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.

Samantha Combs | Sculptor, Legal Extraordinaire, and Family Enthusiast

One of the hardest questions for me to answer is “where are you from?” I was born in Arizona, raised in Texas, and live in Colorado. In total, I’ve moved about 40 times (which is more than once per year based on my age). I lived in big cities and small towns, suburban and rural. I’ve lived so far out in the sticks that the only way you could watch TV was if you had satellite or VHS movies (cue millennials to ask what a VHS is). Read more>>

Cassie LeFevre | Writer / Producer / Storyteller

This is a great question, because as a Colorado native, I find so much of my identity intertwined with this great state. The mountains, the dirt, the snow, the sports, the calm and the friendliness of the people… Although I’ve moved around Colorado quite a bit over my lifetime, I’ve never lived in any other state, and I struggle to envision myself ever leaving as a result. Colorado is my home. Read more>>

Alicia Thompson | Entrepreneur & Entertainer

I am from Lake Charles, LA but I grew up in San Antonio, TX. I love both environments because they are VERY different and so I like to say I got to enjoy the best of both worlds. Read more>>

Cass Haze | Creator of Lunalux Botanicals

I’m originally from the south Bay Area of California. I had the beach and the redwoods as my playground and San Francisco was only an hour away. This had a huge impact on my upbringing because I had an immediate connection to nature and the ocean. I also had the best of both worlds: beautiful landscapes and a vibrant city. Read more>>

CAZZ!E AKA | Recording Artist & Creative Curator

I was bred and raised in Southwest Philadelphia, which now and at the time was a real rough place. I was raised by my aunt in a religious household, real strict- church every Sunday, Boy Scouts every Saturday, choir rehearsal every Friday night. Because of that, it gave me real structure and and guidance, but I stood out like a sore thumb in school. Read more>