Where you grew up and your background can often have surprising effects on our lives and careers. We’ve asked folks from the community to tell us about how their background has affected them.

Jai Knight | Interdisciplinary Artist, Professional Hand-Poke Tattoo Artist & Teacher.

I am from Upstate Western New York. I grew up in a low-income split family in a rural farm community, Drug Addiction, mental health crises, opioids, alcoholism, and boredom plagued my first known community. I come from a split family and experienced domestic violence within the first ten years of my life. Having access to “nature”, art supplies, art in public schools, and dietary autonomy defined my individuation, coping, and healing strategy. Read more>>

Leelah Brown | I Help Entrepreneurs Make More Money & Create Passive Income

I am from Compton, California and my background is deeply rooted in entrepreneurship. My parents were serial entrepreneurs and their values and teachings have had a profound impact on who I am today. The principle of doing for self has been instilled in me from a young age and I strongly believe that it has contributed significantly to the person I have become today. Read more>>

Dr. Gina Oliver | Climate Smart AgTech Innovator & Oceanography Instructor

My background and upbringing has led me down a pathway that inspired us to create our business, From The Land LLC. I am from the San Bernardino/Inland Empire area. I am a first generation college graduate, first to go into a STEM pathway and career, and first in my family to get a Ph.D. My mother’s side of the family has lived in San Bernardino for almost 100 years and before that they had migrated here from Mexico. Read more>>