important to Mr. Blake and I wanted him to have the closing he was hoping for. Read more>>

Kelly Lewis

The most meaningful project I have worked on is a collaborative non-profit born of the healing we receive from the arts. The Pagosa Community Initiative is a family resources center born from a prior non-profit that I was a part of. The motto of the prior organization was “Art for All,” and we started an afterschool program that served kids and families by providing art and play-based afterschool care. Read more>>

Nick Petty

Working with Eric Wilson of Sublime was a big deal for us. Growing up I had listened to Sublime and Nirvana despite the troubles they had I did always related to the chaos of the music. I knew chaos as a child with ADHD and the child of my parents who had a divorce. I started my band in 2012 and didn’t mean Eric until 2022 or 2021. Read more>>

Sharen Rooks

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was the Born2Win annual inspirational concert. Visions of the concept were provided five years before actual execution. I began to map out the points on paper and over time, I began to realize how it all made sense. Many would think, this was a business concept. NOT so. It was designed to be an event to recognize anyone who has been victimized but yet overcame the trauma. Read more>>

Jordan Ching

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is actually something that’s still in progress… my first feature documentary! El Turista Imaginario. A friend and now business partner, Cormac, approached me and said, “We have to tell this story!” It is the story of Luis Martinez, a Cuban poet, community elder, and mentor who travels the world through his mind and pen but has never been further than 100 miles from his hometown. Read more>>

Martin Yousif Zebari

Working on my first full-length play, Layalina, from its inception to its recent world premier has been one of the most humbling, challenging and rewarding artistic experiences of my entire career. In the height of the 2020 quarantine, with nothing else to do, I spent months confronting years of unprocessed trauma from my childhood and young adulthood. Read more>>

Anna Sabatini

As you may know, the ongoing situation in Ukraine has caused many families to flee the country, leaving them as refugees. But here in North Carolina, we have a growing Ukrainian community that has been working hard to support them. I am part of this group and we’re trying to raise funds to help our fellow Ukrainians and those fighting for the freedom of our motherland. Read more>>

Kim Sandara

The 270 Million Project is a commitment to create 270 ink paintings inspired by Lao music. These pieces explore my relationship to being a Lao American: the longing to understand my roots and the conflict of being American and Lao. Each painting represents 1 million American cluster bombs dropped onto Laos during the Vietnam War. Read more>>

Julia Verdin

I am a believer in the power of film and it’s ability to raise awareness on key social issues. I’m very passionate about creating social impact films on topics such as child trafficking, domestic abuse, alcoholism, bullying, the current homeless crisis. My goal is bring awareness to these issues via film, which is a medium that can really bring focus to these real-world problems. Read more>>

Dana Rexx

For me the most meaningful thing was definitely being able to open the show for the legendary Anastacia earlier this year and to tour across Europe with her. It was my first real tour, travelling in a van with my band, on the road full time and on stage in a different city nearly every night for two and a half weeks. Read more>>

Maryjo Mattea

As a Zumba instructor, my donation-based virtual pandemic classes were the most meaningful for me. I initially started the classes as a way to keep my instructor skills sharp during lockdown, but was fairly convinced that interest would peter out after a few weeks or months. Much to my surprise, interest and uptake skyrocketed and I was receiving messages from people all over the world telling me how my classes were the thing they looked forward to every week. Read more>>

Kari Shafer

One of the most meaningful things I have done, is to be part of a surprise engagement. I’ve done these a few times over my 10+ years in the business, and it is always so special. The woman having no idea what is coming, and getting real/raw/in the moment photos is an amazing way to capture this huge milestone! Read more>>

Erin McLendon

The most recent album I released is probably the most meaningful to me. I write a lot of songs and not all of them get to see the light of day. With this album, I feel that I was able to take the best 6 songs from the last decade of me being an artist and give them the proper attention they deserve. Sure, I’ve played them live, and a few of them people have heard and just never realized they hadn’t been released yet but a few of them, I had actually put on the back burner until it was the right time. Read more>>

Arielle Eden

All of the music I release is very meaningful to me in different ways. My most recent single called “Start Again”, written with Emma Barge, is particularly meaningful because endings and beginnings are such a universal experience, and I feel that it’s been a song of encouragement for me. My hope is that others will also experience it to be encouraging and even healing. Read more>>

Whiskey Thomas

We just had our debut ‘1952’ release this year. It is eight songs that we all feel great about. I came off of a five year songwriting binge that found clarity when I moved back home. My uncle, who lives down the road from me, and myself had been talking about this idea for a while as I had been writing. Read more>>

Clay Clear

We’ve worked hard on our 2nd album, “High and Lonesome” and are super excited to release it. We worked with an amazing producer in Springfield MO, Oran Thornton. Oran has worked with so many great artists and we are happy to be added to that roster. We feel this new album is our best work to date. Read more>>

Jeremiah Stricklin

For our newest single, Blue Jean Jacket, we rented out a bowling alley to film the music video. We’re an indie band, so budget is always our biggest obstacle. Also, a band our size has no business trying to make a full blown music video. It’s too expensive. But, if I’ve learned anything in my ten years pursing this career, it’s that you need to take every chance you can to make something that brings you joy. Read more>>

