Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Sand Carter

Born in Los Angeles and adopted after 2 months in county care, my journey embodies the sacred path of the shamanic practitioner in unexpected ways. While my ancestry is to the Chumash people, I wasn’t raised within this rich cultural tradition – a circumstance that would later reveal itself as part of my spiritual initiation. Read More>>

Natalie Robbins

I’m originally from Orange County, where I was raised with a deep sense of community and family. Hard work, dedication, and service were core values instilled in me from an early age. My parents and grandparents played a huge role in shaping who I am, always surrounding me with support and reminding me that failure was just part of learning and growing. Read More>>

Zico Albaiquni

I’m from Bandung, Indonesia, a city surrounded by mountains and rich in both traditional culture and colonial history. I grew up in a family deeply connected to the arts—my father is an artist and activist, and my mother a teacher. Their worlds shaped me early on: my father introduced me to the power of images and performance as resistance, while my mother grounded me in care, discipline, and spirituality. Read More>>

Julie Harris

I was born and raised in Southern California and currently reside in Oceanside with my husband and business partner, Anthony, who was born in Oregon and moved down here to the sunny coast in 2000. We both grew up with wonderful parents who loved and encouraged us to go after what we want in life. They instilled core values based on our faith and anchored us in the word of God which has played an integral part of how we live out our personal and business lives. Read More>>