There are so many factors that affect how our lives turn out, but one of the most interesting is how our backgrounds give us unique strengths and perspectives that affect who we are as adults. We asked rising stars from the community to tell us about their background and upbringing and how they feel it’s impacted who they are today.

Charlee Crump & Nisha McBride

Hello! We’re Charlee and Nisha, two best friends originally from Memphis, TN. We’ve been rocking with each other for almost 20 years now! Our friendship began in our freshman year at the University of Memphis, when we met in an African American Literature class. What started as two classmates bonding over books quickly turned into a sisterhood. Read More>>

Maya Davis

I was born in Hawaii and moved to Texas when I was 14. My childhood was far from easy, I was raised in a home affected by addiction and alcoholism, and when I was 13, we lost everything in a house fire. Those experiences forced me to grow up quickly and become self reliant very early on, they also shaped who I am in profound ways. Read More>>

Nathaniel Williams

I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and from a young age, music played a major role in shaping who I am. My mom introduced me to ’90s grunge and rock, and I quickly became fascinated not just with the sound, but with how that sound was created. That curiosity led me to pick up the drums in high school, and eventually join a local alternative rock band called Redline. We performed across the Dallas area, even opening for major acts like Stone Temple Pilots and Bowling for Soup. Read More>>