Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Michelle Sheppard

I was born and raised in New York, and despite spending the last ten years in California, New York will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I learned the value of hustle, resilience, and staying true to who I am.

From a young age, I knew I wanted a career that was both rewarding and meaningful, which initially led me to pursue psychology. However, I eventually realized that it wasn’t the right fit. That realization sparked a shift toward fashion, marketing, and design, where I discovered a true passion for bringing creative ideas to life. Read More>>

Kanika

I grew up in a small city in central India, surrounded by familiar faces, close connections, and a little garden full of beings lovingly cared for by my mother. A lot of my early memories come from spending time there—watching birds, insects, fruits, leaves, and noticing all kinds of textures and rituals. That way of seeing has stayed with me. Even now, my work naturally pulls toward those details—lush, habitual, and full of life. Design became a way for me to recreate parts of that world I’ve always felt connected to: the stillness and calm that comes from quiet observation. Read More>>

Chantal Aquin

There’s a picture of my mother, pregnant with me, standing in front of Habitat 67 in Montreal. It makes me believe that architecture starts influencing us early. Audacious, experimental, and pushing Montreal to another level, Habitat 67 may have always been there as a quiet example of architecture for me.
When we moved to Central America at a young age and my family began house-hunting, I started begging my parents to pick the weird ones—the homes that twisted, turned, or looked like they had a story to tell. One had no square edges; another followed the topography, moving up and down; one connected rooms without hallways. The one I liked the most was the one I got lost in.
Maybe I didn’t have the words for it then, but I was already drawn to spaces that told a story—places where design didn’t follow a formula, but followed feeling, memory, culture, or imagination. Read More>>

Eryn Govenar, Bella Boghossian, Lindsy and Megan Rapp, And Olivia Cody

We’re proud to say we were born and raised in the beautiful city of Los Angeles, California—specifically in the San Fernando Valley. Our friendship began in elementary school, and through every stage of life, we’ve stayed by each other’s sides. Now, post-college, we’re more grateful than ever for the bond we’ve shared since childhood—a connection that has only grown stronger with time. Read More>>

Leanna Tallmeister

I was born and raised in the Greater Toronto area, more specifically, a little town called Unionville. Both of my parents are first generation Canadians, with their parents being immigrants from Italy and Estonia. I was very lucky to be raised in a close family with a genuine love of the arts and entertainment, so my early passion for theatre was highly encouraged. I grew up on stage, starting ballet at three years old and eventually moving into drama school as a teen. My parents were so supportive of me auditioning for film and tv, starting at the young age of 16, even moving me to New York for a while to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute. So, when I decided to move to Los Angeles to really pursue film, I had a lot of encouragement. I know this level of support is not common for artists and performers, so I really feel like I won the lottery there. Read More>>

Virginia Powers Hendry

I’m originally from Memphis, TN, but after my parents divorced, my mom married a Methodist preacher and we moved with him to his appointments in various cities in Florida. My mom is a retired teacher and administrator and my stepdad has semi-retired from preaching, but growing up in a church environment has had a huge impact on my life. Looking back it was during this time that I began to understand the importance of telling stories and using illustrations to connect with an audience, and the power that story-telling has to unite people around certain ideas and establish community.  Read More>>