Every once in a while we have the good fortune of working on a project that we feel truly matters, a project that we’ll still be thinking about years from now. Maybe even something we can imagine telling our grandkids about – surely you’ve had moments like that where something you did in your professional life really mattered?
Ricardo Puentes
I’ve had the privilege of working on incredible creative projects around the world, but one of the most meaningful one has been right here at home—at the Santa Monica Art Museum. Bringing A Day with David Bowie to life, featuring the photography of Christine de Grancy, has been an incredible experience. The images capture by moments throughout Bowie’s visit to the Gugging psychiatric hospital in 1994—and they speak volumes about empathy, creativity, and human connection. Christine’s photography capture really intriguing moments of thoughtfulness and life. Read more>>
Helen Dang
“This film was my rebellion, my love letter, and my bridge.”
The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is Revenge of the Black Widow (2024), my first original dance film — and the first time I fully saw myself reflected in my own work.
I wore many hats for this piece: creative director, choreographer, lead actor and dancer, and producer. But beyond the roles and titles, this film was deeply personal. It was the culmination of years spent trying to connect two cultures I hold close: my Chinese heritage, and the Hip Hop dance culture that shaped me into the artist I am. Read more>>
Tiara Young
The most meaningful project I have worked on is a painting I completed in 2024 called “Wishing Stars.” The backstory behind this piece is deeply personal. I am originally from Honduras, and all of my family on my mom’s side still lives there. Living in the United States has always been difficult because I am so far from them. Last summer, my grandmother in Honduras passed away very suddenly. It was devastating, especially because I was supposed to visit Honduras for the first time in ten years to see her. She passed away just one week before my trip. Read more>>
Arman Sedgwick-Billimoria
My name is Arman Sedgwick-Billimoria. I am an Emmy Nominated SFX/Foley Editor, Composer and Music Producer. I have been extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to work on some really cool projects. One of the coolest projects I worked on was a Netflix original animated series GO! GO! Cory Carson. I was brought on to help finish the show, creating original SFX and Foley movements for characters and aiding in creation of the post production sound process. While, I was thrown into the deep end sort to speak mid project, this gave me some great insight and perspective into what goes into creative processes and re-affirmed this is what i was destined to do. Read more>>
Isabel Tirado
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is Herencia Viva (Living Heritage in English). Not only because of its subject matter, but because of the profound impact it had on me personally. This project led me to deeply question my identity and how I allow myself to express it—from my roots to the way I inhabit the present. Read more>>
Inna Tauglich, PhD, MPH, Dip. LLC
As a child, I had a deep love for reading. Though we lived in a tiny apartment, it felt like a vast library. Books were everywhere: peeking through the glass doors of tall bookcases, lining shelves from top to bottom in the bedroom, and even stacked in the kitchen. I explored a wide range of genres, from the works of Stefan Zweig, Jules Verne, Stendhal, Chekhov, Pushkin, and Yesenin to fairy tales from around the world. That hunger for reading never faded. As an adult, it evolved into a passion for writing. When I chose a career in healthcare, I found a way to merge my love for writing with a commitment to education. Read more>>
Kai Bouhmad
I created Black Girls Shoot Too, a community for Black women photographers in Los Angeles. It has become my most rewarding and meaningful creation. In the past, I often felt my work as a creator was overlooked and lacked visibility simply because it did not fit a certain mold. Read more>>
Amanda “iiritu” Morell
I’m currently in the early stages of production for my short film, Colors We Made, a deeply personal sci-fi narrative inspired by the tragedy and lasting impact of Maternal Mortality.. At its core, the film explores memory, grief, and love through the lens of a young man navigating the cosmic aftermath of losing his partner and their unborn child due to healthcare negligence. It’s a story that transcends time and space while remaining grounded in the harsh realities faced by Black and Brown families within the U.S. healthcare system. Read more>>
Heather Jude
