A big part of making decisions is determining what our actions and choices have been inspired by. So we asked decision makers from the community to tell us about what they are inspired by.

Alexander Sanchez | Director

My family. My parents, their parents, and so on and so forth, led very different lives than we have here in the states. A lot of chicanos have big families—somewhere down the line we’re no longer taught Spanish, and the greater family surrounding us only speaks Spanish. Meanwhile they’re secretive about their interesting lives, but when you peer into your parent’s, uncle’s, aunt’s, and grandparent’s history you discover incredible stories. These stories are the central reason I’ve pursued filmmaking. Read more>>

Sabrina Patino | Photographer & Music Connoisseur

I’m heavily inspired by music, community, and spirituality. Furthermore, the way those aspects intertwine to bring people together. I believe that music is one of our greatest connecting factors and allows us to fully express parts of ourselves we might otherwise keep hidden. Complete strangers can gather in a crowd to watch an artist they admire and the connection to one another is palpable. For me, it’s a reminder that although we vary in background, at our core we are spiritual beings who long for connection to one another. It fuels me as a photographer and I aim to capture those moments in a visual context. Read more>>

Spencer Joseph | Photographer/Cinematographer/Art Director

I’m inspired by the natural world, the elegance of fashion, and the connections between people. The beauty of nature, whether it’s the ocean or mountains, serves as a stunning backdrop for my work, complementing the vibrancy of fashion. I’m also driven by the stories and emotions that fashion can convey, and I love capturing the unique narrative each piece brings. Collaboration with other creatives energizes me, and it’s this shared passion that fuels my creativity. Read more>>

L.a Khalil | Human and Artist

I’m inspired by the great city of Los Angeles. To see the amazing art and history, the city encourages you to think outside the norm. With that being said, it’s also the needs of Los Angeles that inspire me to be the best creatively and humanly. The homeless crisis needs every hand possible if we’re ever going to see the city come back to the level that it once was. Seeing the people, the youth living in tents, missing out on school, I could relate to it because I was once in their situation growing up. Read more>>

Evan Whitford | Vocalist/Guitarist of Suspended In Cobwebs

Music and cinema are my favorite art forms, so most of my inspirations typically derive from rock musicians and auteur filmmakers. Especially when they are pushing their craft through experimentation and ambition. Ever since I was about 10 years old, I became interested in cinema as broader art form. Many of my favorite filmmakers being Stanley Kubrick, Don Hertzfeldt, David Lynch, John Waters, Terry Gilliam, Peter Greenaway, Ingmar Bergman, and Harmony Korine. Although I don’t find myself to be a particularly talented filmmaker, I think the influence of cinema is rather prominent in my music. For example, on the new Suspended In Cobwebs EP Pig Debris, each song is designed to feel like a sequence of scenes like one experiences a film. Even when harmonic ideas glue together certain sections, sections are rarely repeated the exact same way. Read more>>

Eden Gamliel | Director, Producer, Actress

Stories inspire me most. Through stories, we can see the world through different eyes, understand experiences unlike our own, and feel a shared humanity. This connection and understanding can lead to real change – in how we think, how we treat each other, and even in society at large. For me, storytelling isn’t just about entertainment; it’s a powerful tool for connection and inspiration. Read more>>

Audra Gooch

I’m inspired by people, life- we’re living in unprecedented times. It feels like almost every day we’re bombarded with something happening that is making historical changes and not necessarily in the best way but we still live. We still get dressed, go out, find our community and continue to live. That’s what inspires me. Read more>>

Zhen Li

Everything truthful. Read more>>

Ury Summers

Well, I’m probably most inspired by sadness (laughs). I’m a pretty happy person, but for some reason, the vast majority of my writing comes out when I’m sad. There’s this quote from How I Met Your Mother, by Barney Stinson, that goes: ‘When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.’ It’s a pretty funny scene; it’s not the same case with me, but when I get sad and start a song, there’s this kind of magic that comes in and turns the sadness into this amazing feeling that I don’t think I can explain if you haven’t felt it before. And obviously, there are a million artists who have inspired me a ton—Sum 41, Green Day, blink-182, S*x Pistols. MOD SUN lately—to name a few—and I wouldn’t be making music if it weren’t for some of them. Read more>>