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.

Jasmine & Destiny

Jasmine: I’m a proud Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, and growing up in a family with my parents and four younger sisters instilled in me strong values of family, responsibility, and looking out for each other. Witnessing the challenges faced by minority communities – the impact of poverty, limited resources, and lack of financial knowledge – deeply affected me. This early exposure ignited a passion to make a real difference and address the systemic inequities I observed. Read More>>

Viririana Rodriguez

I was born and raised in East Arlington, a low-income community predominantly made of immigrants, which has always been important to me. My mom, a hardworking single parent who raised five children on her own, taught us the importance of appreciating the small things in life, working hard, and being grateful for what we have.

Growing up, I didn’t fully understand the sacrifices she made for us. But as I got older, I realized how deeply her resilience and determination shaped me. Not only did it shape me, but it also allowed me to realize that living my dream is a HUGE inspiration to the little girls still living in those communities.  Read More>>

Darik Caswell

We’re all from the DFW metroplex and we’ve all been playing music since we were kids. Stephen had his own band for several years and saw some success with the release of several singles. Clint played around town with some notable artists like Cody Jinks and others before going out on US tours with Trace Adkins and Gretchen Wilson. I was always just the drummer… Guitar and vocals were something I didn’t even pick up until 2008 when the economy started to tank and it was hard for full bands to make a living. Read More>>