Local Highlighter Series

We are so thrilled to be able to connect with some of the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs and creatives from across the city and beyond and this series in particular gives us the honor of introducing these folks to you in a unique way – we go beyond the story of how they got to where they are today by asking them to reflect on a variety of deeper questions that we hope will help you better connect with them, their stories and their brands. Ultimately, our hope is that more of us will spend more of our money with independent artists, creatives and small businesses and we think getting to know one another at a deeper level is step one.

Rebecka Jean-Baptiste

For a long time, I wore silence like armor. I smiled through the heartbreak, showed up even when I was exhausted, and poured into others while quietly draining myself. I thought strength meant hiding the pain not being a burden, not letting anyone see me break. But the truth is, the most powerful shift happened when I stopped pretending I was okay. Read more>>

Amaya Roberson

I feel extremely grateful to say that I’m doing what I was born to do, which is being a dot connector. I just had to build some of the avenues myself. As someone who’s Gen Z, we’ve grown up with the practical idea of what we were told to do because it offers a lens of stability and guaranteed ‘success’. Read more>>

Lexi Stewart

I’m doing exactly what I was born to do. Some of my family question did I know what I was doing, was I adding everything up right. They question my boutique overall , but I kept going !Fashion is in me I can almost style with my eyes clothes . It’s makes me happy seeing my items on others . Read more>>

Jonathan Dunlap

My wife and I have been married for 19 years and we do not have any children. Laughter is a cornerstone of our relationship! I laugh every day. As I’m answering this question right now, I’m realizing that the people around me probably do not know how much I laugh or how silly I am. I tend to present as laid-back, ordered, composed, and stoic. Read more>>

Beto Cacao

I’m about to publish my first poetry book Read more>>

De’Andria

Suffering has taught me so much more of myself than my successes. In 2019, when I found out after years of aggressive and disruptive cramping pain, that I had massive tumors on my ovaries, I was taught to never ignore my body again. Suffering has taught me to trust myself. Read more>>

Amber C

Suffering taught me what success never could—how to stay steady when plans implode, ask for help, and rebuild with more purpose than pride. When my food truck shut down during COVID, I learned to pivot, rebrand, and design systems that work on the worst days, not just the best. Read more>>

Natalie Syjan

One thing I understand deeply — which most people don’t fully realize — is that our lives are driven by the subconscious. We think we make conscious choices, but in reality we live according to internal programs formed by our past experiences, beliefs, and emotional patterns. Read more>>

Anya Dessalines

The fear of not being perfect held me back for years. I was always extremely hard on myself in school and in everything I touched, constantly afraid of messing up or letting myself down. I’ve always been my own harshest critic. But stepping into this field has changed my perspective. I’ve learned that mistakes aren’t setbacks, they’re building blocks. Every failure and every win matters. Read more>>

Ray Barlow

A defining wound and how I healed from it I would say for me is that I went to prison at 18 years old. Many see this as a devastating thing. Young and a place with the worst grown men around. Yet, honestly, I think it was the best thing that happened to me. Read more>>

DECOIDE BREWER

Honestly spending time with those I love and sharing good conversation. Read more>>

Brittani Martin

Brittani Martin was a light in the lives of so many. She didn’t just talk about change—she created it. She believed in people before they believed in themselves, especially the youth. Through her work with Build Yourself Up Academy, she gave others the tools, confidence, and courage to grow into their full potential. Read more>>

Patricia Davis

I hope people remember me as someone who made a difference in the lives of others. I want them to say that I empowered women, helped families achieve their dreams of homeownership, and never shied away from challenges. I hope they remember my heart, my determination, and my commitment to lifting others up. Read more>>

Jacqueline Evadne

This is going to sound like a cliché, but it’s true: I always lose track of time when I’m painting. I also lose track of where the paint is going—much to the amusement of my friends and family; I’m always covered in little splotches after a good painting session. Read more>>

Racha Aimach

It is when I walk in to my studio or to the event space. When I’m at my studio and I start mixing colors and using the different materials I have for my decoration, I completely lose track of time. I lose my self in the flowers, fabric, and paint. I only feel colors, light, and fabric. Read more>>

Anthony Green

The part of me that has served its purpose is the version of myself that believed I had to stay small to be accepted. I’ve learned that humility doesn’t mean shrinking, and confidence doesn’t mean arrogance. I’m releasing people-pleasing and the need to soften my voice or downplay my accomplishments to make others comfortable. Read more>>

Cornelius Andrews

Family, my craft, Kojak my frenchie. People I really love and are close to me. Read more>>

Laura Williams

’m committed to art as a lifelong practice of excellence. Not trends, not speed, not external validation. Excellence built slowly through attention, discipline, and care. No matter how long it takes, nothing will pull me off that course. I believe in showing up again and again, refining the work, deepening the questions, and allowing the practice to mature over time. Read more>>

Tituauna Coleman

I’m committed to building The Princess Effect not just as a brand, but as a movement no matter how long it takes. This isn’t just about lip kits or digital products. It’s about creating a safe space where women can heal, glow up, and discover their worth spiritually, emotionally, financially, and creatively. Read more>>

Cassieandre Jones

I’m from the country—like two stop signs and one red light kind of country—and I knew by the age of five that the stork dropped me off in the wrong place. I couldn’t understand why this was my environment, but I knew I wanted more. Read more>>

Shatanese Reese

One moment that radically shaped how I see the world happened when our youngest son, Josiah, was born. His arrival was both unexpected and miraculous, and it shifted something in me that I didn’t even know needed shifting. Read more>>

