Portraits of Atlanta

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 Atlanta.

Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin Interview for Voyage Arts ATL I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Slidell, across Lake Ponchartrain. There was always music playing in our home, my mom loved Glenn Miller (whose band I later played with), and my dad loved Merle Haggard and Ernest Tubb. Lucky for me, they both liked Fats Domino and we just about wore out those records. Read more>>

Jeremy Brown

It all began in 2020 right before the Covid 19 pandemic. I was enjoying my workout at a boutique gym in Buckhead called Total Row Fitness and they were looking to open their first franchise. I wanted to be their first franchisee in the Kennesaw area. Read more>>

Trey Logan

I have been going to conventions for a number of years at this point. Since, if I can recall correctly, 2006 starting with Anime Weekend Atlanta almost every year since then. I had an Olympus point and shoot style digital camera that I used for a couple of years. There was a period of time where I didn’t really take photographs when attending cons. Read more>>

Dante Baker

Born in Los Angeles California My parents Mary and Tony Clark. Two brothers Alrick and Antonio. Mom and father separated and my mom moved to the South so we could be with my grandparents. So i lived in Meridian Mississippi. i grew up playing sports and going to church with my Grandparents. Read more>>

Zelena Kilgore

I’m Zelena, a recent graduate from Georgia with a passion for music, modeling, and entertainment. Ever since I was younger, I’ve been drawn to creativity, storytelling, fashion, and the energy that comes from live music and performance. Read more>>

Jayda Jacques

I was conceived under circumstances that caused my mother to look at me as her punishment. From a child I was given my foundation from my older brother Greg. He sacrificed a lot to make sure I was safe. I never met my father. My mother told me that he didn’t want to know me. I loved to read and write as a child. Read more>>

Smoove

When I was a kid I was obsessed with magazines like The Source, XXL, Slam and Vibe magazine, and this was solely off of enjoying the portraits of celebrities taken by amazing photographers. From the colors to the poses, I knew I wanted to be the photographer behind the camera creating portraits that told a story and caught your eye. Read more>>

Antonio Hicks

My journey has always lived at the intersection of technology, community, and communication. For over 25 years, I’ve built a career as a network security engineer, diving deep into the architecture that keeps our digital world running. But I’ve never been someone who just wanted to sit behind a screen. I’ve always cared about people, policy, and how we understand the world around us. Read more>>

Maray Crockett, LMFT

From an early age, I knew I wanted to create safe spaces for children, couples, and families to process pain, trauma, and the relationship patterns that often get passed down through generations. I was especially drawn to helping people feel seen, understood, and supported while navigating difficult life experiences and transitions. Read more>>

Lenise Leknes

My earliest memory of cooking is at 4 years old with a chair pulled up to the kitchen stove with my Aunt. The desire to be a chef was birthed. Skipping ahead, I graduated from Johnshon & Wales University with my pastry arts degree. After 18 years in and out of the industry, I eventually was afforded the opportunity to open my own bakery. Read more>>

AL Laye

My name is AL Laye, also known as actor Norman Wakefield, and I’m originally from New Jersey. Growing up, music and sports were always a major part of my life. As a child, I sang in the church choir, played the saxophone, and wrote poetry. Outside of music, I played basketball and football from the age of five all the way through college. Read more>>

Lady Queet

Chiquita A. Coleman professionally known as Lady Queet is an american born rapper and actress from Atlanta,Ga. Her hip hop sound is influenced by the likes of NAS, 2PAC, THE. legendary rap group Goodie Mob and Young Jeezy. She is the owner and operator of Picture Perfect Publishing Company which she manages local artists in developing their own identity and sound through meticulous direction. Read more>>

Erica Victoria

Hi Voyage ATL readers, I’m Erica Victoria. And here’s my story. I’m a down-to-earth Georgia girl ; born in Richmond, Virginia and raised in Marietta, Georgia. Moved to the A during my years of elementary school . Shout out to Bells Ferry Elementary; right off Barrett Parkway. Read more>>

