Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Jessica Vollrath | Artist & Mother

I’m from north Texas. I come from a very conservative, closed religious group that was pretty much separate from society. We lived simply, close to nature, without any external, cultural ideations and very much steeped in biblical rhetoric. It took me a long time to reconcile that past with my present. Making peace with all of the facets and chapters of my life has opened up a deep well of inspiration and narrative in my work. Read more>>

Mike Barnett | Restaurant Owner

I grew up right here in Denton. I went to Denton High School and the University of North Texas. I remember eating lunch at Denton Independent Hamburger as a kid, and later as an adult. It has always been my favorite hamburger joint. The older I got, the more I thought to myself – there should be one of these restaurants in every town in America. In 2000 I got married and moved to New York City, where I worked in hotel management. Read more>>

Megan Fortner | Minister on Fire for God

I am from a small rural farm town in Northern Missouri! Everybody knows everybody and they know your business. I was raised in a split home by an alcoholic mom and a dad that tried his best! There was a lot of physical and metal abuse in my moms home when I was little! When I say physical abuse I’m mean, I’m surprised that I’m alive! There really wasn’t any love or attention! Read more>>

Nesa Grider | CEO

Growing up in a small midwest town, everyone around me (except my grandmother) told me to stop all the nonsense; there was no reason to stand out. That fueled my ambition and drove me to do more; there just had to be more. Growing up in a small town can profoundly impact a person’s life, shaping their values, beliefs, and character, as it did for me. Growing up in a small rural town blue-collar family in the Midwest meant the scarcity of jobs, geographic isolation, and a deep connection to not wanting to move from the way it’s always been done. Read more>>