Karyn Staples

Energy is most important to me. How my energy will affect others, how other people’s energy will affect me, and how the energy of the clinic/studio affects all that enter. I strive to have an energy of healing and compassion. Knowing when to ramp up and when to ramp down my own energy is important for all I interact. Read more>>

brittany sims

Integrity is more important because you’ll naturally develop the others along the way. integrity keeps your path focused and aligned with who you already are. Everything else can be built. Read more>>

Natasha Dillard

This is tearing me up. Back before this big loud personality and loud laugh I have now, I was actually a very shy timid little girl. I had this very small voice and kept to myself. I would even cover up my smile when I smiled because I was very self-conscious of my gap, the gap in my teeth. Read more>>

ZI3RE (Zy – Ear)

As far back as I can remember it’s always felt like I was watching myself grow up as opposed to gleefully being caught up the situations and experiences that made me the person I am today. Read more>>

Jaye Hunnie

I have always been myself, a true music lover at heart. As a little girl, I could spend hours glued to the radio or watching music videos every single day. My family and friends didn’t understand it but they let me be me. I was, and still am, obsessed with music. Ironically, I never had the desire to create music or DJ. Read more>>

Liliana Steeg

The time you could’ve found me tap dancing to work would’ve been in my early days on a new unit. Once I gained a sense of confidence in my specialized nursing practice, I felt eager to experience whatever the day had in store for me. Read more>>

Beau Allen Collins

Fads move fast – they depend on momentum, visibility, and collective agreement. Foundational shifts, on the other hand, tend to start in quiet rooms. They don’t need validation to exist. They just keep working their way outward until the world catches up. The art world often mistakes attention for importance. But attention fades. Read more>>

Kenny OD

My truth! Beyond the name and fame, I believe it’s my convictions that truly define me, not my artistic prowess. I’ve dedicated my life to standing by these principles, and I want to be remembered for them long after I’m gone. Read more>>

MAN Williamz

Sometimes o do miss dancing and choreographing it was such an important time in my life but I’m now longer interested in that portion of entertainment Read more>>

Dennis Rousseau

I’m chasing unachievable perfection — not because I expect to reach it, but because the pursuit itself drives growth. Every day, I’m striving for a deeper understanding of firearms performance, defensive tactics, and how those two worlds integrate under pressure. Read more>>

Jessica Laycock

True and continuous joy and fulfillment seem to be what everyone is chasing. Most people are constantly striving—busy pursuing careers, success, money, fame, attention, distraction, physical perfection, you name it. Yet few are willing to admit that none of these things ever truly satisfy. Read more>>

Moe

Right now a normal day consists of Family, Health, Work & Business daily. Between home, kids sports, dog routines, online working , learning, then on the go to my Security Night Profession which requires me to be present 5 days out of the week we all have a pretty structured routine but its always Family First before anything. Read more>>

Alvin Steele

Money isn’t just currency; it’s the key to overcoming many of life’s challenges. From fixing a leaky roof to dreaming about a new car or planning a vacation, financial constraints often stand in the way. Yet, discussing money can feel awkward, much like an uncomfortable secret we’d rather avoid. But here’s the reality: financial stability is crucial for navigating life’s hurdles. Read more>>

Laura Simms

When I was in second or third grade, I was outside of Sunday School while the grownups were standing around talking. In my Sunday dress and patterned leather shoes, I leaned my belly against the outdoor handrail and did a flip around it. No grownups seemed to notice or care. Read more>>

Bella Sparks

I went through a lot as a little girl, and sometimes the only thing I felt I had any control over was my thoughts. There were so many times when I would find myself crying in my room, and the only thing that relieved that feeling was imagining myself in the future. Read more>>

Tyasia Mathis

I used to believe that there was objective, ‘good or bad’ in this world, and that is no longer the case. God, being the ultimate judge, releases us of the responsibility of being the deciding factor on the righteousness of someone else’s decision-making. Read more>>

Flamenca Bohème

Integrity. I always make sure to act honestly and fairly, no matter the situation. Read more>>

Daegan Jacobs

One thing I changed my mind about after failing hard was thinking I could handle too much at once. When I first started my business, I had early success at farmers markets and felt ready to scale the brand quickly. Read more>>

Aysha Waheed

People nowadays have a version of themselves which starts with a big ‘Iam’ or ‘I’ , in my version we are a drop in the ocean, a speck of dust in this vast desert, this vast universe. A small part of this great consciousness. We are supposed to be looking for that light inwards not outwards. Read more>>

Quincy Seymore

The strength of my father Bennie Seymore is the foundation of who I am. He showed me what a real man looks like through his actions, not his words. I watched how he moved with discipline, responsibility, and quiet authority. He taught me how to stand firm under pressure, provide, and lead without needing validation. Read more>>

Mortinno Morton

I admire people whose character speaks louder than any position they held, and two figures who stand out for me are Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings (Ghana) and Bob Marley May their souls rest in peace. What I admire about Ex-President J.J. Rawlings isn’t the power he commanded, but the fearlessness and raw honesty he carried as a person. Read more>>

Chef Shay

Whose ideas do I relay on most that aren’t my own. Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight’ Read more>>

Naomi Hattaway

I’d hire me because I listen differently than most consultants. I don’t show up with a pre-packaged solution. I show up to understand specific organizational ecosystem—the board dynamics, staff relationships, community expectations, and unstated tensions that determine whether transitions succeed or crash. Read more>>