Randi Punnett

I always loved making art. However, I struggled with confidence to make it a career so I studied Art Ed at Michigan State University and became an Art Educator. Throughout my 15-year career I tested my ability to earn money as an artist. I started with knitted stuffed animals, blankets, hats, and scarves. Then tried photography. Earning money doing maternity shoots and birthday parties. Read more>>

luke rovner

The three of us (Greg, Rocky & Luke) are transplants living in Savannah, Georgia. We each were in bands and projects throughout our lives all across the country – and when we moved to Savannah, we found each other and immediately clicked musically. Our most recent post-rock project is named moonswimmer and are currently in the studio recording an album. Read more>>

Brittany Jones

I’m honored to serve the same communities that helped shape me. I was born in downtown Atlanta and raised on the south side, specifically in Jonesboro and Fayetteville, Georgia. Before starting my legal career, I wore a lot of hats. Read more>>

Bernard Jackson

What started out as a dream in my basement turned into a career of a lifetime Read more>>

Kizziyah Caliste

I’ve always known I wanted to be something great while simultaneously helping to serve others in the most efficient and effective way possible. As someone who is very Faith-Driven, I continue to operate as a True Humanitarian in all ways known possible. Originally from Dothan, Alabama I moved to Boston, Massachusetts when I was only seven years ago. Read more>>

Kellie Kel

I’m originally from Detroit, and growing up there gave me a mixture of toughness, ambition, creativity, and survival instinct that still shows up in everything I do today. My story was never linear. I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly become an influencer, artist, author, or entrepreneur. Read more>>

Daniela Sierra Toro

I was born in Quindío, Colombia, where I developed a passion for helping others from a very young age. I later studied in Cali and worked in politics, which gave me a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges faced by my community. Read more>>

DURINGTHETYME

DURINGTHETYME (often stylized as duringthetyme) is an emerging independent singer, songwriter, and label owner originally from Chicago, IL, who frequently works out of the Atlanta, GA area.He blends R&B, rock, and pop into a personal, ‘dark, and vibrant’ sound. Read more>>

Rasheb “Shyizm” Knight

I started as a rapper focused on getting a record deal I then learned how to make my own music so I created a production company and made music for artist that later turned into a record label Once I learned how to shoot music videos that took me on a journey to becoming a editor and creating film series. Read more>>

Manny Ro’Zay

Ahh my story *Deep dramatic sigh* Which part? ha-ha okay no so let me be honest… My story is a roller coaster to say the least, but I will always stick by and say that my story actually began pretty well. Born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. I’m the child of a strong beautiful black mother, and a Short handsome hard-working corona drinking Mexican father. Read more>>

Demetrice McNeil

Move Your Feet Enterprise was born out of ministry and my desire to help women who had goals, dreams, and vision but felt stuck in the process of pursuing them. As a mother pursuing my MBA while navigating personal challenges, I experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to keep moving forward when life doesn’t unfold the way you expected. Read more>>

Maycon Fontoura

The turning point came when I realized that operating in the Latin American market, where we successfully produced over 10000 live shows and reached more than half a million families, only scratched the surface of what we could achieve. Read more>>

Brittany Shelton

My name is Brittany Shelton and I am the wife of Mason Shelton! Hemlock Falls LLC has always been a family owned and operated business. The venue was founded and is still owned by my husband’s parents, Lynn and Jimmy Shelton. The story of Hemlock Falls began in 1997 when the Shelton family became “mountain folk” and built a home beside Luther Blackburn Kirk. Mr. Read more>>

Aiysha Azula

I’ve always had a creative spirit. And knew that I wanted to do something that I could fully express who I am. I’ve done professional dancing, makeup, theater , videography, photography and now content creation. I’m always interested in art of different medias. I believe creativity shouldn’t be something that can be put into one box and everyone has the ability to be a multi-hyphenate. Read more>>

Innovent Technologies John M. Johnson (CEO & Executive Producer)

Innovent Technologies was founded by John Johnson, who has spent more than 25 years working in the live events industry supporting conferences, corporate meetings, and productions of all sizes. Over the course of his career, John saw how much pressure event organizers face when balancing budgets, logistics, technology, and attendee expectations. He also recognized that many clients were looking for more than equipment. Read more>>

Abigail Brown

I was a very creative child, always living in my own head, making up stories, and dressing up. My grandmother is the most stylish woman I know, and she really influenced my love of fashion and beautiful fabrics, specifically floral prints. She would always give me fabric scraps from clothes she had altered or furniture she had reupholstered. Read more>>

