Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.
David Je’
I believe I am 100% doing what I was born to do. I believe God gave me the multitude of musical gifts He did because music is the universal language. Music will allow me to connect to the world and vice versa in a way where a difference in language will not disrupt a connection in energy and feeling. Read more>>
Mellow Thing
I’m NOT following what I was told to do — I’m following what I LOVE to do. And in that process, I’ve discovered it’s exactly what I was meant to do. Read more>>
Shemeka Wright
The biggest lie is that actors are powerless until someone else says “yes.” The truth? The most enduring careers are built by artists who stopped waiting and claimed ownership of their work. That’s why I launched Wright Positive Films to put stories I care about into the world without asking for approval. Another lie is that followers define talent. Read more>>
Paula Morizono
The biggest lie is this– a posture brace corrects posture. That is simply impossible. Poor posture is an effect of what is happening at the feet, pelvis and rib cage. Since the shoulder blades glide on the rib cage, being bent forward will move the shoulder blades forward and create bad posture. Read more>>
Tasveer Badal
Life is temporary. We are here to love, build and grow. Destruction of others is a destruction of self. Read more>>
Jasmin Garcia-Verdin
I didn’t go to art school and there were times when a non-creative day job took over my life and identity. These times heavily reinforced a belief that I wouldn’t be able to achieve any lofty creative endeavors. Eventually it really sunk in that I would never know if this fear was true or not if I didn’t try to reach for my dreams. Read more>>
Dave Jacobsen
It has to be one of the most common fears, right? The fear of failure and all the what ifs that come with it. What if I’m not ready for this? What if I can’t get any good images out of a shoot? What if they don’t like me? Read more>>
Kristi Neilson
Losses — both as a child and as an adult — have been some of my toughest hardships. There are invisible tethers that connect us to certain people in each lifetime. When one of those tethers is severed, it can feel like a loss of ones self. Over time, and with self-reflection, healing comes. The beauty in loss is that it changes how you live. Read more>>
Kacy Boccumini
For a very long time, I was taught that I wasn’t allowed to be the one who wins. Any attention I received, any accolade, any spotlight, any opportunity meant specifically for me—was something I had to immediately give away. The last time I was featured in this article, in fact, it was to promote something or someone else. Read more>>
Kelsey Blazak
When I think of a peaceful moment, what comes to mind first are early mornings drinking coffee on the porch with my dog. I’ve always loved the feeling that early mornings evoke—there is a stillness that makes connecting to myself, my thoughts, feelings, and intuition more accessible. Read more>>
Natalie Moore
During times when I’m actively acting in a project, I most definitely tap dance to set every day. There is nothing more exciting to me than getting to go to set and do what I love. When we filmed ‘Hidden Lives,’ we shot for 10 days – all day Monday through Friday for 2 weeks. It was like heaven to me. Read more>>
DREW DUSTERHOFF
You know, this may sound like I’m being ‘holier than thou.’ My answer is a resounding, ‘yes!’ The truth is, I don’t necessarily need praise from humanity for giving anything that I do, the ‘best.’ That human praise you mention comes from a material place. Read more>>
Sofia Pantazopoulos
Personally yes, I believe giving my best is an act of self respect. I know when I am honoring my values that it will reflect in my outcomes. After five years building my business as a cosmetic tattoo artist, I’ve seen firsthand that the most rewarding moments aren’t always the most celebrated. The real achievement is knowing I’ve shown up fully. Read more>>
Lily Honigberg
Wow what a question!! In a world where so much of what I do is defined by number success (listeners, people at shows, followers, streams), this is a really tough one to answer. I have been extremely fortunate in all of the above, and honestly have spent a lot of time thinking about this. Read more>>
David B Freeman
Yes! Although, I used to struggle with recognition. Or the lack of it I suppose. For a while, I was consumed with the need to be acknowledged, supported, and praised for the work I put in, often ‘dialing back’ my passion and detail out of spite. And comparison to others was a contributing factor. Read more>>
Kit Vulpe
When training, I try to be as unbiased as I can. I give my clients the ability to choose what method is best for their path via giving them the pros and cons of each approach. Once in a Blue Moon, a client will appear that is just so open, understanding, and easy to work with. Read more>>
Krystal De Hart Pena Lora
I learn A mentor who was listening to me the most of my disabilities who are coming from and everything else and I’m not one mention the names because she’s just like a mom to me I truly honored to have her as my mentor Read more>>
Skylar Wilson
Right now actually. I’ve been working on a documentary for a couple years now, and I often think about how different the story is from when I started it. The more time it spends rolling around in my head, the more cohesive it seems to become. Read more>>
Brian Sheil
Definitely. Navy SEALs say, “Slow is fast,” and that couldn’t be truer in my experience. Whether it’s music production or audio forensics, rushing can lead to mistakes or missed details. Taking a moment to slow down, assess, and plan carefully actually speeds things up in the long run. Read more>>
Devin Reeve
Absolutely, the one person I stand up for the most is myself. I have a lot of integrity, so I refuse to be treated poorly or taken advantage of, which has cost me a job or two. Over the course of my entertainment career, I’ve built a lot of great relationships. Read more>>
Justinah Joseph
