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.
Jacqueline Reyes
I was born and raised in LA. From a young age I enjoyed the arts through singing, dancing, and acting. My first professional job was being a background dancer in middle school for an old show called ‘Big Love’ but when people ask, I often mention my first real job as a parade dancer as Disneyland during my college years. Read more>>
Leah Haggard
During my experience training pre-professionally in ballet and an 11 year career dancing professionally around the country, I reflected on the lack of support I had in supporting my body nutritionally to perform at my best. Read more>>
Monica Epstein
Ysidro began with a literal dream. I woke up one morning after dreaming that my husband, Seth Epstein and a friend Alex Dessouky, and I had co-created a drink together. What stood out wasn’t the exact recipe—it was the benefits that were crystal clear: gluten-free, sulfite-free, and non-GMO. Read more>>
Star& Shay Wynn
Star and Shay is transgender Twins from the DMV area who decided to move to Atlanta Georgia to start a influencer career starting. Shay was on a platform called Bego that helped them boost up who they are by showing their personality. Read more>>
Pearl Low
Hi! I’m Pearl Low (they/them) a Cantonese/Jamaican Director, Storyboard Artist, Writer and Founder of Orange Blossom Studios. I’ve worked in animation for over 10 years, and have worked in publishing for 5. My cultures and love for animation have shaped me into a storyteller. Read more>>
R.K. Ashwick
Like many fantasy authors, my story started when I was six and got way too into dragons. As a kid, I inhaled Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones, and Tolkein. If it had a dragon, wizard, griffin, or some kind of knight on the cover, I read it. So, it makes sense that eventually I tried imitating those books myself- something I’m still doing today. Read more>>
Clara Jacobs
I was born and raised in Romania, and ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawn to anything handmade. There was just something magical about watching people create things with their hands. When I was 12, I asked my mom to teach me how to knit, and that’s pretty much where it all started. The moment I held those needles, I was hooked. Read more>>
Simon (Sam) Nikan
I’m a professional dancer originally from Saint Petersburg, Russia, and I’m currently based in Los Angeles. I moved here in 2021. Back home, I had my own dance company and was fully involved in the industry, but moving to the U.S. meant starting from scratch. It wasn’t easy, but I’m grateful I made that step — and proud of how far I’ve come. Read more>>
Steve Zamarripa
i was in the international freight business for many years after graduating from Columbia University with my MBA in 1984. I was doing well financially but felt something missing in myself. There was a calling to give back and help others. Read more>>
Orsolya Dunai
I was born and raised in the Rust Belt of America: Northeastern Ohio which steel mills once pumped smoke into the air lining the pockets of businessman and workmen, alike. Sadly, this once prosperous Midwest city transformed into a dilapidated, poverty and crime-stricken city once the steel mills shuts its doors. Read more>>
Leilani Jones
My name is Leilani Jones, and I am a wife and a mother of four beautiful children. I was born and raised in Sacramento, California, and family and relationships are at the heart of who I am. I’ve always had a natural heart and desire to help others, which led me to a career in healthcare, where I’ve been serving for the past 14 years. Read more>>
Spencer Frankeberger
When I was younger, I wanted to be a theme park engineer, but I had the trifecta: I was terrible at physics, math, and definitely couldn’t draw, so that was certainly out of the question. However, at a young age, I discovered my fascination with movies, and throughout my schooling and beyond, I became obsessed with seeing as many movies as possible. Read more>>
lucas prince
I started my modelling career two years ago, and I quickly had the opportunity to work internationally, spending ten months in India and two months in Egypt. These experiences were incredibly valuable — I learned a lot about modelling through a wide variety of shoots, from TV commercials like Royal Enfield and MG Motors to numerous campaigns and e-commerce projects. Read more>>
Shane Callahan
I didn’t realize I started acting probably until right around 13. Or at least developing tools useful to acting. Some examples: like rebelling against the very conservative culture in the town I grew up in. Which on some level is creating a character, finding loud 80s Santa Cruz style skate wear that was hard to find in western Pennsylvania at the time. Read more>>
Zach Hendrickson
Creating and building things has always been a part of my life. From a very early age, building Legos, creating Origami – you name it, I loved to create. I love to take something in my head and make it a physical reality. Read more>>
Jan Roper
I am a composer and theatrical music director. I started out as a performing and recording singer and keyboard player for many years, playing all kinds of gigs and concerts, and recording whatever I was hired for. Having a strong classical piano background and perfect pitch meant I was also a strong sight singer, so I stayed pretty busy in the recording studios as well. Read more>>
Sona Kechiyants
I started with a love for capturing genuine, authentic moments. I began photographing family and lifestyle sessions and quickly realized that people felt comfortable around me — it helped them relax and show their true selves. Over time, photography became more than just a job; it became a way to connect with people. I’ve built my business around trust, warmth, and honest storytelling. Read more>>
Patricia Houghton Clarke
A self-taught photographer trained in life painting, drawing and fabric arts, Patricia is particularly interested in culture, history and human nature. She has decades of travel in over 40 countries and years of work in visual arts and social justice efforts. Her international award-winning photography has been an exploration of humanity, both near and far. Read more>>
Vincent tabaillon
I am an independant film editor now based in LA. I started working back in France when I was in my 20’s. over the years, I worked on many movies back in France, mostly comedy. I was always attracted with the american cinema and culture in general. Read more>>