Chaos In the GRDNOFIII

Chaos in the GRDNOFIII (simplified as CITGO.III) is the frontman of the local Atlanta alternative music collective. The band is called GRDNOFIII and is a music collective that bends the barriers of genres with eclectic inputs from a creatives of many backgrounds. Chaos was born on February 2, 1995, in Decatur, Georgia.  Read more>>

Bria Savage

I grew up on the southside of Monroe, Louisiana. My parents were married for several years before they divorced due to my father’s drug addiction and alcoholism. Growing up, I was very timid and embarrassed. I hated being another stereotype – the little black girl raised by a single mother because her dad was on drugs. Read more>>

Shea Collier

It all started with my own personal challenges with breastfeeding. At the time, in 2016, I was working as a pediatric ICU nurse and had heard of a lactation consultant but didn’t know much about the role they played. I also thought that since I worked with sick kiddos that breastfeeding would come naturally and it would be fine. Read more>>

Debbie Levin Katz

In 2022, I had the opportunity to purchase Mah Jongg Maven with my best friend. Mah Jongg Maven was already a well-established brand with more than 25 years of history, and we believed our backgrounds in marketing and sales could help us grow the business while having a lot of fun along the way. Read more>>

Charlotte & Joel Johnson

It’s tricky to pinpoint where this started, in a way. I was born a Baker, it’s my maiden name. So there’s some nominative determinism there perhaps. I first started baking from scratch for my roommates during my freshman year of college and I’d baked quiche, scones, layer cakes, and cookies all before Christmas break. Read more>>

Kimberly Holland

My name is Kim Holland, and my creative journey began with a simple idea: food as art. What started with thoughtfully styled grazing tables grew into a deeper exploration of how food can tell stories, spark connection, and create lasting memories. From that vision, Van Goat Grazing Co. was born. Read more>>

Joseph Brockwell

I was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Georgia in 2015. For my last year of middle school and full education of high school I was a student boarding at Riverside Military Academy. Frankly I didn’t love my time there but I did meet Mitch Freeman, who was my art teacher for several years. Read more>>

Joyce Morris

My story is one of resilience, passion, and purpose. I started my journey as a young single mother determined to create a better future for myself and my daughters. Along the way, I discovered my love for serving others through creativity and entrepreneurship. As a hairstylist, I found joy in helping people feel confident and beautiful. Read more>>

Clover Hardin

I grew up moving around Alabama because of my father’s job, which gave me the opportunity to experience a variety of dance studios, teachers, and styles at a young age. Eventually, my family settled in Wetumpka, Alabama, where I joined a pre-professional ballet company based in Montgomery for about ten years. Read more>>

Vanessa Hardiman

Before launching Boss Kidz Inc., I spent years building my career in corporate America with organizations such as General Motors, UPS, and Sheraton. Those experiences gave me a strong foundation in leadership, strategy, operations, and relationship building. As I progressed in my career, I realized that many young people lacked access to the practical skills, mentorship, and opportunities needed to successfully transition into the workforce. Read more>>

Lydia Kennedy

Three Peas in a Pod began long before it became a book series, YouTube channel, or family brand. Storytelling has always been part of who I am. As a child, I was constantly creating, writing, drawing, dancing, singing, putting on theatre shows, and dreaming of one day becoming both an author and a ballet dancer. Read more>>

Kenneth Graham

I started with photography by just randomly choosing a photography elective. I definitely just had to pick something to graduate smoothly and I was just using my iPhone SE to do all of my assignments and I grew a fondness for it. My main path at the time was engineering, so I went to Georgia Southern with the first plan of becoming a mechanical engineer. Read more>>

Lexi Joondeph-Breidbart

Romantic breakups are an intense grief that our society dismisses. It’s a grief that puts an individual in an intense and raw emotional state and place of vulnerability. As a social worker, and as an individual that has experienced a breakup, I saw a gap in services for people navigating this specific kind of loss. Read more>>

JahWill Fannings

If you asked 6-year-old JahWill what he wanted to be when he grew up, the answer would’ve probably been: ‘A magician.’ And honestly, that answer explains a lot. By the time most kids were learning multiplication tables, I was traveling around Georgia and Alabama performing magic shows for libraries, churches, birthday parties, and businesses. My parents handled the logistics, and I was the talent. Read more>>

