Our stories are often hard to understand until folks understand our true motivations, our true drivers and the stories behind why our mission or purpose truly matters to us. We’ve asked some inspiring folks from the community to talk to us about why they do what they do and have shared some of our favorite responses below.

Justen Hong

Visual Lure is a full-service design firm specializing in logo design, branding, and custom search engine-optimized WordPress websites. Our core mission is to empower small to mid-sized local businesses—particularly fellow entrepreneurs—to thrive through impactful branding and strong local search rankings. Read more>>

Armenian Organized Resistance Coalition

Our mission is to fight for the liberation of all Armenians while building intersectional solidarity with all victims of our oppressors, to elevate our cultures and shared struggles and expose the networks and tactics of our shared enemies. We aim to take advantage of our positions in the diaspora by pressuring empowered political decision-makers who fail to represent our interests, and establishing a radical leftist Armenian presence in the streets that’s inclusive of all our allies. Read more>>

Jesus Gutierrez

Our mission at Gay Pride Apparel is to empower and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community every day, everywhere. This mission is deeply personal to us as gay, first-generation Mexican-Americans who grew up feeling unseen in mainstream culture.

The turning point came during Pride 2018 in New York City. On July 1st, we saw the vibrant rainbows and celebrations of Pride washed away, a stark reminder of how society often limits LGBTQ+ visibility to a single month. We wanted to change that. Read more>>

Hera Li

As a Singaporean American mom, my journey into motherhood reshaped my priorities. Despite a career in tech, with my last role as the head of search engineering at Slack, my focus shifted when my little ones, now 2 and 4, entered my life. Sourcing diverse books for their little home library, I faced a common challenge—there are plentiful English options but a scarcity of quality Chinese books. Read more>>

Monique (moe) Jeter

Moe’s journey into holistic women’s health began after experiencing her own health challenges and realizing the power of natural remedies. Her compassionate approach makes her a trusted resource for women seeking natural and holistic alternatives for their reproductive health concerns.

By combining her knowledge, passion, and community-focused approach, Moe continues to make a positive impact on the lives of women in her community. Read more>>

Ben Umansky And Shira Keshet

Our mission is rooted in being authentic and sharing our true selves with the people and communities we connect with. At BluPoetry, we aim to spread an energy of love, appreciation, and kindness in everything we do. This journey isn’t just about creating art, videos and photography—it’s about building meaningful relationships and approaching each connection with professionalism and genuine care. Read more>>

Rarosue Amaraibi

The mission behind Sustainability Nuggets podcast emerged from my experience straddling two worlds: the technical realm of sustainable technology research and the general public’s understanding of environmental issues. As a researcher specializing in sustainable technologies, I noticed a significant gap between the complex scientific solutions being developed and public awareness of these innovations. Read more>>

Presley Owusu-bonsu

The Story Behind PresElyte Events’ Mission

At PresElyte Events, our mission to design meaningful events that reflect God’s glory stems from a deep desire to blend purpose with creativity. As an event planning and coordination company, we believe that every gathering (big or small) can be a transformative experience that fosters connection, celebrates diversity, and honors God’s presence through thoughtful, intentional details. Read more>>

Alyssa Feltes

The mission for this studio is to provide encouragement through educational care for all students. The goal result is for them to be more confident and connected with their singing voices and overall self. (Care, Confidence, Connect)
My mission is deeply rooted in my own personal journey of growing up and navigating my place in the music industry. I struggled with severe performance anxiety, perfectionism, low self-esteem, a co-dependent personality disorder, and deep depression. Therapy became my most vital tool in confronting and overcoming the obstacles that held me back from feeling successful in this industry. Throughout these challenges, the one constant that supported me was this studio. What began as a mission to help my students has now evolved into a mission of self-care and reclaiming success with my own voice. Read more>>

India Kershaw

One of the main missions behind my firm is education. However, it’s the personal mission behind the firm mission that sets the foundation for why I do what I do. While it took me a few years to realize that real estate was my calling, the real estate seed was planted years ago at the age of 10. My parents built our second home from the ground up and I was enamored by the entire process. While the house hunting and construction process set the tone for my future calling, it was the events that unfolded several years later that would tie my calling to my ultimate true mission. Read more>>

Lio Kanine

My mission as a young 20 Year Old was simply to work in the music industry in some capacity.
I honestly didn’t know how or what job I was gonna do, but just wanted to be involved somehow.

I first started by working in venues / night clubs booking live bands, Djs, and promoting shows.

I later moved onto forming co-founding our own record label, Kanine Records, and releasing records by various independent artists. Read more>>

Vili Hickey

My mission is to empower women to reclaim their feminine power, reconnect with their bodies, and heal from trauma stored in their wombs. This mission is deeply personal and rooted in my own journey of transformation. After the birth of my first child, I experienced profound physical and emotional trauma that left me feeling disconnected from my body and my sense of self. It was in the darkest moments that I began to make better choices for myself—choosing to create space for my feelings, listen to my body’s intuition, and trust what it was telling me. Read more>>

Dr. Purity Smith

GrowingHER LLC encourages a strong dedication to advancing God’s Kingdom in her life, her home, her community, and the entire world, we hope to inspire women of all backgrounds to grow in her knowledge of full purpose and love for God and others. Read more>>

