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.

Gina Yeo | Professional Landscape Photographer and Educator

Well, hello there! I’m a Canadian photographer from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Living a short drive into Banff National Park, many of my childhood summer holidays were spent camping in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. My father was our family photographer, and he gifted me a little film camera as a child. Read more>>

Suan Campanaro | Actor and Night life ENTERTAINER: LAVINIA DRAPER

I am an Italian American who grew up in Palm Beach, Florida. My parents raised me as Episcopalian and I grew up in a predominately white affluent society. So as an actor moving to NYC and getting in touch with my Italian roots being cast in the Off Broadway Hit: Read more>>

Melodie Essig | Yoga Teacher & Jyotishya (Vedic Astrologer)

I was born in Los Angeles and then my family moved to Long Island. I attended private school there. Where we learned meditation and were encouraged to be creative and in-tune with nature. I also learned fine arts privately growing up and am a trained artist. I studied Yoga at Naropa University in Boulder CO and completed my BA there. Read more>>