There are so many factors that affect how our lives turn out, but one of the most interesting is how our backgrounds give us unique strengths and perspectives that affect who we are as adults. We asked rising stars from the community to tell us about their background and upbringing and how they feel it’s impacted who they are today.

Jenny K. Lyon | Free Motion Quilting Encourager-in-Chief

I grew up in Ottawa, Illinois, a small town in north central Illinois. I am a fourth-generation quilter, as my Mother, and Maternal Grandmother and Great Grandmothers all quilted. All three hailed from the Carmen, Manitoba area and warm quilts were a necessity. My Mother lost her thumb as a young girl and could not hand quilt. Her quilts were sent to the local Amish women for hand quilting. The quilting was beautiful! It was expected of young girls at that time to learn the needle arts. Read more>>

Erin Timmerberg | Program Director, LCDC-I

I am from Raleigh, North Carolina and grew up there until the age of 16. My position at Adventure Learning Program and where I am today has a lot to do with my background and the past six years of my life. I was a vibrant kid and had a lot of interests and passions. I was involved in theatre, music, basketball, and academics. Thanks to my grandparents I had a lot of outdoor experiences and was introduced to all things nature and camping. Living in Raleigh I was very close to the beach and only a short drive to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Read more>>

Danica Cossman | Creative designer

I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. My dad was a self taught master mechanic from New York. And my mom was an artist from Wyoming. Both were very good at what they did. And both were very hospitable. So we always seemed to have out of town friends staying at our house. If we weren’t showing them the beauty of the Black Hills, we were making something creative with my mom or watching my dad work on a car. Read more>>

Marcus Lira | Choreographer & dancer

I am from Pueblo, CO and it has greatly impacted who I am today. Growing up in a semi-small town has given me a great appreciation for my passion. I have loved hip-hop dance for about 12 years now and growing up I was a fan of many famous dancers. Being in Pueblo, none of these famous dancers seemed like they were in my reach. It seemed like they were aliens from a different planet. As I’ve grown up, I’ve gotten to meet and even become friends with people that I’ve looked up to. If I had grown up somewhere where I could see these famous people regularly I don’t think they would have had the same effect on me. I definitely do not take for granted the opportunities that I’ve been given. Read more>>

Nina Klaser | Tattoo Artist

I grew up in Georgetown, TX which is right outside of Austin so I had a lot artist influence from that amazing city but I also had a childhood in a small town surrounded by community. I remember going with my family to the Red Poppy Festivals in town, but also making the efforts to go into Austin for live shows and art festivals. It was kind of a best of both worlds. After high school, I moved to Denton, TX for college and if I’m being honest, it feels like Denton is my home now. I have grown into the young woman and professional I am today because of this amazing town. Read more>>