Juanita Andrews

I am originally from New Jersey. I reside in Covington ga, I’ve been doing hair over 10 years i specialize in braids and sew in styles, I can do all styles but I love braids and sew ins, I started out doing hair in high school which was my friend’s hair than their parents hair an from there i just started slaying hair! Read more>>

Francene White

Perfect Blend Urban Creamery was born from a desire to create something that truly blended my love for Atlanta culture and great food. I’ve always been drawn to businesses that bring people together, and ice cream has this unique, almost magical way of doing exactly that. Read more>>

Ivania Bermudez

Prices were rising and economy was getting tight. Decided to give a creative business idea a try. Took a leap of faith and did just that. Covid hit and I questioned if this truly was the best thing that I had done at the moment. With that decision came struggles, pressure and lots of lessons. Read more>>

Suzanne Wynn

I spent over 15 years in broadcast radio and by most measures, I’d made it. I was doing work I was proud of, in a market I loved but I’d reached the kind of plateau where the only next step was uprooting my life for a bigger city. That wasn’t the life I wanted. So I started looking sideways instead of up. Read more>>

Alexandra Nina Figueroa-Frau

I was born and raised in South Florida to two amazing and hardworking parents who moved to the United States from Ponce, Puerto Rico in the late 90s. I have always been drawn to creativity, storytelling, and connecting with people. Read more>>

Kristin Steinberg

I always knew I wanted to do social work, just didn’t know exactly what that would look like. I’ve had so many (too many jobs), often working two or three at a time. Read more>>

Aniya Ortiz

Growing up, I used to tell people I was going to be a CEO, but honestly, I didn’t really know what that meant. My older sister told me a CEO was someone who owned a business, and from then on I would just say it. At the time, I wasn’t dreaming about entrepreneurship I just liked the idea. Read more>>

Tiffany Blakemore

My fitness journey didn’t start in a gym, it started with a struggle. For most of my life, I was overweight. I know what it feels like to walk into a room and feel uncomfortable in your own skin. I know what it feels like to start over, quit, try again, and wonder if lasting change is even possible. Read more>>

Stacey Brown

I am a poet and MRKH advocate. MRKH is a congenital syndrome affecting 1 in 5,000 women, where you’re born without a uterus and a underdeveloped vaginal canal. In May 2021, I launched Wombless and Worthy, using poetry to redefine what it means to be a woman. Read more>>

Britain Singleton

My baking journey actually started when I was 11 years old. My mom loved to shop, and I wanted to be able to buy things for myself the way she did. Since I was too young to get a traditional job, my mom encouraged me to find something I could do to earn my own money. Read more>>

Samii Austin

For as long as I can remember, music has always moved me. As a child, my dad would throw on a good tune a my legs would just move with no since of direction, only instinct. It’s something we laugh about to this day. Dance was my first love, but wasn’t something that was nurtured (unless you were a girl in the 90’s). Read more>>

Liberti Dai’lon

I grew up surrounded by talent. Creativity was always around me — music, performing, entertainment. It felt natural to dream big from a young age. Read more>>

RASHAY THA MUA

I would say that I got to where I am because I wanted it the most and because my mother always pushed me to keep going and to make something out of myself, and I always promised that little boy as a child that I would become something huge one day and that little boy is me so I know I have something to prove to him. I cannot let him down and I will not let my mother down. God rest her soul. She was murdered and took from me September 2025 and I will not stop. I’m coming for it all. It’s my time now. Read more>>

Deontae Jenkins

My strong passion for cars began when I was sixteen. During Covid I came across the opportunity to start an auto detailing business. From there I bought a van, established an LLC, and became an entrepreneur. Clients took favor in me as I experienced detailing high-end vehicles; Rolls Royce’s, Maybach, Lamborghinis, and G-Wagons. Through word-of-mouth my clientele grew significantly. Read more>>

Sean O’Rourke

I started playing drums at an early age as my Grandfather was a Professional drummer in New Jersey. He gave me his Gretsch snare drum when I was in elementary school. I still have it and have used it on many recording sessions. I was in band through school including Drum Corp in High school. Read more>>

