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.

Eliza Glover

** Apologies, I misread and accidentally answered 6 of them…

**1. Where are you from and how did your background and upbringing impact who you are today?**
I’m originally from Houston, TX, where I spent the first 14 years of my life before deciding—yes, deciding—to move to London and live with family. I was looking for something different. I wanted to explore the world beyond the lens I’d grown up with, and that one decision completely changed the trajectory of my life. Read More>> 

Eugenia Kusi

This question is always tricky to answer, but here’s my best try: I was born in Ghana and moved to Los Angeles at 12. I truly feel like I’m from both places—Ghana shaped my foundation, and Los Angeles guided my growth.

As the first child—and a girl—I immediately stepped into a leadership and caregiving role when my mom left for the U.S. ahead of us. My dad, a teacher, had taken out a loan to fund her flight, and the monthly bank deductions left us with very little. Read More>>

Kesime

So I’m kinda from all over the place. I was born in Canada, raised in nearly equal parts in Jamaica, Canada, Atlanta. Moved to New York (yay) to go to Columbia (boo) and then made New York my home for the next few years. Then eventually followed the siren’s song to Los Angeles. Read More>>