Through our work we have had the good fortune of seeing firsthand how success comes in every shape, size, color, faith, and orientation. More importantly we’ve learned that success is often the result of people embracing their unique backgrounds and so we’ve asked the community to tell us about their background and how it has impacted where they are today.

Ines Vasquez

I was born and raised in Tejutla, San Marcos, Guatemala. My mother used to work as a teacher in two schools, so I spent most of my time with my grandparents. My grandfather Romulo Gutierrez and my grandmother Floridalma de Gutierrez (RIP) taught me to be passionate about food, hospitality, and gardening. Without knowing it, my grandparents were my best school for culinary arts. At 16 years old, I moved to the United States. It was a huge cultural impact. I had to learn a new language, customs, and a new pace of life. While these changes were challenging and scary, I always thought about my parents, who immigrated to this country to give my siblings and me a better future, and my grandparents and family missing us in Guatemala. I wanted to make them proud. Today, when I look back, I see how my grandparents influenced my life, how immigrating to a new country and the struggles we had with my parents and siblings gave me the push I needed to follow my passion for food and today share my culture through it. Read more>>

Kirsten Agresta-Copely

I grew up in Bloomfield Hills, MI (a suburb of Detroit). It was a beautiful area with top rated schools, revered youth orchestras, and a supportive environment to nurture blossoming musical talent. My Mother was interested in many different instruments, and bought a small Troubadour harp for her own enjoyment, realizing very quickly that her five year old daughter liked it too! I was lucky to live in a home with an eclectic set of instruments – two grand pianos, a marimba, ukelele, recorders and flute, to name a few. As an only child, I sometimes felt lonely and was comforted by those instruments surrounding me. It instilled a level of curiosity and desire to learn that absolutely impacted who I am today. Read more>>

Amanda Stawicki

I am originally from Los Angeles, California, and I consider myself a California native. However, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia when I was six years old. Since then, I have lived back and forth from Georgia to California. I have always been fascinated by the entertainment and beauty industry. Ever since I was really little, I always had an eye to find mistakes in film and it started as a game for me to find the set light in the sunglasses or the continuity mistakes. Eventually, I was drawn to how things were made and the talent that went behind them. Read more>>

Abriana Vicioso

I am proudly multicultural being one of the first in my family born in the country. My father is Puerto Rican and Dominican. And on my mothers side I am a first generation American, my mother migrated from Germany in her childhood. My background impacts who I am in so many ways as my culture plays a huge role in my expression and inspiration. Coming from a family of immigrants, first gen Americans, artist, blue collar workers, and entrepreneurs… Read more>>

Rashad Todd

Most of my childhood, I grew up in Moreno Valley, California, which is about an hour east of Los Angeles. Although we were in the suburbs, we still had our share of struggles. However, as a family we made our problems look easy by always having a good time. Read more>>

Yubin Lee

I am originally from Seoul, South Korea – the place where I was born and raised. But, my upbringing involved frequent relocations, which led me to explore various corners of the world, including England, Virginia, China, and now, my current home, New York City. As cliché as it may sound, this kind of lifestyle has played a key role in shaping the person I am today. I often wonder how different my life would have been had I grown up solely in Korea. The exposure to diverse environments and cultures during my travels has significantly broadened my perspective on life. Read more>>

Loria Stern

Our founder, Loria Stern, is from Ojai, California, a small and vibrant town nestled in the beautiful Southern California valley. Growing up here has had a profound impact on shaping the small botanical bakery business that Loria has started. Read more>>

Pamela Hill

I’m originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. My upbringing and values I garnered in my life are the catalyst for my book I just wrote and published “The Next Contestant is…”! It’s available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle. I’ve been fortunate to have in my life very loving and supportive parents! They instilled in me confidence, going for my dreams and the power of positive thinking. My dad said to me growing up…”Know enough to get on a game show”. Well…that seed was planted early. My story is about my many game show experiences, and how I implemented my life lessons to not only get me to the game show stage, but how I use these qualities in my everyday life. Read more>>

Rania Toli

I am originally from the region of Epirus in Greece, but I have been living in Boston for the last 3 years. I was born and raised in the small city of Arta. My background was not exactly a musical one, even though I did start classical piano lessons at a young age. Meantime, Arta was not a place that offered a lot of musical opportunities. I had to focus on finishing school and figuring out what I wanted to do.  Read more>>

Stephanie De La Cruz

(pic#1) caption- “I am the Master of my fate-I am the captain of my Soul” -William Earnest Henley Born and raised in Los Angeles, California…I had somewhat of a rough childhood, I was a Single child -My parents were teens, and it didn’t work out. My mother worked most of the time and I was raised by my grandmothers. I ended up learning a lot from the Streets of L.A very young. I could say that definitely took me down the wrong path. Read more>>

Day Mori

Growing up in Sierra Madre as an LGBT individual was a journey filled with loneliness and the need to fit in. But in the world of magic, I found solace and escape from judgment. Performing spells and illusions became my refuge, helping me embrace my true self. Sierra Madre’s beauty and accepting souls nurtured me, showing that being different wasn’t a weakness. Magic saved me, teaching resilience, self-discovery, and the power of love. Read more>>

Marie Delepiere

Growing up in Provence offers a unique experience in life. This part of France has a rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and a vibrant culinary tradition. My countryside is renowned for its flavorful cuisine. The local markets are filled with colorful products providing a feast of the senses. Read more>>

Shaghayegh Cyrous

“I was born in Tehran, Iran, and being an Iranian/Persian woman born in Iran and later becoming a refugee in the United States has undeniably exerted a profound influence on my life. This transformative experience has significantly shaped both my daily life and professional career in various ways. Read more>>

Luz Mack

I was born to a single mother in Villa Mella, Dominican Republic. Looking back, I recall seeing pictures of myself with a big afro and a cloth diaper, surrounded by my mother’s siblings and my maternal grandmother in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Soon after, my mother married my stepfather, and our family welcomed my little sister, Nathaly. Read more>>

HIJAZ BLAQ

I’m a Young Global Citizen born in Nairobi, Kenya. I am 12 years old. I am the founder of kikaocultures.com. I am a Change maker. An agent for Sustainability. A Global Goals Advocate. Read more>>

Trevor Schlies

I’m from Wisconsin a small town. Where you just work hard. Was raised by a single mom who gave me everything she could. So I take the work ethic with me. I try to be better then I was yesterday! Read more>>