Dana Imran

It’s actually me and my girlfriend she’s my business partner we met at work in NYC where we are from we used to work for the largest health care union in the country we were friends for years but once we started dating we got a lot of unwanted attention we were both the popular people at the job for different reasons. Read more>>

Jose Pepe Guerrero

My journey into acting started when I got the opportunity to be on the set of Ozark, which was my first experience working on a major production. Being on set showed me how much I loved the entertainment industry and inspired me to pursue acting more seriously. Read more>>

Joseph Cartright

Photography wasn’t a dream I chased—it was a door that opened when I needed one. I’m of Haitian and Dominican descent, and in an immigrant household there wasn’t a roadmap for becoming an artist. Like many first-generation kids, I followed the practical path first, studying avionics before moving into telephony and computer technology. None of it felt quite right. Read more>>

Nasa’Ria Davis

My name is Nasa’Ria Davis, and I’m a 22-year-old entrepreneur from Macon, Georgia. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. After leaving high school in the 11th grade, I earned my GED two years later. That experience taught me resilience early on and showed me that everyone’s path looks different. It also helped shape the determination I carry into my business today. Read more>>

Nicole Fischer-Mullins

We started gardening and growing vegetables on our property years ago. We started with the usual – some tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers – and that quickly jumped into raspberries, blueberries, and various other fruits. We added perennials and cut flowers each season to attract pollinators. Things morphed quickly, and we added chickens to the mix. Read more>>

GeeZA

My interest in music started at 5 when I got my first keyboard and then i started picking up different instruments at 9. I started doing music at 11 after getting inspired by a Reed Dollaz freestyle. I heard his “Touch It” freestyle and I couldn’t help but grab a pen and pad and get to writing. Read more>>

Sydney Nicole

My modeling journey began when I was just seven years old, walking in my first runway show for a local retailer called Fashion Bug. I continued modeling there for several years before attending Barbizon Modeling School. While it wasn’t agency representation as I had hoped, Barbizon gave me valuable industry knowledge and helped educate my parents about the path I wanted to pursue. Read more>>

Kelly Ellis

My name is Kelly S. Ellis and I am the owner of Game Changer Sports Medicine, LLC. I graduated in 2015 from Florida International University in Miami, FL where I received my Master’s Degree in Athletic Training. Read more>>

Quinsana Crumpton

I didn’t start with a perfect plan. Throughout my life journey I faced seasons that challenged me to grow, pivot, trust God in different ways, and redefine what success and purpose looked like. Those experiences taught me resilience and showed me the value of healing, self-belief, and taking intentional steps forward. Read more>>

AJ Davidson

I have always lived with an animal in the house, and I felt more comfortable wirh animals versus humans, so from a very young age I was obsessed with learning how they communicate and how to mimic it myself. Read more>>

Victora Calhoun

My journey started with a love for writing and a need for self-expression. I was on a personal healing journey. I was fighting PPD & other personal life issues. Poetry became a way for me to process life experiences, find my voice, and connect with others. Over time, I realized that sharing my work was helping others heal too. Read more>>

BANSHEE

My journey has never been linear, which honestly makes sense because neither is my creativity. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, whether through music, fashion, film, or creating experiences that bring people together. Before DJing, I spent years exploring different creative spaces, but music was always the invisible string connecting everything. Read more>>

Paris Monet

Hey everyone! My name is Paris Monet, and I’m a makeup artist, entrepreneur, and the founder of The Pink Playhouse. My journey honestly started from a place of wanting more for myself and realizing that creativity was one of the few things that made me feel truly confident and free. I grew up in Atlanta in a single-mother household. Read more>>

Janyl Ventura

I grew up in New Jersey and made the decision to move to Georgia to attend the University of Georgia, partly because I wanted the full experience of a big SEC school, and partly because I wanted to challenge myself by building a life far from home. I’m also a first-generation college graduate. Read more>>

Demeyah Foster

Star Collective was founded while I was a student at Kennesaw State University. As a dancer, I noticed there was a lack of spaces dedicated to many of the styles that shaped me growing up—particularly hip-hop and other cultural dance forms that play such an important role in Atlanta’s identity through music, dance, poetry, and community. Read more>>

Sir EyeAum

My story is really a story of becoming. For much of my life, I was navigating expectations while quietly trying to understand what it meant to live as my full self. My transition was the most defining shift in that journey. It required me to release old versions of myself, confront fear directly, and choose authenticity even when it was uncomfortable or uncertain. Read more>>