Allonya Payne

Projects are easy to come by here in Memphis but I’m very selective. Most projects that I perform in are very diverse in content and meaning. I’ve decided that I like to branch out with new writers and up-and-coming filmmakers. One project that I am excited about and we’re going into season 2 is about some young adults with powers trying to win a game around the city to hold a title but I’m the villain who’s trying to stop their plains. Read more>>

Meredith McGraw Bishop

I’m a Nashvillian of twenty-two years. I met my husband here, started two businesses here, and am raising a family here. I’m also a believer, and have made Covenant Presbyterian my home church for all of these years. Read more>>

Catherine Dickson

As creatives and entrepreneurs, every project we embark on has some form of significance to us, some sort of connection to what drives us, what fuels our creative souls. When that connection is missing, finding the energy to power through the hurdles and obstacles we will face on any large project can seem overwhelming and daunting. Read more>>

Brianah Bezada

So proud of the program I created, I care you can too, where I service my community one volunteer hour at a time. I teach others how they too can be if service within their communities, and hopefully we can create a wave of volunteerism in many communities Read more>>

Ted Sun

Last year, I had the opportunity to work with Parks California, and document the historic opening of Stone Lagoon Visitor Center at Humboldt Lagoons State Park. This became the first tribally operated visitor center, and it was an amazing experience to witness this groundbreaking achievement in partnership between CA State Parks and the Yurok Tribe. Read more>>

Johan Yardan

The Kinetic Audio project is the culmination of over a decade’s worth of musical passion. We recently launched Kinetic Audio in March of 2023 as a way to realize our idea of fusing music and visual arts. Read more>>

Rain Phoenix

I am the founder of LaunchLeft, (the ‘left’ stands for left-of-center artists- we are not a political organization). I would count LaunchLeft as a meaningful project, a kind of energy experiment. One of our very intentional goals is to turn greed toward generosity and competitiveness toward collaboration in the arts & entertainment space. Read more>>

Daniel Hoyt Kenneth Coton “DHKC”

Recently, I dropped my newest full-length solo project, “EMOTEP”. The title’s a play on the Egyptian historical figure “Imhotep” (who was heavily dramatized as a supernatural villain in the first two Brendan Fraser “Mummy” movies). Read more>>

John Gaenzler

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was my recording project WILLN’T. As a life-long musician and recording artist, there were always certain things I didn’t believe I would be good at. Things like engineering and mixing as well as keyboards and drum programming. I was the singer-songwriter/guitar guy. In 2017, when my daughter started school, I had some new free time. Read more>>

Komeh Ottison

As a cake artist, cake art is something we love and are passionate about, so being able to share this gift with other people gives pleasure seeing the excitement and smiles upon receiving their cake. One thing that is special to CakEffect, is the CakeAngel program. CakEffect CakeAngels was created to share our love and passion with families that are impacted by the critical illness of a child. Read more>>

Bea Egeto

I’ve been fortunate to be part of a number of amazing projects and was able to bring them to fruition. I was able to walk away with more experience, know what my strengths and weaknesses were during the process and proceed with fine tuning my abilities for the next one. When it came time for me to take my own passion project and make it a reality, I relied on my fortitude to overcome a lot of challenges that were basically headwind throughout most of the process. Read more>>

Wan Sian Lai

Helping Miko redesign their website has been meaningful because I immensely enjoyed the process and cooperation with the client. Miko is a household goods product company based in New York, a startup with big ambitions. At the beginning of this project, the Miko team and I spent most of the time discussing how to utilize the current assets and optimize the current website. Even though there are limitations in budget and timeline, a fresh-looking and user-friendly website could still be achieved. Read more>>

Carla McCullough

The most meaningful project that I’ve worked on is my current project entitled College Reunion. It has truly been a labor of love that began as a script idea and has evolved into a multi-faceted entertainment and education project with the goal of changing the world. Read more>>

Andriana Garbiso

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on, is the current feature film I am writing. Too many times have a I seen stereotyped casting, stereotyped stories, and impossible body types for the leading lady. My story is a champion for the people. A relatable underdog who breaks norms and does not apologize for her power. My maternal grandmother was born in Cuerámaro, Guanajuato, Mexico who was married off to an American soldier at age 15. Read more>>

Zorina Frey

The thing about being a creative for me is that the current project is always the most meaningful because it’s a new and fresh idea to explore. Creative projects are like being in a relationship, and not necessarily a romantic one. You often think the current…promise is “the one” that’s going to take you there (“there” meaning whatever it is you’re looking for—affirmation, acknowledgment, appreciation, fulfillment…etc.) Read more>>

Jacqueline Kerr

My troupe overall has been the most important thing to me in my life. I’ve had many projects as a child and teen and young adult that I started and failed and found myself abandoning after they didn’t pan out the way I expected them to but then I found burlesque. With my troupe, once I got it up and running, I saw the potential of so many creatives around me. Read more>>

Steve Noll

Photographing real people. It sounds like a funny sentence, but I prefer people who don’t usually get photographed. There’s beauty all around us, and many people don’t see that in their mirrors. So the opportunity to make someone see themselves either glamorous, athletic, sexy, or confident is my contribution to art. I’ve had several moments where I show pictures from a shoot, and they shed a tear and tell me they’ve never felt so attractive before. Those moments are what I live for in my work. Read more>>