Working on something meaningful is a common desire – but how? We started asking folks to share the story of how they ended up working on a project they felt was meaningful because we wanted inspiration but also because we wondered if hearing from people from across a range of industries would help us identify patterns making it more likely for anyone to be able to find and work on projects that they would find meaningful.

Randolph aka Sirnoc Scott

This project I’m currently working on is to open a facility that teaches youth and adults a trade of their choice, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc. by pursuing grants, sponsors and a go fund me. In my fight to eradicate poverty, I know that this would be a great start. My song “Poverty 3.0” will be the soundtrack for the project. Read More>>

Alvaro Riccardo VALENTE

Night Comes On is the project I keep coming back to when people ask me this question. It was 2016. I was still finding my footing as an independent producer. The film is about a teenage girl who gets out of juvenile detention and decides to go on a journey to track down her father, the man who killed her mother. Read More>>

Tori Ruff

My most meaningful project would be my first book, ‘Writings from a Black Woman Living in the Land of the ‘Free.” When I began writing this, there was a significant uprise in Black Lives Matter protests. There’s always been historical events sparking protests in the black community, but it was much more up close and frequent. Read More>>

Kimball Willson

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on as a professional artist started as a challenge to myself more than anything else. At the time, most of my work focused on traditional commissioned equine portraits. I still love creating those pieces, but I also wanted to push beyond simply painting a horse accurately. Read More>>

Sebastien Courty

One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on is The Fabric of Bell, a permanent installation created for the Bell Works campus in Holmdel, New Jersey. More than any other project, it embodies the core principles that define my artistic practice: repurposing, sustainability, storytelling, and a deep connection to place. The Fabric of Bell perfectly illustrates this philosophy. Read More>>

DeVon Lamont Thomas

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a short film called The Space Between, which I wrote, produced, co-directed, and starred in as the lead actor. The project came at a pivotal time in my life. The year leading up to it was one of the most difficult seasons I’ve experienced. Read More>>

Guru Ramanathan

If I may, I’m going to cheat and share two examples because one impacted me greatly as a director and another as a writer. AS A DIRECTOR: The first film I ever made was a feature-length documentary, “Hyper—,” about the school system of the town that I grew up in, Winchester, MA (a suburb 20-30 minutes north of Boston). Read More>>

Justin Zackery

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve done recently would have to be my “Black Girl Magic Collection!” I was away for the military training and in the military my Command Sgt Major Davis would always say, “Remember your why!” My daughters have my been my driving force and motivation! Read More>>

Alex Gonzalez

I would say the most meaningful project I’ve worked on, and continue to work on, is the feature length film, “Quotidian”. It’s the second part of a trilogy I started writing fresh out of film school. I’m finishing the final draft of the script (6 drafts since 2014) and will be launching its development this year. Fundraising for sure. Read More>>

Jo Gore

“Hold You Like My Peace” was written from a place of reflection on what it really means to feel safe with someone—not just romantically, but emotionally and spiritually steady. The idea came together through moments of thinking about love as something that can calm the noise of life, not add to it. Read More>>

Christopher Simms

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is myself. More specifically, the ongoing work of discovering, embracing, and improving who I am, and committing to that process every day. For a long time, I was searching for identity through external markers; achievement, validation, and roles I thought I was supposed to play. Read More>>

Tamyra LaFrance

I am a Black/African American woman and currently a Doctoral Candidate (or ABD, All But Dissertation) at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) in Denton, TX, pursuing my PhD in Human Development & Family Studies (HDFS). Read More>>

Leslie Benson

This summer marks the one-year anniversary of Mourning Candle’s debut music video, “Sycophants.” As we enter our second year as a band, commemorating it as a music video project is a great way to sum up who we are as musicians. Read More>>

Elizabeth Kezia Widjaja

My long photograph series. I don’t think I can arrive to the point where I can weave multiple shots or narrative into a long photograph without making single shots prior. The more I capture single shots, the more I question what is the meaning of photographing things. Read More>>

Meraki Fade

Travelling alone into the jungles of West Sumatra to document indigenous shamanic tattoo traditions was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life because I was witnessing a lineage that has never been broken. These are among the oldest tattoo designs in the world, passed directly from one generation to the next, carried in the body rather than written down. Read More>>

Alyssa Wedemeyer

One of my passions is American history. I love learning it, teaching it, and reflecting on it. I homeschool my children, and quickly learned there weren’t many engaging resources for ages kindergarten to fifth grade that taught on America in a way where the information would really stick. I decided to create a series called ABC’s of America for Kids. Read More>>

Alfonso Abraham Cervera Jr

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on recently is a solo work called RP and its current work in progress evolution, RP II. The project has honestly been a long time coming. I’ve been developing it for about three years now, spending a lot of time experimenting in the studio and trying to understand my own relationship to the world of Retinitis Pigmentosa. Read More>>

Taylor Watkins

The most meaningful project I have worked on would undoubtedly be my new record ‘Ghost Shirt Society’. This album represents a vulnerable side of myself that I have not expressed in previous releases. This collection of songs acts as a reflection of the four years I spent living on the road and settling down in Western North Carolina. Read More>>