Cherie Tye

I grew up developing my eye on my own. No inherited taste, no blueprint. Just a very early awareness that I saw things differently than the people around me. That instinct eventually took me to New York, where I spent years in product development, fashion, and the business of elite nightlife. Promoting, operating, learning how environments are built and how people move through them. Read more>>

Marie Northington

My story started when my mom gave me her father’s Canon AE-1 film camera around the same age she received it- 15. It opened up a whole new world for me and I can still remember the exact moment when I took my first photograph with it. I started taking photography classes in school, learning the ins and outs of the dark room process. Read more>>

Prince Smith

Both of my parents were on drugs. My grandparents who were born in 1929 and 1938 (grandma still living) basically instilled most of the morals and values that I have today. My mom is so amazing and got her life together and provided very well for me and my siblings. Read more>>

Niah B

My journey in management began when I took on the role of managing two rising artists, YK Niece and Pluto, during the peak of their success with one of the hottest songs of 2025. That experience gave me firsthand insight into artist development, branding, promotion, and navigating the music industry. Read more>>

Curtis Knight

My journey in water safety started over 23 years ago when I began working as a teenage lifeguard. I quickly realized I had a natural knack for connecting with children and managing the pool dynamic in a way that other instructors struggled with crying and fears just didn’t bother me. By 2005, that passion turned into a leadership career. Read more>>

Danielle Pakus

My career path has never been linear, and for a long time, I thought that was a problem. It seemed like everyone around me had found their one thing while I was still trying to figure mine out. Throughout my career, I found myself drawn to many different areas within health, wellness, and helping others. Read more>>

Phyllis Johnson

For the past decade, I have called the Atlanta area home, but my roots began on a rural Arkansas farm. It was there that my foundation in agriculture was built—a upbringing that has fueled my 27-year career in the global coffee industry. After earning my degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, I successfully launched my own coffee importing business. Read more>>

Brandy Pulley

Can you briefly walk us through your story? In 2008, shortly after my mother relocated to Georgia, I followed with my children. Unfortunately, it was during the economic downturn, and the transition wasn’t easy. Jobs were hard to find, finances were tight, and there were many moments of uncertainty. Still, I was determined to make it work and continued pushing forward despite the challenges. Read more>>

Noam Laks

I’ve always believed flowers are a gift of love. when someone receives one of my arrangements, I want them to instantly feel special, loved, and completely captivated by its beauty. What started as simply admiring flowers slowly turned into experimenting with my own designs, playing with textures, colors, and shapes until creating became a true passion of mine. Read more>>

Lauren James

I’ve always been an entrepreneur. As a child I remember handwriting workout plans and walking up and down my street selling bags of popcorn and grapes to my neighbors along with the workout plans. I’ve always been able to see a need and creatively fill it. When I became a mom, I fully leaned into the Pinterest mom life. Read more>>

Lee Campbell

A little bit about me. For the last seven years, I’ve been an online business consultant helping new entrepreneurs grow their businesses. I worked really hard at it, but toward the end of 2024, after the passing of my grandmother, who was the matriarch of our family, I found myself burned out and reevaluating a lot of things. Read more>>

shannon kay

I have been a corporate pilot for the last 25 years. After an emergency situation during a flight in 2023, I decided I wanted to be on the ground more. I began looking into different industries that I would enjoy creating in and ultimately landed in the beauty/self care industry. Read more>>

Elizabeth Joice

My story began long before I had a formal title in design. I’ve always been creative and drawn to the way a space can shape how people feel and live. As an Indiana native working toward a degree in interior design, life redirected me when I stepped in to help with the business operations of my family’s fruit farm. Read more>>

Gabbi Rielle

Family has always been the root of my love for music. My appreciation for music began in my Grandfathers church, down in country St. Stephen, South Carolina, where I’d spend my summers. His congregation was the choir. The foot stomps and claps acted as the drums. The harmonies and adlibs of the call and response singing created the unity. Read more>>

Micah Grace

I started writing when I was around 12 years old after joining an after school writing program. It was there that I wrote my first poem, and I truly believe it unlocked a part of me that I didn’t know existed. Poetry became my first love and has remained a constant throughout my life, helping me process challenges, heartbreak, growth and everything in between. Read more>>

