Where you grew up and your background can often have surprising effects on our lives and careers. We’ve asked folks from the community to tell us about how their background has affected them.

James Patrick Nelson | Actor-Writer-Filmmaker

I was born and raised in Los Angeles – so many of my friends hesitate to believe such people exist. But I did, I grew up in North Hollywood. And I went to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, which was a tremendous training ground at a very young age, and really ignited a passion for the theatre, which back then made me want to rush off to the east coast as fast as possible. Read more>>

Sophia Knapp | Product Development Manager

I grew up in Irvine, California surrounded by beauty professionals and creatives. My father Barry Knapp was a hairdresser for most of my childhood until he shifted into the medical cosmetic space when he founded Oxygenetix. My grandmother was at the forefront of color analysis, helping people utilize the Blue Base/ Yellow Base Color System in their wardrobes, homes, and businesses. Read more>>

Jaquil Barnes | Private/Celebrity Chef

Originally, I’m from Plainfield, New Jersey. My back ground was considerably rough. I’m the eldest boy of six siblings with two older sisters. I was raised by a single mother. Growing up it was tough. With limited resources we had to find other means to support our family. Read more>>

Jamie Hughes | Actor & Producer

Growing up in Sacramento with two working parents, I learned at a very early age how important a disciplined work ethic would set me up for success and achievement. While both of my parents worked 9-5’s, I took all the AP/advanced classes, participated in after school activities like drama and swimming, and even got a job when I turned 16. Read more>>

Yezi Lou | Artist

I was born and raised in China and have been staying in the U.S. for about a decade. My origin and background, whether consciously acknowledged or not, have consistently shaped my perceptions and responses, especially under the context and intervention of Western social structure. Read more>>

Lindsey Mallard | Actor, Writer, Singer, & An Absolute Freaking Delight

I’m originally from the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri which was not the most exciting 🙂 I was raised in a charismatic Christian household which, naturally, fuels a lot of my comedy. I grew up in what is considered a “mega church” atmosphere, and in hindsight, was pretty crazy. Read more>>

Rubén Guevara III | Independent Filmmaker & Writer

I was born on the westside of Los Angeles, where I spent the first half of my life. The other half was spent on the eastside, which is where I reside now. Both places informed me as a filmmaker, and as an artist. My mother and father divorced when I was around 5, and even though they each spent considerable amounts of time on opposite ends of town, their identities never really crossed over… but mine did. Read more>> 

Violet Hopkins | Artist & Vintage Shop Keeper

I have a quirky background and I’m not really from one particular place. My mom is Argentinian and my dad is Texan but I didn’t live in the States until high school. I grew up mostly England near London, but lived in Libya and Spain, with stretches in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Read more>> 

Selwyn Jones | Social Justice Leader and the Uncle of George Floyd | Co-founder of Hope929 and Host of Setting It Straight with Selwyn

The fight and the struggle of coming from poverty gave me the mindset to never give up or quit. I was born in 1966 to sharecroppers in the Jim Crow South. Growing up as the youngest of seventeen children in Goldsboro, North Carolina, my upbringing was shaped by unimaginable poverty and disenfranchisement. Read more>>  

Keertana Sreekumar | Filmmaker, Magazine CEO, & Suspiciously Young English Teacher

Bay Area, baby! I grew up 30 minutes outside of San Francisco. I grew up in Bay Area arts culture. At age 8, my artwork was showcased in the US Botanic Garden and Hayward National Gallery. At age 12, I raised $625,000 tax dollars for the Contra Costa Arts Commissioner board by speaking on the Measure X Tax Board. Read more>>