Fads and real foundational shifts has to do with the work you did or did not do. On the surface you can pretend to do the work, whether that be professionally, financially, spiritually or physically with fitness. It is what you do when no one is applauding or looking that will create a true foundational shift. Read more>>
Jacqueline Carrington
I know when I’m out of my depth when it feels hard, feels impossible, feels like there’s no other way something can happen without a higher power being involved. It’s doing those times when what you build your foundation on matters most; because what are you tapping into to push through and achieve what you set out to do? I’m currently in such a moment! Read more>>
Mia Raymond, LMFT, CEDS-C, APsA Candidate
When we lose touch with humility, we lose touch with humanity. Read more>>
Hakim Soltani
Legacy that identifies and attack real issues like children in gaza starving or authoritarian govt like we have placed now trying to destroy our constitution. Read more>>
Blu Nyle
I believe the spirit is immortal. I am spirit. I am building a powerful healing and retreat center. The BLU Nyle Healing Sanctuary A Temple for Somatic, Spiritual & Creative Rebirth This is more than a retreat center. It is a sanctuary, a portal, a sacred womb for rebirth. Read more>>
Mark Indig
I probably do only have +/- 10 years left at age 76, so stop worrying about things out of my control, which is another Stoic principle. Read more>>
Sarah Hyland
Scrolling on social media Read more>>
Tolis Keivani
It’s already been a few years since I locked in and started focusing only on what truly matters for my business and personal life. Trust me, there’s nothing left to cut — haha. Read more>>
S M Vande Kamp
My mind, my leaping mind. My heart, my curled up heart. As a poet, the practice is one that connects heart and mind. It is all so internal. It feels like putting on goggles to snorkle and dipping your head inside yourself and, suddenly, surprise, you encounter a massive kelp forest. Read more>>
Larry Santiago
No doubt, they’d miss the community. Some people who come to the studios for the first time are often surprised how noisy the room can get, especially on weekend mornings. You’ll see students are sitting on each other’s mats, chatting, catching up on life, laughing at jokes. Read more>>
Dan Ubick
Hopefully my unique take on creating and curating music. I’ve seldom been one to try and immitate or re-create something that’s already been done. I like fresh perspectives and new collages of ideas and/or sounds that produces something beautiful, uncommon and inspiring. Read more>>
Florian Gouëllo
I think what breaks or restores bonds really comes down to genuine interest — in the person, not their status or what they can offer. We live off our passion, and that means needing real connection with the people we create with, grow with, and feel inspired by. Honesty plays a big role too. Read more>>
Laura Liguori
Mappō’ touches on the concept that human beings have become ill because our earth is ill. When the ‘woman’ in the film is offered anti-depressants by her psychiatrist to assist with her sadness during the quarantine, she refuses them.. She asks him instead, ‘could the earth take an anti-depressant?’ The woman sees the earth as hurt. Fleeced. Flooded. Polluted. Burned and abandoned. Read more>>
Rachel Woodbridge
I think people assume ARTWELL is just about doing art projects, when in reality, the art is the vehicle. What I’m really focused on is social and emotional development (for both kids and adults!); helping to build confidence, express themselves, navigate big feelings, and connect with others in a safe, supportive space. Read more>>
Tori B
I believe a lot of people are secretly struggling with comparison, especially on social media. It’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring your worth by the number of comments you get, who likes your post, and seeing others “have it all together.” We are all human and have felt these feelings, even myself. Read more>>
Darius Rosario
I think most people are suffering from doubt and fear. There’s a stigma on being ‘weak’ if you admit those things about yourself yet everyone deals with it at some point in their lives. I would just say people in general are struggling with being honest with themselves and to the public because of fear of judgement. Read more>>
Chris Mata
What do I think people will most misunderstand about my legacy? Probably why I stepped off the easy road. I was already a comic with momentum. But I pivoted into satire because I couldn’t keep telling jokes that were hollow. Once I understood what satire could actually do, there was no going back. So what’s the legacy? Read more>>
Bethanie Jean
My fear is that people would think that my profession was shallow because it’s surfaced all in physical appearances. I used to have a complex about this; that I wasn’t doing enough meaningful, change-making work in the world. Read more>>
Tara Dervin
THAT WORLD PEACE IS POSSIBLE Although I would say, that more people than a few agree. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. This is spiritual. This is beyond the realms of logistical comprehension everyone is fighting about every day. DIG DEEPER. SAY IT WITH ME. PEACE IS POSSIBLE. Read more>>
Victor Rocha
People change. You can teach an old dog new tricks. I truly believe that. I’ve seen it. There is no doubt in my mind that people change. The only thing in question is how fast/how slow. To anyone who disagrees with me, I ask this— If people don’t change, then what’s the fucking point? Read more>>
Charlotte Bash
A normal day for me consists of teaching group music and theater classes, as well as one-on-one private voice lessons. When I’m not teaching, I’m usually at a rehearsal, a production meeting, or focusing on my professional development. I take music production lessons and carve out time to write. Staying creatively active and continually learning is what keeps me inspired. Read more>>
Sydney Kramer
A normal day for me is getting up and having a cup or two of coffee while having breakfast. Then depends on my work schedule I go to the gym for a good work out and then go on with my day. Read more>>
