The heart of our mission at VoyageLA is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our city. In the recent weeks we’ve had the privilege to connect with some of South LA’s finest artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rebel rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with our city’s incredibly deep talent pool. Check out South LA’s rising stars below.
Dyamon White
After moving from Chicago to Los Angeles, I began working with the homeless population—a deeply transformative experience that shaped my passion for serving vulnerable communities. Then, everything shifted again when I became a mom of three, including a set of twins. That season of life pushed me to reevaluate my direction and find a career that aligned with both my purpose and my family life. Read more>>
Antonio Lucifero Tammaro
I have always been passionate about gastronomy, from fine dining to fresh produce markets. Because I am more than convinced that no journey can begin unless you truly intend to lose yourself. And it’s the same in the world of gastronomy: if you want to know the local culture, if you really want to know a place, you must immerse yourself in the scents and dishes of the people; only in this way will you be able to understand who they are and where they might go Read more>>
Shenandoah Simmers
Hello my name is Shenandoah Simmers, and I am born and based in Bellflower, CA. I’m a professional dancer and a registered behavior technician (RBT) that is currently going to grad school to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). My childhood and my family has a huge part to play in choosing the career path I’m on. In elementary school, I danced for the my school district’s Ensemble where I found my love for dance. However, I stopped dancing from 2012-2022 due to not being aware of the resources around me and not having a dance team at the schools I attended. That is when I found my love for helping others and taking care of our future generation, our children. Read more>>
Luis Sanchez
Our Tea story began in the summer of 2022. the pandemic was still lingering and at the moment I was working a tech job fixing mobile pay systems with some friends I grew up with. I had been an entrepreneur for the past decade and the pandemic and personal life situations had brought me down the a safe 9/5 job. My cousin and I had worked together on past projects and he had an idea to start a coffee shop and kept pitching the idea. Read more>>
Yoe Rodríguez
At Yoeweb Design, we pride ourselves of transforming ideas into powerful digital and physical experiences for Los Angeles businesses. Since 2017, we’ve specialized in integrated branding, marketing, and website design solutions that tell unique stories. Our philosophy that “creating something GREAT only requires an IDEA” drives everything we do. As a “One-Stop Branding Solution,” we architect complete brand ecosystems that connect businesses meaningfully with their target audiences. We’re committed to transforming 500 small and medium businesses in the Greater LA area into industry leaders through strategic presence that delivers measurable ROI. Read more>>
Steven Lopez & Carmen Obied
Now based in Los Angeles, we co-founded Explorers Photography as an extension of our shared love for the ocean and passion for storytelling. It began as an idea—to merge our scientific backgrounds with our creative pursuits and show the world the beauty and fragility of underwater environments. From the warm waters of the Mediterranean to the icy landscapes of Antarctica, each experience deepened our connection to the ocean. With over 15 years of experience in underwater environments, both academically and professionally, we aim to inspire others to see the ocean not just as a vast expanse, but as a world filled with life and meaning holding countless stories waiting to be told through ocean exploration, cinematography, and conservation. Read more>>
Destiny Dennis
My nana took me down to Ocean Nail Supplies because I was desperate for the holographic and chrome powders they were known for. I would get a full-set application from the shop and design my own nails at home. Eventually, I started to do fills on myself and created my own acrylic mixes with glow in the dark, color shifting & reflective glitter pigments. Friends and family would ask me to do freestyles on them to allowing me a creative space to encapsulate food, build aquarium tanks and many hours of intricate designs. That was the moment I knew nails was the career for me. Read more>>
Jennifer S. Li
Since then, I have built a career of over two decades working in museums, galleries, art publications and art advisories. I still write regularly for arts publications such as ArtAsiaPacific (for whom I’ve been the LA Desk editor for 15 years), Frieze, Sight Unseen and more, but I also recently branched out on my own to build my own art advisory. It’s been a fun adventure to travel to art fairs with clients as well as go to gallery shows and museums right here in LA to help match up clients to artworks that speak to their heart and soul, as well as fit within their home and investment portfolios. . Read more>>
Bernard Brown
At our first performance, weeks after that first class, I met my mentor, Lula Washington. Ms. Washington invited me to train at her school on a lifelong scholarship. I was amongst a primarily Black student body where we trained intensively in multiple movement forms – West African, Tap, Hip Hop, Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Stepping, and Gymnastics. I, personally, took 13 classes per week. The training I received went well beyond the physical rigors of dance. It is through my education at Lula Washington Dance Theatre that I began to understand dance as culture, dance as storytelling, and dance as activism. I saw Black leadership and Black luminaries as commonplace. Being there gave me a foundation toward activism, theater, and understanding Blackness as expansively nuanced. This collection of lessons set me on a path, of success, uniquely my own. Read more>>
Lela Christine
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Lela Christine is a dynamic, multifaceted leader with over 20 years of groundbreaking contributions across fashion, entertainment, brand marketing, and digital innovation. A proud graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), Lela launched her creative journey at just 20 years old, working with top local apparel manufacturers whose collections were sold at department stores like Bullocks, Robinsons-May, Contempo Casuals, and Judy’s. Her designs were also featured in national fashion catalogs, quickly establishing her reputation as a rising star within Los Angeles’ Fashion District. Read more>>
KJ
I became attuned to others who also felt like they were outsiders, unwelcome because of perceived differences or unconventional approaches. I led a life in which I downplayed my appearance, muted my voice, and hid my ideas from my teachers and peers. Sometimes I would avoid social gatherings. I stayed small, which caused bouts of depression and anxiety as well as self-shaming, especially in my later high school years. Read more>>
Rhonda O’Neal
My book, Beyond the Combs: A Celebrity Hairstylist’s Guide to Success, was the blueprint, my journey from Houston to Hollywood . My story is rooted in family, legacy and helping others find their path-just like my mom did for me. And now my son, Terry O’Neal, II is my business consultant who keeps me on track with the daily operations! Although Terry helps me daily my other 2 children, Te’Rhon and Tyra will also help in whatever capacity of the business I need help in they are there to help. I’m so grateful to have the support of family in which it makes all the difference. Read more>>
Esther Lopez Gaspar
Eventually we found someone and long story short, she ended up changing important aspects of our ceremony that we had previously agreed upon, *after* we had discussed them. She was trying to be helpful, but we ended up unhappy about what was said. Our day was still beautiful but that was a sour note for us. My husband hinted that I’d do a great job at officiating and I laughed. The idea stayed in my mind and upon considering all aspects, including how officiating was mostly a weekend endeavor, I decided to go for it. Read more>>
Juan Garcia
The Goat Mafia was born somewhere between 2009 – 2010. My father was a Birriero, just like his father and his Great Grandfather and the generations before him. He was proud of his roots and proud of his food. He was I’ll at a relatively young age. (Early 50’s). Before he passed he expressed he wanted the Birria recipe to be learned my sister. He said “if I get out of this one I’ll teach you to make Birria.” He passed and months went by. I had that moment forged in my memory. I got curious and decided to take charge and carry on his wish. I started to learn it with the help of my mother. Read more>>
