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.

Eddie Martinez | Professional Wrestler

I am from Dallas Texas. I was raised in a neighborhood called pleasant Grove. It was tough growing up in my neighborhood. My family and I nothing was given to us in our life. We had to fight and work hard for the things we wanted. It made me become a hard worker showing the passion I have when I put my mind into something I want. My parents taught me to become a respectful person that I am today. Read more>>

Justin Bingham | Photographer

I was born and raised in the DFW metroplex, mostly in Richardson. Fortunately, as I went through the RISD I was constantly around people from all walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds, and these circumstances introduced me to a lot of different ideas, thought processes, forms of media, styles within media and so much more. Read more>>

Abigayle Peterson | Founder & CEO at Magnify Wellness

I currently reside in Poulsbo, Washington, but attend Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington for my studies in Computer Science and Entrepreneurship & Innovation. However, I actually was not born in the suburbs. At only 10 months old, my mother and father traveled to Hunan, China and adopted me as a little baby. Read more>>