Micha’El SonVega

Sure! I actually attended school at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC. I went for the Associate’s Program they had at the time, Commercial Graphics. I basically went because my father said I should use my artistic ability for something. However, after being in tech school for around 9 months or so, I realized I wanted to focus on animation. Read more>>

Micah Lewis

Hey! I’m Micah and I’m an actor, creative director, producer, writer, visionary and future Oscar winner from Atlanta, Georgia. My start really began in 2024 going into 2025. I had always wanted to be an actor, but didn’t know exactly how to start and it also took me a while to gain the confidence to just do it, even if I was scared. Read more>>

Hannah Chiclana

I received my MFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design after earning my BA in Theatre Studies with a minor in Business from the University of Central Florida. Since graduating from SCAD, I signed with my agent, JPervis Talent Agency, and have been pursuing my acting career in Theater, Film, TV, Commercial and Voice Over ever since. Read more>>

Marquisa Haile

In 2019, I saw the Card My Yard signs on a classmates Facebook page. I attempted to order a sign for my mother’s 70th birthday, and at the time they were not available in my area. But…the site offered information on starting a franchise in your area. I didn’t do it right away. Read more>>

Delanté Cherry

I grew up all over the DMV due to dealing with divorced parents. When my parents split up, my mother and I spent time living with family and friends to get by. Read more>>

Tanzila Kabir

My name is Tanzila Kabir. I was born in Bangladesh and spent my early years in Saudi Arabia before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up in different countries gave me the opportunity to experience diverse cultures and perspectives, which has helped shape who I am today. Later, I attended college in New York City, where I studied Sociology and Business Law. Read more>>

Dan Lizarazo

My name is Dan Lizarazo, also known creatively as Purple Karma. I’m 28 years old and I’m the host, producer and creator behind Algo Excéntrico, a Spanish-language podcast. I’m originally from Colombia and lived there for most of my life. Read more>>

Ryan & Janiah Farmer

We met in high school and started dating in June 2009, just before our senior year. Since then, we’ve been inseparable. We got married in March 2015 and have three children together. As our marriage progressed, we realized we needed to prioritize it more. Read more>>

Te’Quila Williams

I’m a lifestyle, travel, and beauty content creator based in Atlanta. I was born and raised in Virginia, specifically the 757 area, and relocated a little over a year ago. Atlanta has truly been a breath of fresh air for my creative, career, and personal journey. Read more>>

Myeisha M.

Started entrepreneurship journey back in 2018. Started off just researching and learning a lot of things. I had became a parent in 2017, so I started off thinking about being a “mommy blogger” at first, but it wasn’t something I was passionate about. Afterwards, I just jumped into a few different fields such as selling lashes, lipgloss, etc to try and find myself. Read more>>

Ibrahim Barrie

My journey really started in college, where I took a media program and was first introduced to photography through a course. That’s where I discovered a real passion for visual storytelling. After post secondary, I committed to teaching myself the craft online, practicing constantly, and learning everything from editing to composition through hands on experience. Read more>>

Ben Carroll

I’ve spent most of my life as a musician, but my relationship with music has evolved dramatically over the years. For many years, I was immersed in the world of rock music as the guitarist in a band called Ra. We signed with Universal Records in 2002, when I was 25 years old, fresh out of Berklee College of Music. Read more>>

Rebekah Girtman

My story started when I was 14 years old. I was diagnosed with Lupus. At that time not much was known about the etymology of Lupus and what can be done to suppress this autoimmune disease. I was on the maximum amount of steroids and my life changed forever. The symptoms were scary (hair loss, reduced amounts of melanin, and more side effects). Read more>>

Leshonda Lewis

I’ve always been the model in the family. I was modeling since I was in elementary school… well really for as long as I can remember. It’s just something that I fell into naturally. Outside of modeling, I am a licensed aesthetician and an assistant laser practitioner. Read more>>

Alexis Dulaney

I’ve always been a creative person with a strong eye for beauty, presentation, and detail. Growing up, I was fascinated by fashion, performing arts, and bringing ideas to life in ways that made people feel confident and inspired. Over time, those interests naturally evolved into creative work centered around design, branding, aesthetics, and the art of self-expression. Read more>>