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.

Larissa Irizarry | Entrepreneur & Homemaker Extraordinaire

I grew up in the eastern European country of Romania, and from a very young age I had to take care of my young sister. Before I was able to finish 1st grade, my mother took us to an orphanage because she could no longer raise us. Sadly what I learned from that experience was that I had to fight tooth and nail if I wanted to do anything with my life. Thankfully I am very competitive in nature, so I started attending many olympiads at school, competed with many other classmates to stay at the top of my class and decided to always use education as a means to make it in life. It was either that or end up on the streets and in prostitution. Years later I moved to the US for my senior year in high school as an exchange student, received a scholarship for college and the rest is history. Read more>>

Deborah Pate-Cooper | Visual Artist

Warm coastal waterways and a rich blend of cultures hold a special place in my heart. From the earliest of civilizations, some of the greatest cultural exchanges and diverse populations can be found along waterways and industrial focal points. This is how my life began in Beaumont, Texas along the Gulf Coast. The great diversity among industry, nature, people, and traditions created a very unique “Gumbeaux of Life” as one might say, and it provided a vast array of education and cultural influences that I draw upon for inspiration to this very day. Read more>>

K. TRÉ TAYLOR | Executive Producer, Poet, Artist, Taste Maker, Podcast Host/Owner

I’m from Dallas, Tx. Growing up in the slums of Dallas, Tx will test your resolve, heart & intelligence. You have to know how to move in the jungle, always trust your gut, and rep for the Cowboys no matter what! #DC4L Read more>>

 Alexis Serio | Painter

I grew up in a small rural and remote town in upstate New York. Much of my childhood was spent outside (playing soccer, skiing, sledding, walking, hiking, swimming) or looking out a car window at the landscape while traveling. My parents are avid travelers and the passion for seeing new places and cultures is something that has also impacted my approach to art making and life today. Read more>>