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.

Harrison Silverstein

I came from a separated family, born and raised in Southern California Mom and Dad separated when I was still a toddler so most of my upbringing and dealing with custody, etc was normal to me. Even at a young age I was very aware about my family situation, nothing was dumbed down or “babied” to me. I attribute that to the reason why I was able to be very mature and grounded at an early age. Read More>> 

Daniel Chavez

I am from the San Fernando Valley, wear the tears dry fast before someone sees it as a sign of weakness. Growing up in the middle class watching my family break their backs to make a living. Raised by a hard working single father and grandmother. Mother wasn’t in the picture, smart woman but decided to throw away her career for the gang life. The list goes on. . Read More>>

 Jason Panniell

I’m originally from Baltimore, Maryland—a city that’s as tough as it is vibrant. Growing up there meant learning how to navigate challenges early. It’s a place that builds character fast. There’s a real energy in Baltimore, and while a lot of people thrive there, I knew deep down that I needed to step outside of it if I was going to build something bigger. Read More>>

 Altun

I’m from Baku, Azerbaijan. I had a wish since 2006 (I was 16 years old) to make grunge band. However, when I didn’t find other like-minded people, I decided to perform alone. There were such concerts, where I performed alone. Read More>>

John Chia Hsuan Kuo

I’m originally from Tainan, a city in the southern part of Taiwan that was founded by the Dutch in 1624—around the same time they established what would become New York. Though these two cities share a parallel colonial history, they’ve evolved in vastly different ways over the past 400 years. When I moved to New York, the cultural contrast was striking. I was overwhelmed by the pace of life, the diversity, and especially by something I had never seen on such a scale before: homelessness. Read More>>

Jacqueline S. Donley

I’m originally from the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In DC, children are deeply impacted by the professions associated with the area, including civil servants, military, and the understanding that you or your friend’s parent may be disarming a bomb, protecting a world leader, or handling a hostage negotiation. The world doesn’t revolve around your birthday party or 6th grade graduation. While trips to the White House were always lovely, you always knew the visit was a result of a tremendous sacrifice by the entire family unit. I learned the art of ‘time and place’, humility, and what sacrifice looks like each day. Read More>>

Julia Mindar

I was raised in Odesa, Ukraine, a city full of culture, contrast, and personality. I went to an art-oriented school where, along with regular classes, we had painting and sculpture several times a week. After that, I also went to music school. Art and creativity were just part of everyday life.

Our teachers often took us to museums, theaters, and operas. I grew up surrounded by beautiful architecture, history, and design. That kind of visual world definitely shaped how I see things. Read More>>

Christsean Johnson

I am from a small city in California called San Bernardino, but I grew up in Menifee. My background and upbringing consist of a lot of consumption of horror films and playing sports like football. Movies like The Grudge, 28 Days Later, and/or The Mist really introduced me to the darker aesthetic that I have embraced and loved throughout my entire life up to this point. I also mention my upbringing in relation to sports because sports provides so much of the discipline that I apply in my life now when it comes to customer service, design, and the approach of how passionate and tenacious I am about my label. Read More>>

Murdock M.P.

I’m originally from Locarno, Switzerland, a beautiful town surrounded by nature that fed my imagination growing up. From the age of 10, I knew I wanted to work in the film industry. I was captivated by the magic of visual storytelling and began experimenting with cameras and editing early on. I later attended film school at CISA in Lugano, where I deepened both my technical skills and creative vision. Read More>>