Stephanie Bliss

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is Poetry in the Garden, a program I created at the Field House Museum in 2023. The idea had been in the back of my mind for years because I wanted to find a way to connect Eugene Field’s literary legacy with contemporary voices and make poetry feel approachable, alive, and community-centered. Read More>>

Abhik Mazumder

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on in my life so far has been my sophomore album, entitled ‘Into the West.’ This album was an exploration into my relationship with my inner child as well as the natural world around me. Read More>>

Beth White

When I’m working on new project, whether it is a single release or an EP, it becomes the most meaningful to me. My current project and release, I’ve been working on since November 2025. When you put so much time, energy, and effort into something, and it is somehow incorporated into every day, it becomes so special to you. Read More>>

Fernando Hernandez

One of my most proud and meaningful projects has to be when I did my first milk bath shoot with a friend of mine. I saw this idea of a milk bath shoot and asked if she was up for the idea, and she agreed. I spent most of the week planning the look and shoot. Read More>>

Aubrianna Spencer

I’ve worked on many meaningful projects since teaching myself how to sew. However, my most meaningful project of all time would have to be my annual prom giveaway for Davidson County School students in the 11th and 12th grades. I named it “The Angel Prom Experience.” In 2023, I decided that I wanted to give back to the community, specifically to the youth. Read More>>

Edwin Vazquez

The Most Meaningful Projects I worked on, I’ve been blessed to have had worked on many projects. Projects for theaters, To name a few, Television performances and interviews on Telemundo, Univision. Read More>>

Hao Wen (Claudia) Chung

I have over seven years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, starting my early time of the career at Warner Bros. Discovery and continuing my journey at FOX One, where I currently support the launch and growth of a streaming platform serving sports, news, and entertainment audiences. Read More>>

Tatia Ruch

On My High Horse, my very first truly meaningful conceptual project. On My High Horse is a visual exploration of identity, heritage, womanhood, and resilience. Drawing inspiration from Mexican cultural influences, this project celebrates the empowerment and unwavering strength of women—a resilience as powerful, untamed, and enduring as a stallion. Read More>>

Frank Zanella

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is my short film The Incredible Irrationality of Dreams, a project that I developed in Italy. The starting point came from hearing the story of a prisoner and being struck by the idea of mental resilience in conditions of extreme confinement. Read More>>

Dirk Sholar

There are so many projects that have had big takeaways. But in 2014, my brother Drake and my dad Duane participated in the 30 Day Zombie Film Challenge. Within those 30 days, we had to write, shoot and edit within that deadline. We couldn’t have anything prepared beforehand. As soon as the email was sent to the participants, the clock started. Read More>>

David Kahn

I’ve toured Europe on an arena tour with one of Elvis Presleys band mates of over 1000 concerts. Currently I am writing and performing my original music around the world as a soloist and in bands showcasing my vocal range of over 6 octaves based in Austin TX. Read More>>

Sabrina Dubner

I have had two most meaningful projects in my career thus far, one an older project dating back to 2023 and one more recent, which together represent my evolution from a scrappy, independent creator to a larger-scale producer. Back in the summer of 2023, the internet witnessed a viral phenomenon when indie artist Emily Jeffri released an 80s-inspired horror album. Read More>>

Desiree de Jongh

I think that, at this point in my journey, the most meaningful project I have had has been the opportunity to work with some smaller Renaissance faires and festivals. I say this while still valuing the conservation performances I get to do. While I have always had an interest in marine biology and protecting our seas, I also have a strong passion for the performing arts Read More>>

 Nora Montañez Patterson

In my 20+ years as a theater artist in the Twin Cities, I have been blessed with many meaningful artistic experiences. I have worked with theater companies like Mixed Blood Theater, Children’s Theater Company, Pillsbury House + Theater and many more. I have directed new works at Stages Theater Company and Exposed Brick Theater and have had my own plays produced. Read More>>

 Jose Marcos Carvajal Tarazona

My name is José Marcos Carvajal Tarazona (located in Tunja, Colombia) and through Tarazona Estudio, my artistic focus revolves around a deep exploration of the relationship between human beings and the natural environment. My proposal distances itself from mass commercial photography to focus on fine-art photography—organic, sustainable, and crafted with the highest artisanal value. Read More>>

Wykesha King

​Stepping into the shoes of the legendary icon Hattie McDaniel to revive her life, legacy, and journey toward becoming the first Black person to win an Oscar in the film The Dichotomy of Hattie McDaniel has been one of the most significant projects of my career. ​Many may not recognize her name—and I was in that same position until I met Vincent Victoria, the writer, director, and producer of the film. My collaboration with Vincent on several stage productions first introduced me to Hattie through his works, Read More>>

Nevik Wright

This project was so meaningful I work on in 2025 the project took a year for me to mix and write record and master This Album is called “7 Gods ” represent our spiritual journey Rising in energy this album ” is on all platforms Read More>>

Connor J. Han

One of the most meaningful transitions in my career has been moving from traditional narrative short films into the world of vertical serialized drama editing. Read More>>