Louise Kendra Isabela Criselda Lao-rascon

Buhay Donsol is more than just a project; it is a heartfelt initiative inspired by the rich natural and cultural heritage of Donsol, Philippines. This thesis-driven initiative focuses on fostering sustainable whale shark ecotourism through community empowerment and environmental stewardship. Drawing on principles of design, stakeholder engagement, and interpretive storytelling, Buhay Donsol aims to ensure that conservation efforts are not just impactful but also inclusive. Read more>>

C.z. Reeves

My family and I moved from a small town in South Carolina to Orlando almost three years ago. While it was the best move for our family, it took a toll on my mental health and I found myself sinking into a depression. Everyday life can be incredibly overwhelming, meeting expectations for family, work and the like… so I turned to reading to fill the empty space after the kids went to bed. I was always an avid reader but at that time in my life, I needed the escape. And that’s exactly what I found, an escape, a break from my reality. This is why I write too, to offer a break from reality with books full of love, laughter and happily ever after. Celebrating love and life is a beautiful thing and sometimes you need someone else story to shine the light on the beauty in your own. Read more>>

Chanel Benjamin

The story behind my mission is to be impactful by incorporating imperative initiatives, propelling mental health awareness in the community, and assisting the youth by offering scholarships towards their College Experience. Through providing opportunities in vast areas displaying creativity in a very necessary, purposeful, and intentional way through education. The reassurance of motivation, belief, and a nudge in the right direction is something that is universal for progression. It is my way of paying it forward just as I was under the mentorship in different areas such as: Media, Basketball, Music, and Business. The key to excelling was learning from experience firsthand and networking within and outside my fields of interest. Read more>>

Vanessa Gyan

Seven years ago, I launched my non-profit organization, The Sincerely, Vee Foundation and under the organization is my maternal health initiative, The Post Pregnancy Boujie Express. The initiative is focused on supporting mothers and children from low income families. We support these individuals by paying their hospital bills, educating them on the importance of pre/postnatal care, provide them with care packages filled with mommy and baby necessities and celebrate them by throwing baby showers. Read more>>

Mimi Dessalines

The mission behind Be Inspired With Mimi was born from a deeply personal understanding of how easy it is to feel invisible in our vast world. As a healthcare professional, I’ve witnessed countless individuals—from patients, colleagues, and family members—struggle with feeling unseen and undervalued. This experience, combined with my journey as an operating room nurse and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, showed me the profound impact that genuine encouragement and recognition can have on someone’s life. Read more>>

Priscilla Cabada

At its heart, my mission is to bring happiness and positivity to my community. I want my cakes to inspire moments of connection and joy, whether it’s a family gathering, a milestone celebration, or simply someone treating themselves to something special. My psychology background plays an important role in this mission—I’ve always believed and have witnessed first hand how small acts of kindness and positivity can ripple through a community, creating a lasting impact. Through P.S. Bake Shop, I hope to be a part of that positive impact by contributing to the sweet, happy moments that bring people together. Read more>>

Lindsey Escaja

Writing for me is like crafting a French 75 cocktail—timeless, balanced, and polished. Every word is chosen with intention, every sentence designed to leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s punchy, persuasive, or poetic, I write for the client and their unique vision, but always with a touch of refinement that makes it unforgettable. Just like the cocktail, my writing isn’t about doing what’s trendy—it’s about creating something classic and impactful. It’s meaningful to me because writing is my craft, and I believe every story, big or small, deserves to shine. Read more>>

Lindsay Hitch

My goal with my work is really to spread joy. In our homes, we’re surrounded by so much stuff, but I think that if we choose items with purpose, it can have a real impact on our day to day lives. There is so much opportunity in the objects we fill our homes with and some of these things we look at or touch every day like bed linens, curtains, wallpaper, and of course, dishes. If we choose those objects intentionally, whether that is to elicit an emotion, trigger a nostalgic memory, or simply because they makes you smile, those little moments can add up. My work definitely seems silly to some, but if I can add a little happiness and whimsy to someone’s routine moments, that’s a win for me. Read more>>

Reginald Gilmore Ii

Having spent ten years in corporate America, I gained a firsthand view of what the mental health industry offers—and, more importantly, what it lacks. I observed the constraints of bureaucracy and red tape that often prevent organizations from truly meeting people where they are. Traditional therapeutic spaces, especially within large corporations and hospitals, can be intimidating and impersonal, creating barriers to care. Stepping outside these confines into my own practice has allowed me to bring therapy into the community in a way that is accessible, approachable, and impactful. Read more>>

Oscar Roberts

I am Oscar Leroy Roberts, great-grandson of Joseph Jenkins Roberts, Liberia’s first president. It is both humbling and empowering to carry the legacy of a man who not only led a nation to independence but also laid the groundwork for its economic and cultural growth. Today, I feel an unyielding responsibility to build upon his foundation, adapting his vision to address the challenges of our era. Read more>>

Jaejoon Ha

There are things I try not to forget even after 8 years of working as a street photographer! Consistency and always looking at things positively! Without these two things, your imagination will be small and you will only see reality, so you will not be able to imagine many things! Read more>>

Maria Ross

My work helping forward- thinking leaders and teams embrace empathy to achieve radical success evolved from my original intent when I started my brand strategy consultancy. A few factors came together to create a perfect storm!

Empathy has always been a superpower for me as a marketer and brand strategist Helping clients see the world from their customers’ point of view and crafting compelling messaging to speak directly to them. The goal is to connect and engage and empathy helps you do that. Many of my most tech, left-brain analytical clients started to say they wanted their brand to be “seen as empathetic”which I found interesting, What did that mean to them? Could they really deliver on that brand promise? Read more>>