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is my current project of creating a Fall Winter Collection. This collection has been on my mind for about two years now, calling me to create it but I always felt that I had to put it aside for more important things. It wasn’t until this Fall that I really took the idea seriously of not only creating the collection but hosting my own fashion show. Fast forward to today and I have meetings everyday with talents wanting to jump on board and support the show in May. It’s been truly heart warming to see how many creatives are willing to help out and make this vision come true. Read more>>
Olivia Roumel
Probably my most recent project! I just released a five-song EP called “I Take a Picture (With My Whole Being)”. It’s my debut EP and consists of songs that are up to seven years old. It’s been a long and informative project for how I work and think as a creative director. You really have to be so many roles – the artist, the boss, the businessperson, probably more – and it’s constant growth. Putting these songs into their full form, with a full band, sparkly vocal layers, and studio polish, it feels like I’m honoring them fully. It’s very satisfying, especially with tunes that are so old. Read more>>
Heather Jude
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is my current project of creating a Fall Winter Collection. This collection has been on my mind for about two years now, calling me to create it but I always felt that I had to put it aside for more important things. It wasn’t until this Fall that I really took the idea seriously of not only creating the collection but hosting my own fashion show. Fast forward to today and I have meetings everyday with talents wanting to jump on board and support the show in May. It’s been truly heart warming to see how many creatives are willing to help out and make this vision come true. Read more>>
Sarena Rae
The most meaningful project that I chose to work on are my Music That Raised Us shows. It started in 2022, taking a leap of faith and starting an idea from the ground up. Music That Raised Us is powerful because it’s a creative business that I created that allows me to produce educational music history shows that not only cultivate togetherness and community, but also inspires anyone to follow their dreams and create a life of art. So far, Music That Raised us has two original shows under its belt, one entitled “Music That Raised Us”, which celebrates Black Female Artists throughout music history, as well as “The Motown Sound” a show that takes the audience through the history and success of Michigan’s very own music sensation, Motown. Read more>>
Heidi Barr
It’s tricky to pick just one project! The work of a writer and wellness coach is a bit like a mosaic or a quilt: It’s pieced together one story, one interaction, one observation, at a time and sometimes it feels like a project is never ‘done’ – it just shifts as others pick it up and integrate it into their own stories. Read more>>
Heather Ayres
I’ve always had a deep passion for helping others and making life a little easier for those around me. In January of last year, I recognized a critical need in our community—a rehab unit for our first responders. My husband, who serves as our town’s fire chief, was responding to two separate house fires on a bitterly cold day, with snow and ice covering the ground. I knew I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Read more>>
Bussdown PESOS
The most meaningful project is the one I’m currently working on right now called “ Young & Dangerous “ Volume 2 . I released volume 1 August 2, 2022 . This project is very special because I put my heart into it worked very hard and made sure every track is the best so there’s no comparison between any of them. I got a lot of exclusive content coming with it and I’m focusing on being the best I could be I’m trying to take over the rap game and show everybody who really the youngest to do it out the trenches. My time is getting closer and closer day by day I can’t wait to show what I have going stay tuned. Read more>>
Joanna Lok
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is founding B-Music Summer Camp. When I was growing up in China, music was often seen as just a hobby—a symbol of privilege rather than a real career path. Despite my deep love for music, I wasn’t given access to the kind of nurturing, comprehensive music education that could have helped me explore it seriously. I knew firsthand how isolating that could feel, and I wanted to change it for the next generation. Read more>>
Chen Huang
Schoolcraft was one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on—not just as a designer, but as a leader. It pushed me to stretch creatively, collaborate across disciplines, and explore my own leadership style in real-time. When I kicked off, the challenges felt huge. I planned to build a gamified experience for MBA students—an audience I thought not exactly known for embracing gaming. They prefer professional, polished environments, not playful ones. On top of that, it was my first time designing for a game. I wasn’t sure how UX and visual design could enhance gameplay, but I leaned in with a “let’s see how far we can go” mindset. Read more>>
