Legacies help us with our goals after we’ve passed because they have the power to inspire action and the give our ideals an chance to live on through others. Given the magical potential of legacies, we wanted to support and foster conversations around legacy building and below you’ll find some of those conversations.

Trudi Smith

I want my legacy to reflect creativity, resilience, and the ability to make meaningful connections across boundaries. As a female interior designer, I hope to be remembered as someone who not only created beautiful and functional spaces but also broke barriers with male-dominated trades. I want to be seen as a professional who worked collaboratively and respectfully with contractors, builders, and tradespeople, proving that design is a team effort where every voice matters. I hope to inspire other women to confidently navigate these traditionally male-dominated spaces. Read more>>

Shannon Nolan

I hope that my legacy will be that of someone who brought a positive energy to everyone I meet. Whether it be my family, the couples who allow me the honor of capturing their wedding day, my friends, or acquaintances, I hope that when people think of me or tell my story, they feel happy to have known me. Read more>>

Benjamin Oliver

I want my legacy to be about telling stories that mattered… Stories that moved people. I hope I’m remembered not just for the videos and shows I created, but for how I helped others break into the industry, build confidence behind the scenes, and believe there’s room for them at the table. Read more>>

CJ Zahner

The greatest and most valued legacies to pass on can be personal experiences and knowledge rather than physical treasures. Learned lessons handed down educate and inspire others. Who doesn’t want to know what their ancestors have been through, and what better way to find out about the past than reading a book? Read more>>

Kyndall Bridgers

I hope my legacy will be one of faith, love, and healing.

I want my children to grow up knowing the transformative power of God’s love, and to see grace not just as something they receive, but something they offer to others freely. I want them to walk through life with strong values, open hearts, and the courage to be themselves fully. I want them to take on the identity. Read more>>

LAURA HUSTON

I hope people remember that I made space for others—especially women—to rise. That I didn’t just build a business, I built a platform. Through Belle & Bottle and the Foundation, I’ve worked to elevate voices and brands that deserve more recognition—boutique winemakers, sustainable farmers, bold entrepreneurs—people who are doing the work with heart and integrity. Read more>>

Eve Erskine

I think people have an innate discomfort with the idea of their own impermanence, which is why so many focus on building a legacy that will outlive them. Personally, I don’t really feel the need to be remembered far beyond my years. What matters most to me is being remembered by the people I’ve loved, laughed with, and shared my life with. Read more>>

Dina Karim

I actually wrote a class project on “My legacy” when I was in middle school. It had asked what I wanted people to remember about me. I thought long and hard and I wrote a full page paper on making people smile. I wrote about how I always loved to smile myself and would make anyone “hyper with me.’ I absolutely made it my mission to make everyone around me laugh and smile. Now, as an adult, I look back on that legacy and realize that I still want that to be my legacy in a way. I am a hairstylist who spends my work day waiting for the moment to spin clients around in my chair and see their smile beaming at their reflection. I take such pride in giving my clients that moment to let them look at themselves and smile. In my art, I LOVE to watch people smile when they look at my work. Sometime I feel silly making my “little cartoons” and “cute drawings. But every time I get one single smile, my doubt dies a little. Read more>>

Karmen Flores

Coordinate Creative started as a simple way to help creative entrepreneurs maintain their livelihood during uncertain times in 2020. Now, nearly five years later, I have the honor to help dozens of female-led businesses not just maintain, but flourish and grow within their business.

The legacy I strive to build with Coordinate Creative is one of turning ideas and dreams into reality through creative strategy and enthusiastic support for female entrepreneurs. Read more>>

Marie Delepiere

I want to inspire a deeper connection to our planet, reminding people of the beauty and responsibility we have in caring for the Earth. My legacy will be one of determination and resilience, proving that no matter how many times life shifts, we always have the power to reinvent ourselves. Like planting seeds and patiently watching them grow, I believe that with time, love, and dedication, even the smallest actions can lead to profound change. Read more>>

Grishan Roof

I want to be remembered as the person who defined depotting as a professional craft—and as a core pillar of modern artistry. Before we came along, depotting was scrappy, inconsistent, often damaging to product, and rarely spoken about publicly. It was treated like an afterthought—when in reality, it’s one of the most essential practices for working artists. Read more>>

Helen Cooney

I hope the legacy I’m building through Sammie’s House is one of compassion, courage, and connection. I want to be remembered as someone who created space—for both animals and people—to feel safe, seen, and loved. A place where healing happened, not just for the rescued, but for the rescuers too. Read more>>