It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around the Valley.

Rachel Barth

Fast forward to my mid-30s. I had met my soon-to-be husband, and with his support, I pushed myself to take up photography again, to try in earnest to freelance this time and see if this could be a viable career path. I quickly realized just how much of a passion this is for me, how it makes me feel more alive than anything. I continue to find my voice, my style, myself. I continue to push myself out of my comfort zone. I have found that my deepest love in photography–among many areas–is documentary photography of families, telling the story of a family and capture their unique love in evocative images. To make lasting art depicting familial bonds, and to forge connections of my own. To give people photos with meaning and soul. Read More>>

Savannah Rivers

My love for singing began when I was four years old, and my sister and I were playing a karaoke game on our Nintendo WII. I thought my sister was so good and wanted to be just like her. I then went on to join the choir as the youngest person. Since then, I’ve been in Choirs and a cappella groups, and now I have my own band, which has been such an exciting and eye-opening experience. My journey led me to songwriting when my parents got a divorce. I was ten, and reading and writing acted as an escape. I could create any story or circumstance I wanted and just write about what was going on in my life. It was, and still is, my escape. Read More>>

Hayward Crawford

Hayward Crawford is a BIPOC feature film & script TV genre screenwriter, Director & Filmmaker & Producer from Detroit, Michigan. Pre WGA, Verve T&L alum & Wayne State University graduate with Bachelor’s of Arts in Media Arts & Studies and Concentration in Directing & Production at the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan. Read More>>

Jim Higgins

I’ve been a comics editor and writer for a little over 30 years. But my first experience with the comics world was in 1983 when I started working at one of the best comic book stores in the country, Jim Hanley’s Universe, in 1983, in New York City. Jim sold superhero comics, but also championed the best literary and artistic comics out there. It reinforced my feelings that comics is a medium that can move you, affect you, thrill you, teach you, challenge you, and change you. Read More>>

Thiane Lavrador

I started in performing arts when I was a little girl. At the age of 7, I took my first ballet classes and have been studying dance ever since. I explored different techniques: tap dance, flamenco, and contemporary. At some point, with encouragement from my teachers, I also ventured into theatre. This path led me to transform the arts from a hobby into my profession. Read More>>

00renity

I moved to Los Angeles 4 years ago from Salt Lake City, Utah, where I grew up. I moved here for a fresh start and I was also a graphic designer at the time. I wanted to be involved in the music industry so I began making cover art for artists which put me in a lot of studio sessions and networking with a lot of industry people. One day I was in a studio session for another artist, the artist was trying to write a song, out of boredom I started to write my own lyrics down.  Read More>>

Victor Anderson

Growing up Kobe Bryant was my idol and my hero. I was always drawn to Los Angeles because I watched every Lakers game religiously, on top of the movies and Hollywood being a major influence. Moving here was HUGE for me, I left all my family and loved ones back home but I knew I wanted more and wanted to be in a place like California where opportunities are endless. Read More>>

Ryan Vaughn Bates

Back in 2017 I was a college student attending University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. Randomly one night I got an email from the casting department for Shameless and I got called down to Chicago the next morning to do background on the show. That day I decided I wanted to be an actor (it’s always been in my mind but never thought I’d pursue it) and I dropped out of all my college classes. I called my parents and told them I decided I wanted to move to LA.  Read More>>

Vicki Crannell

My husband, Chef Collin Crannell and I met in 2004. He was chef de cuisine at a restaurant in Playa Del Rey named Chloe. We instantly fell in love and planted a tiny hope and a prayer seed that one day we would own our own restaurant. I had been in and out of the restaurant business for about 14 years when we met, and he had been a chef for 13 years. Thankfully by 2017 with two kids and the money we were able to save, we opened Moody Rooster, our 1,2oo Sq.Ft. little restaurant, in Westlake Village, CA. Read More>>

Alyana Abonales

Ever since I was a kid, I knew I was always creative. I was very open-minded and wanted to try painting, arts & crafts, music, and photography. In high school, my interest in photography and being in front of the camera grew, which I feel laid the foundation for my current love for content-creating. Read More>>

Angie Nasca

As kids, my sister and I shared a love for drawing, but as we grew older and life took us in different directions, we set drawing aside. Although I continued to dabble in art here and there, it wasn’t until high school that my passion truly reignited. The movie Frozen completely blew me away in 2012 with its stunning mix of 3D animation and traditional Disney style. From that moment, I was never without my sketchbook—whether at home, in class, or outside. My passion for drawing only moved forward from there. Read More>>

Melina Udell

It hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve hit nothing but bumpy roads, is what it felt like. From separating from a 7 year relationship, having to start your life from scratch, shedding tears non-stop, moving away, struggling to find a job, all while maintaining a presence on social media. There’s one thing about me, I keep my struggles real on social media. We are all go through hardships but it’s up to us to make it through it. I can say now, I’VE MADE IT! Well at least half way. Read More>>

Yifan Xiang

These opportunities gave me confidence, then I started making independent short films. After moving to the United States for college, I attended the San Francisco Art Institute, immersed in fine arts and new genres. Later, I moved down to Southern California, relearned everything about filmmaking, and started a career focusing on Cinematography, while holding on to my dream of being a writer-director. Read More>>

Hillel Teplitzki

Eventually, I got serious about piano and studied it full-time with several teachers. I’d often get scolded for improvising on pieces, but instead of sticking to the script, I doubled down on improvisation. That love for creating music led me to Berklee College of Music, where I completed my master’s degree in composition for Film, TV, and Video Games. Read More>>

Vita White

Far from a smooth road, quite scary really. Opening a business from scratch is not an easy thing to do. Other than the initial investment that you don’t know if you’re going to get back, fear of failure, And just overall uncertainty of the future, things were very stressful. It took us almost a year to fill the mall. There were all kinds of problems with the building, Fortunately, I have an amazing landlord who would take care of things promptly. But generally, it was just a matter of growing pains, learning as we went along. Now my Store is beautiful. My vendors are amazing and we are also happy to be here. Read More>>

Akasha & Torryeon Glover

Torryeon and I met during our early teenage years, a time when life was full of dreams and possibilities. We were just kids, navigating the ups and downs of adolescence, but we found something special in each other. Our bond grew stronger with each passing day, and by our mid-teenage years, we decided to take a leap of faith and get married. It was a bold move, but we were determined to face life’s challenges together. Read More>>

Willman Morcillo

Three years after I was born, my father came to the USA and one year later, he sent for me and my mother and younger brother. I was 4 and my brother was 2. We lived in Miami for 6 months then we moved to New Orleans for 6 years. From age 4-10. Then we moved to San Diego, where I fell in love with baseball and soccer. I was driven to do well and by applying myself, I reached the little league all stars. My first 2 seasons as a soccer player were not very good. I think we lost all our games, but I loved the sport. It fit my personality to have to do all that running and thinking and strategizing simultaneously. Read More>>

Pamela G. Almeida

My evolution as an artist, creator and entrepreneur has been informed by multiple life experiences, academic disciplines and earth based spiritual practices. I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in World Arts and Cultures/Dance at UCLA in 2005, with an emphasis on Cultural Studies. I developed my artistry as a professional dancer until 2010 when I returned to graduate studies and reconnected to visual art and my practice as intuitive artist. In 2015, I completed my Master of Arts degree in Women’s Spirituality at Sofia University (formerly known as The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology). Read More>>