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.

Karl Zurflüh | Artist

I am from Tacoma WA, one of the most beautiful places on earth for 3 months of the year. Tacoma is 30 mins south of Seattle and was supposed to be the biggest city of the area due to its deeper ports. Growing up in the 80’s it had become an abandoned city. Most of the businesses had dried up due to the mall, and most of the people down there were outpatients from the mental ward that they would drop off for the day. The Hill Top community right outside of downtown was hit hard by crack, giving the downtown area an even rougher edge. When I turned 13 this place became my playground. My friends and I would take the bus to Hill Top and skate down the long hill into the heart of city. Read more>>

Giulia Baldini | Journalist and Media Educator

I was born and raised in Italy in a multicultural household, Italian-Afro-Brazilian. The languages and lifestyles I grew up with had a huge impact on the person I’m today. Even though my adult formative years (college and mid-20s) were mostly spent in between the United States and Italy, I always made sure to prioritize all the aspects of my identity – my place in the Africana Diaspora, my expat experience, and so much more – and have gotten comfortable with its dynamic nature. It’s beautiful, yet challenging to be some sort of third-kid-culture. Read more>>

BRANDNAME Y0URz | Recording Artist & Entertainer

I’’m born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. My city is a blue collar city and I started working a job in high school and have always kept a job since. I feel like coming from where I’m from it’s normal to be hard on yourself when it comes to accomplishing goals and parenting yourself properly to make sure that I stay disciplined through and through. Read more>>

Brianna Saranchock | Brisueña, Multidisciplinary Artist

My fascination with magic, divination, and spirituality started with my mother. Desperate for answers, stuck in a tumultuous marriage, single with four children, I watched as my mom shuffled cards and consulted psychics. I became obsessed with it too, begging her to take me to psychics, and she did. Multiple times. I remember going to their houses to have one-on-one readings. The experience itself was more than just a tarot reading. I was being exposed to a spiritual side of Puerto Rico that surpasses Catholicism. It felt like a secret—a little peephole into a foundation of our national culture. The rooms where the readings took place were covered with all sorts of figurines, candles, jewelry, fruits, candy, you name it. Read more>>

Sanya Lakhani | Creator of Farishta Flowers & Goods

I’m a Pakistani-American baker and florist based in NYC, the owner of Farishta Flowers & Goods, artist behind whimsy flower arrangements and creator of unique cake flavors – but most importantly, daughter to my angel mother, whom this business is named after. Farishta is my mother’s maiden name and means “angel” in Farsi. As a Pakistani-American family living in Texas, my mother felt that it was important to introduce me to the spices of our home country and teach me how to care for our garden from an early age. I’ve created this business to share the beauty that comes when flowers and food work in harmony. As I’ve come to terms with my identity so far in life, I realize how much beauty there is in my Pakistani roots. Read more>>

Kimberly Nicole Bonéy | Owner and Designer of HerStory Vintage & Professional Writer

I was born in New York, raised in California, and went to college in Louisiana. I feel like I’ve taken some of the flavor from each of the states I’ve lived in and it’s played a big role in my appreciation for an eclectic design aesthetic. Each place I’ve lived holds a place of reverence for me. These places and the people in them have inspired my love of travel, culture, art and architecture. My mom is originally from Jamaica, West Indies and was raised in New York. My dad is from New Orleans, Louisiana, and made his way to New York as a young adult. My parents, both incredibly creative in their own right, always held space for my creativity. They let me choose my clothing – no matter how many wild color combinations and textures I threw together in a single outfit. Read more>>

Michelle Sakai-Hart | Ceramics Arist

I grew up in Aptos, California, a small coastal town in Santa Cruz County. Being close by the ocean has definitely influenced my lifestyle personally and as an artist. I get a lot of inspiration for my glaze combinations and designs from memories playing at the beach with my family and trips to Hawaii to visit our close family friends. Growing up in a small town also meant that life in general was sometimes a little slower. When I wasn’t playing sports, I was trying out as many craft projects as I could at home with my mom and sister. I took very few art lessons growing up and in many ways, I think I have benefited from this because I am willing to try whatever pops into my head versus overthinking whether what I am creating is the “right way” to do art and ceramics. Read more>>

Cerise Jacobs | Opera Maker + Founding Artistic Director, White Snake Projects, An Activist Opera Company

I was raised in Singapore, and then moved to America. As an immigrant, I sought to break free from a conservative traditional upbringing and find my place in the United States. A lot of immigrant writers fall back on excavating what they know, the roots that will give them some stability in terms of who they are, by going back into their childhood memories, into their cultural heritage. Part of my personal development was going from a girl who did not have a voice to finding that voice. Read more>>

Nick Alexander | Comedian, Actor, Writer

I’m from New York City, New York originally. Born in Far Rockaway raised in Jamaica. Queens. Then I spent my formative years in South Florida. Pretty much areas in between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. I’d say growing up in 2 different so called melting pots helped me with becoming comfortable around all types of settings. I can hang around Black people, Latinos, Indians. Asians. Whites and not feel nervous. Whether its the hood or hollywood I’m not bothered. Out of my element may be a tad but never feeling like I don’t belong. I try to have a good time anywhere I go. I realize that’s not something everyone can do. Some folks stick with what culturally is comfortable. Read more>>

Jeffrey Chu | Cinematographer

Born and raised in Taiwan, learned and trained in the US and practiced in China, I am now based in LA working professionally as a cinematographer. Growing up in Taiwan, I had the opportunity to follow my bliss studying photography, a classic and systematic education at FOTOSOFT Institute of Photography, Taipei. At a very young, I know that’s something I would like to pursue. Photography opened up a new perspective to the appreciation to all art forms. Also my family values good work ethic and being humble to learn from others. In 1993, I landed at Santa Monica College, learning English. Working at the media center as a darkroom lab technician and photography assistant gave me a good training and respect in professionalism. Read more>>

Lendrek Washington | Private Chef

Im from the Los Angeles area known as Leimert Park. Grew up as an only child with fond memories watching my parents exchange food recipes they found online while at work, random cook books or via The Food Network, coming home and cooking them for dinner. This type of cooking taught me not to be stagnant in the kitchen and continue to experiment with different food ideas; also taught me to keep pizza on speed dial incase what I cook didn’t turn out as good as expected. Taught me not to be afraid to fail….. Read more>>