Jaila Brewer
I started in my hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. As a little girl, I was obsessed with Annie—the big curly fro, the singing, the dancing—everything about it made me fall in love with performing. By age 10, theatre became my first love. I began acting in church, then in school plays, and eventually started auditioning for opportunities around the city. Read more>>
Sam Salman
I was born on the eve of dawn…jk…I started my path as a Fashion Designer when one day I was offered an opportunity to be the Art Director for a TV show thanks to my experience as a designer and having orchestrated several fashion shows and runway presentations. Read more>>
Ivan Van Norman
I’ve been obsessed with games and gathering groups of creative folks around shared imagination for as long as I can remember. I was the kid with tortoise-shell glasses, a stack of Magic cards, and allergies so intense they were a defining personality trait. Read more>>
Dr. Arlayn Castle
I often say that my work chose me long before I understood what it would become. My journey began in the legal and compliance world, where I spent more than a decade leading organizations through moments that required clarity, integrity, and decisive leadership. Read more>>
Dave Stroud
I started out as a singer. I wanted to be a rock star – I mean who doesn’t, right? I grew up in Southern Utah and was obsessed with music. Bands like Toto, Journey, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Tears for Fears and artists like John Denver, Cristopher Cross, Peter Gabriel and others were my sanctuary. Read more>>
Gwenavair
Being the daughter and granddaughter of classically trained pianists it was inevitable I’d be taught piano lessons and start at a young age. I began lessons when I was around 4 or 5 years old by my mom and my grandma on and off for a few years. Read more>>
Renata Peter
I’ve enjoyed working with my hands and making things as long as I’ve been alive – building projects in my parents’ backyard or picking up a new craft every few months and going completely in. That’s how I got into working with metal and making jewelry, too – just an idea that I decided to follow through on. Read more>>
Josh Carrasco
From a young age, I’ve always had a camera in my hands. Whether it was taking stills of family or filming and editing skateboarding videos for my friends, I was constantly documenting. After film school, I became a gaffer for a while in order to comprehend more about lighting as well as understand what should be expected as a crew member. Read more>>
Lea-Maude Roy
I am originally from Montreal, Canada, though I spent most of my childhood living abroad in a uniquely multicultural environment. I grew up in a place where people from all over the world lived side by side, and where diversity was not something discussed in theory but experienced daily in society – in friendships, classrooms, and communities. Read more>>
Jessica Enos
I was born in Glendale, CA in 1987. Our family was one of many who migrated to the Antelope Valley in the 90’s because housing was more affordable. I went to junior high and high school here, basically living a very normal life. I married my high school sweetheart. Read more>>
Trae Briers
My journey started at the age of 20. I was a kid who decided to take some time off from being a full-time college student studying Economics at UCSB and moved to Hollywood to see the movie business up close and personal. I landed a job as a Studio Paige at Paramount Studios, and it was there I realized I wanted to be a Filmmaker. Read more>>
Kathy Sparrow
The call to be a writer has been with me since I was eight years old. I have always loved books and spent hours in the hammock during summer vacations reading Marguerite Henry’s ‘Misty and the Chincoteague Pony’ series and ‘Seventeen’ magazine. On Saturdays, my Aunt Veen and I would go to the library, and I’d bring home as many books as I was allowed. Read more>>
Jay Rosenzweig
I started as a Private investigator in Los Angeles in the early 1980’s. In the mid 2000s I formed a separate company to locate birth relatives and reunite them with their our clients. This all started when my niece asked for my help in finding her birth mother. It took me five minutes to find her, They were reunited shortly thereafter. Read more>>
Austin Lampson
While most folks snoozed through Economics class in high school, I feel in love with the idea that, ‘There is no such thing as a free lunch.’ The backwards flow of money and logistics to deliver it to the consumer is fascinating to me. Read more>>
Scout Latshaw
I started acting when I was four years old on The Goodnight Show, and that’s when I first caught the acting bug. I was a huge Shirley Temple fan and constantly begged my parents to let me go to more auditions. They weren’t too keen on the idea of having a child actor, so I only did a handful of auditions when I was younger. Read more>>
Tal Orion
I actually started in events very organically, helping friends and family plan celebrations, and slowly realizing how much I loved creating experiences that make people feel something. Over time, that grew into Tal Orion Conceptual Events, which became known for high-end weddings and big milestone celebrations. Read more>>
Lotus Flow
My name is Lotus Flow, a multi-genre music producer and songwriter raised in Shenzhen, China. I’ve always had a passion for music since I was 5 years old. I began classical training in piano and orchestral composition at a young age, laying the foundation for my musical journey. Read more>>
Abbey Scott
We probably wrote and recorded over 25 songs and thats when I felt confident enough to share my talents with the world. I went on to write and record 2 full length albums, 2 Ep’s and countless singles including Original Christmas songs that I wrote with my dad. I have been writing and recording music as an Independent Artist ever since. Read more>>
Nicole Briggs
A former boss, and chiropractor, gifted me Pilates lessons. I had no clue what is was, but quickly discovered it was another way to tap into my body. I was about to finish a dance degree and was dancing upwards of eight hours a day. My body had difficulty keeping up and I had daily joint and muscle pain. I found that doing Pilates regularly got rid of these issues. It inspired me to teach Pilates and help others connect to their body and give them a better quality of life. Read more>>