Cameron
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve undertaken was founding Rennacker Studio. At the time, I had been working across multiple sectors—packaging, UX, product design, photography—and while I was proud of the work, I found myself craving a space where creativity, strategy, and storytelling could exist without compromise. Starting Rennacker Studio wasn’t about launching a business at all; it was about building an agency where brands could be developed with both narrative and function at their core. It forced me to define my values as a creative leader, to think about what types of brands I wanted to help shape, and to assemble a network of collaborators who shared that same commitment to meaningful design. Read more>>
Erika Velez
My most meaningful project has been building Art Via Management, and independent entertainment management company created to support Drum and a Tantrum, an alternative indie rock band from New Jersey- one of the musicians is actually my partner, which makes this work especially close to my heart. Read more>>
Andy Yu
The “Andy Yu” solo project has been such a meaningful expression and capture of my life as an artist from 2019 to present. My discography of almost 50 songs released over the last 6 years has captured all of the big wins and hard losses of my life. Making upbeat summer songs and heartbroken ballads, with influences like Remi Wolf, Dominic Fike, Wallows, Clairo, and more, it’s amazing to me that I get to look back and see how I’ve grown as a person and an artist. Read more>>
Lily Blu
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on has been my upcoming EP, DuAEL. Being raised bi-culturally (and being a life path number 2, numerology lets go), I’ve grown up contemplating the concept of loss, opposites mirroring each other, discovery, and longing for things/people beyond my reach. Though having access to two cultures is a gift, this record is my journey in grieving the separation it entails (big ups to children of divorce whats up). One of the tracks on the record, “Breaking Glass”, gives voice to the indecision when faced with two options, for fear of losing what you don’t choose. Read more>>
MaskPuck
My current webcomic project has been by far the most meaningful to me. Having worked on Grunge Mayhem for nearly 8 months straight, it has been my biggest longterm commitment, as well as my first.
A big reason and motivating factor that brought the project from idea to paper was the big turning point in every young person’s life; turning 18. So many new and scary things to think about- naturally. Graduating, applying to university, adults around you constantly larping about “savouring the best years of your life”! As I approached that dreaded birthday I felt like I had nothing to bring to the table, just a predetermined academic path I was expected to follow. Read more>>
Kevin Finney
Drunken Owl Theatre was hatched in 2017 when a tavern owner said, “I’ve wanted to bring theatre to this stage.” What started as the reading of two one-act plays has evolved over time to a variety show that has a loyal following.
I’ve always felt that our show was portable, and I’ve looked for opportunities to take it on the road. Read more>>
Celeste
I’m currently releasing singles from my forthcoming album, “The New Room.” Making this project was super meaningful to me because it’s my first project where I was the sole producer. I co-produced my previous albums, but felt called to be the sole producer of this one. This brought up insecurities – a voice popping up in my head – doubting I had enough musical training to do it “right” or “best.” Read more>>
Danielle Lyles
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is researching and documenting my family history. It began in 2021 after a conversation with my dad about a familiar family story. As I asked more questions, I realized how much I didn’t actually know. That curiosity sparked a journey—not just for answers, but to create something lasting for my children and future generations. Read more>>
Liberty Blake
Jann Haworth conceived of in 2009 and that we began in 2016. It features women who are/were ‘catalysts for change’ in their particular fields. It is made through a collaborative process, with each stenciled portrait made by a member of the public—most by self confessed non artists—in workshops that we teach. The full figures in the front row are made by professional artists. What started as an 8 x 28 ft mural (made up of seven 8 x 4 ft panels) is now over 100 ft long and also includes a few offshoot projects. Two years ago The National Portrait Gallery in London, in partnership with the CHANEL Culture Fund, commissioned us to make seven new panels for their project Reframing Narratives: Women in Portraiture, and those are now part of their permanent collection. Read more>>