Danielle Spires
My days are filled with cats, top to bottom. In addition to my pet portrait studio, I have also started a hyper local pet sitting company, just for Los Feliz, that specializes in senior cats and cats with medical issues. So my day starts with taking care of my own cats, then rushing off for my first cat clients of the day, usually at 7am. Read more>>
Dylan Gorenberg
Funny enough, even though I consider myself a full-time musician, most of my day-to-day is actually organization and email. Ironically, I feel more like a project manager than anything else! I’m also a college professor, so a lot of my time is spent planning curriculum, answering student emails, and handling classroom management. It’s a balance between the creative and administrative sides of the work Read more>>
Jazmin De La Torre
For many years I was dimming my creative light. I’ve always been someone who was involved in some kind of creative outlet like music, singing, art, or theater. When I became more active on social media and started sharing my creative passions, I used to really get in my head about the content that I was putting out. Read more>>
Joss Gomez
I carry a lot of pain inside—pain I try not to face every day because doing so would be overwhelming. I confront it every now and then, because I have no other choice, but it’s a difficult struggle I’m going through right now. This is one of the hardest and most painful times in my life. Read more>>
Brent Estabrook
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself is with my wife, Dr. Tara. I could write a book on the positive impact she has on my life. One piece of life advice I could offer to anyone is to find a partner in life that inspires, and challenges, you to positively grow. Read more>>
TANYA STAWSKI
The relationship that has most profoundly shaped who I am is the one I shared with my beloved mother of blessed memory. She was my hero, my biggest cheerleader, my trusted confidante, friend and my source of unwavering strength. Losing her last year after her battle with cancer is the most painful experience of my life. Read more>>
Kaitlyn Quitiquit
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was in third grade, performing in my school’s talent show. I danced with a few girls from my class, and for the first time, I felt this rush of confidence from sharing something creative with people. That feeling carried through high school, where I got really involved in both visual and performing arts. Read more>>
Kikee Bah
I started feeling powerful when I realized that knowing myself and what I was about was the most important tool I had as a human being. So many people are dazed and confused, searching for something in others that they can only find in themselves. This revelation came to me quite early in life. Read more>>
Francisnelli Bailoni dos Santos
When I decided to pack everything and leave behind a life and people that didn’t accept me for who and how I was. That was also one of the saddest moments of my life because I had to leave behind the only creature that loved me for who I was, my dog Floquinho. Read more>>
Holly M.
I protect the belief that art is for everyone—always. Read more>>
Adonis Tsilimparis
Equality, Freedom and Respect for Elders. Read more>>
Nasim Askar
The last time I felt true joy was seeing a room full of strangers at one of my paint events laughing, connecting, and creating like old friends. Read more>>
Aidar Mukhametzhanov
True joy I felt last time when we submitted our short film for the 48HFP contest. We were 57 seconds away from failing, but we did not. Our team was able to meet all the task’s criteria. We did not win, but we did a great job as a team and gained valuable experience. Read more>>
James Dean LeStrange
The last time I felt true joy was August of this year, 2025, when I got to raffle away 3 signed copies of my book. I actually wrote my book, Trans-Numerology; What’s In A Name, in February of 2024 though I’d been working on finalizing the editing since then. Read more>>
Angela Su
I believe that joy is our true nature, and true fulfillment is being able to return to it. While there are moments where I experience glimpses of it, it can be easy to get caught back in what seem to be predicaments of day-to-day life. Read more>>
David Schoffman
It’s been so long since I felt true joy – or ‘true’ anything – that if a chorus of angels descended upon my studio I would mistake them for building inspectors. I am removed from joy in favor of anxiety. Now, before you admonish my pessimism or pity my limitations, ask yourself which condition is more hospitable to prophecy? Read more>>
Pam Scamardo
The need to be perfect. The need to be on top of it all. I was there too, and it’s all wrong. You learn the most when you stumble, fail, and fall. It’s HOW you choose to get up and dust yourself and continue on, is what really matters. It’s not about what you do, it’s how you do it. Read more>>
Emma Croft
I think sometimes people focus so much on filling their brain with knowledge that they lose the humanity in things and forget how to lead with their heart, not just their head (I am guilty of this). Read more>>
Mass Appel The DJ
Right now a lot my biggest inspiration comes from my friends and fellow creatives. I have a big circle of people who are doing really innovative and creative things. They’re not lazy or unmotivated. They’re innovators, entrepreneurs, and go-getters. It’s motivating to watch how hard they work, and I’ve been able to implement some of their habits and mindset into my own life. Read more>>
Teyhou Smyth
That happiness does not lie in a final destination or conditional on achievement, it lies within you and its up to you to compose a life which brings you joy and fulfillment which are both essential factors for happiness Read more>>
Darian Moore
The person I admire most for their character is my grandfather, a Vietnam War veteran and Marine. He was truly my best friend and set the standard for the kind of man I intend to marry one day. Read more>>
