When we go on short trips we often know exactly what we expect at the end, but when it comes to our lives and careers we’ve seen far too often we shy away from really thinking through where we expect to be at the end and what we hope our legacy will be. So, we wanted to encourage conversations on the topic of legacy and you’ll find highlights from our conversation from some wonderful members of the business and creative community below.

Sean Mathis

I don’t necessarily care about my specific legacy, but I do care about the legacy of the nonprofit museum I created, Miles Through Time Automotive Museum. I started the museum with only one car (59 Cadillac) I inherited from my grandpa (Pop). I had no experience, no collection of any kind, and no money in 2017. Read more>>

Zee Dockery

I’m not just creating coloring books or art items. I’m creating space.
Space for Black women to breathe, to reflect, to cry, to heal, and to feel seen—in full color.
Every page I design, every prompt I write, every quote I choose is intentional.
It’s a soft offering, a gentle hug, and a mirror saying, “Sis, you matter.” My legacy isn’t about just selling art—it’s about building a community of women who are reclaiming their joy, their inner child, their peace. Read more>>

Shabria Whitaker

I hope my legacy will be one that reminds people — especially young Black women — that you don’t have to shrink yourself or leave parts of who you are behind to be successful. I’m a millennial woman who loves my culture, my people, and every part of my journey, and I’ve learned to embrace those things unapologetically and bring them into my profession and craft. Through nails, I’ve been able to tell stories, honor traditions, and create spaces where our beauty, creativity, and brilliance shine in a pampered environment. I want people to remember me as a business women who turned what she loves into something extraordinary, broke barriers in rooms not designed for us, and made space for the next generation of manicurists to be free, creative, feel seen, valued, and empowered to do the same. Read more>>

Sophal Im

I hope that my legacy as a photographer will be defined by the ability of my images to evoke genuine, lasting emotion and to capture fleeting moments of truth. When people look back on my work, I want them to see more than just aesthetically pleasing compositions—they should feel the raw, unfiltered heartbeat of life. Each photograph is an invitation to pause, to reconnect with memories, and to appreciate the stories hidden in everyday moments. Read more>>

Darla Bishop

I want to be remembered as someone who didn’t just talk about change—but actually made it happen.

A woman who kept it real about money. Who turned her own financial trauma into tools that helped other people feel capable, powerful, and in control.

A mom who said yes when her six-year-old daughter asked, “When do I get a darlabishop.com book?”—and meant it. A woman who believed kids shouldn’t have to wait until adulthood (or a financial crisis) to learn about money. A woman who built something with her child that’s going to help thousands of other families have better conversations, better habits, and better futures. Read more>>

Briana Christine

When I think about the legacy I hope to leave behind, I envision a world that remembers how sacred it is to heal gently, with the earth as our guide and flowers as our teachers. I hope to be remembered as someone who walked with reverence — for the land, for the unseen, for the sacred spaces between spirit and skin. Someone who reminded others that beauty is not superficial — it is spiritual, it is cyclical, and it is alive in every petal, every ritual, every intentional breath. Read more>>

JaPrentis Sheridan

I’m hoping that when the time comes and my journey here on earth is done that people will say how hard working I was . I hope that people will say how impeccable my resilience is . They would describe me as someone who goes after what she wants & puts pride in doing the things she loved to do . They would say that God & my family are the reasons for my success . I’m hoping that one day my grandkids hear stories of how determined , motivated & blessed I was . I would want them to use what they would be told about who I was to motivate and mold them into being more successful than I plan to be while I’m here on earth. Read more>>

Dra. Christina Rodriguez

I hope to build a legacy where @LatinaswithMasters continues as a digital sanctuary long after my dissertation is complete. I want to be remembered not for creating content, but for building community—a digital placita where Latina scholars can continue to see themselves reflected and recognized. Read more>>

Andrea Gates

Legacy to me is something left for the next generation to pick up and continue. I understand my vision is bigger than me and will need others to carry and continue even after I am no longer in the earth.

I hope to leave a legacy that perpetuates the necessity to die empty, having done all you were born to do. Read more>>

Imani Watson

When I think about my legacy, I think about the lives touched, the mindset shifts sparked, and the faith restored. Imani Mone’t Enterprise, LLC—and everything that flows from it, including Rare Creations by Imani—is more than a business. It’s a movement built on purpose, creativity, and faith. Read more>>

Lakeya Lazo

The legacy I’m hoping to build is the kind that warms up the room when you enter. I want people to always feel seen and heard when they encounter a conversation with me. Since a child I always wanted to know the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. It’s not the obsession of hearing stories or gossip. It’s the part of being that person we all needed as a child or adult. Read more>>

Quin Peterson

If God allows, I hope my legacy is that I lived a long well-traveled life and that I loved HARD!

I genuinely love people and I love life. I think we often move too fast to notice the sacred in the simple things, like the glow of an early morning skyline or those deep belly laughs that leave you in tears. I want to be remembered for creating those kinds of moments for others. Core memories. The kind that linger long after the moment passes. Read more>>

Andrea

I hope that people who experience my writing– my poetry, essays, or even academic writing– come away with a refreshed awareness of the significant role that place, family, culture, and community have in shaping identity. I speak about these relationships between individuals and others, including land and spaces, as formative to the ways that we understand ourselves, our value, and our potential. For so many of us, these relationships have been lost or changed, but they can also be restored, recovered, and revitalized. Read more>>

NICOLE SAGE

I’m hoping to build a legacy rooted in social justice, advocacy for those under represented and courage. I want people to remember me not just for the work I did, but for how I made them feel—seen, heard, empowered. Whether through storytelling, advocacy, or lifting up others behind the scenes, I hope my legacy is one that opened doors for people who felt overlooked or underestimated. I want to leave behind a blueprint for how to move with integrity, even in industries that often value image over substance. My legacy is about helping to shape culture for the better, creating impact that lives on well beyond me. Read more>>