Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Alexandra Jack | Songwriter & Vocalist

My parents are from England and met while working on cruise ships. My dad worked in the casino and my mom was a singer. When I came along, they needed somewhere to settle down that could work well for their careers: Las Vegas, it was! I grew up in the suburbs, but was always fascinated by the glitz and the glamour of the entertainment on the strip. There was always so much music in my house. My parents made up funny little songs to narrate life. I didn’t realize that was unique until I grew up and started doing it myself. My mother played piano and sang, and although I was too shy to join her until I was older, all of the artists she played: Linda Rondstadt, Carly Simon, Billy Joel, The Beatles, and countless musicals soaked their way into my bones. I attended public school and was very fortunate that the theater and choir programs were excellent. That’s where I got a lot of my early training. I performed in musicals from the time I was in Kindergarten onwards, which made music and storytelling inextricably woven together in my mind. Now that I am creating music for children, I reflect back on how fortunate I was to be so encouraged and receive so much musical knowledge from such a young age. I see life through the prism of music and hear little songs from the ether about nearly every situation I experience. Read more>>

Eric Wright Jr. | Creative Entrepreneur

I was born in South Jersey but spent a good portion of my childhood in North Jersey then eventually Delaware. Living in the city as well as a slower country area helped create a balance in myself. I can adapt easily to any environment. Beyond my environment, my family created a huge impact on who I am. My parents had me while they were young which brought forth a lot of obstacles and doubt from people. Seeing them both overcome the negativity to not only raise me but to excel in their lives showed me that anything is possible. I watched them both earn their degrees as a kid, I was the 8-year-old who tagged along to my parent’s college lectures after school. Being in a collegiate space as a child helped me learn about critical thinking much earlier than my peers. So I was able to question more things which led to more answers and a strong identity in who I am and what I believe is the truth. On top of that, my extended family is filled with amazing people, nearly everyone in my family has main-character energy haha. To be heard or fit in you had to be confident so you weren’t left in someone else’s shadow. When life gets me down I recharge by connecting with my family so I can be reminded of who I am and where I come from. Read more>>

Queenie Li | Music Executive at Paramount Television Studios

Hi everyone! I’m originally from Hong Kong, and I grew up in a traditional Chinese family with parents who were very strict about learning musical instruments and practice. My parents were both entrepreneurs, go-getters who always encouraged me to be hyper focused on the goals I want to achieve. After learning piano from a very young age, my passion for music developed when I was in grade school. I enjoyed performing on stage and often found myself learning pop songs on piano by ear. My childhood was spent practicing, performing and studying music, which gave me the understanding of how music was made. And that’s why I am able to cultivate composers’ and musicians’ creative space, managing relationships with showrunners and working with all key music hires. And now as a Music Production executive, I have to maintain a balance between the creative side and financial side of production, coordinating the elements that are essential to bring a score to life while maintaining a healthy budget. Read more>>

Damian Gary | Illustrator & Graphic Design

I’m an illustrator and graphic designer who lives in New Jersey, although I am originally from New York. I grew up in The Bronx. If you know us New Yorkers, we are very outgoing, creative, colorful, whacky human beings. I’m also African American and Puerto Rican. That alone is enough to let you know how extroverted I am. Growing up in The Bronx, I was surrounded by art – graffiti to be exact. There wasn’t one building I saw that wasn’t covered in colorful illustrations, murals, or graffiti. When you look at my artwork, you can see New York street art reflected in it. Read more>>

Gulsum Keskinoglu | Artist&Founder of Awita New York Studio

As an artist, I am constantly fascinated by the intersection of my Turkish heritage and the vibrant energy of New York City. Through my work, I explore themes of gender, societal constraints, and the beauty of the female form. Read more>>

Dalen Nell | Singer, Songwriter, Performing Artist, Illustrator, Skater

A native of the DC-metro area, I grew up listening to all genres of music. From Go-Go, melodic hip hop, boom bap, punk rock, heavy metal, R&B to dancehall, these musical influences shaped my eclectic style and sound that is unique and without limitations. I also grew up in a household with a mother from LA and a father from Brooklyn, and a cultural music mix of old school funk, R&B and rap music from the 70s and 80s was a constant musical backdrop in our house. Read more>>

Dr. Manju Dawkins | Board Certified Dermatologist and founder of Thimble

I grew up on the east coast in Maryland and I loved basketball growing up. My dream was to play in college. One of my coaches didn’t think all 5 foot 2 of me could make it, but when I got to Columbia I walked on Division I Varsity women’s basketball team, played all four years, and ended up captain. Read more>>

Dee Kristina | Counselor/Poscast Host/BrayAngel Organization- Founder

I am originally from Brooklyn, New York. The Brownsville area to be exact. Growing up in New York as people would say the concrete jungle where anything is possible where there’s a lot of hustling bustle. I can actually say that coming from New York and then migrating to Virginia a slow pace, people are very friendly. You know your neighbors it was like a culture shop. Having the best of both worlds in my life in my early part of life, it impacts why today because one I’m not afraid to take risk I’m not afraid to be in the fast pace move around shake me up moments I’m not afraid to change , one thing about myself I noticed is I actually like to work under pressure. I like the hard cases I enjoy when things are due at the last minute. I know it’s crazy, but I also have those moments where I also enjoy me time and the slowness and no one around because that’s when I get to clear my mind, and basically reset so being from New York in this fast pace lifestyle, but then moving and migrating to other parts of the world , it all allows me to have the best of both for us and that’s how I live my life and take my journeys. Read more>>

Tamar Kasparian | Portrait Photographer

I’m from Los Angeles, CA specifically the San Fernando Valley – proud Valley girl. While that may come with a stigma, I truly believe it has helped shaped me to be the person I am today. I grew up in a predominantly Latino community and being surrounded by such hard working people is both inspiring and admirable. Not to mention, I was raised by two very hard working parents who were supportive and who showed me what sacrifice looks like. My dad was a Forman for an electrical company traveling across Southern California and my mom worked for an Insurance Company driving 40+ miles each way to take my sister and I to school and for her to get to work. They were dedicated to give us a good education while keeping us safe. That taught me that there is no limit to the hard work and sacrifice it takes to do what’s right for you and your family all while doing something you enjoy. Read more>>

Be Boggs | Multimedia Artist

Originally I am from Santa Barbara, California, and spent my childhood there. It was absolutely idyllic and perhaps my memories wax rhapsodic a bit, but in the 1970s, it was quite dreamy. Every movie and song seemed to be about the place, and ruled heavily in my way of seeing the world. During middle school, my family relocated to Norristown, Pennsylvania, and it was a major culture shock. We flew out on a balmy Halloween night and landed in a slate-gray leafless landscape with no indication of where the mountains or ocean were. Looking back, I was deeply affected by the grandeur of greens that poured in from Spring all the way to the end of Summer. I had never experienced true humidity that buzzed with the sound of cicadas. My father taught me to stream-cast in the countless rivers, hiking directly up the flow of water. Read more>>