One of our favorite things to do is to ask the folks we are inspired by what they are inspired by. We’ve shared some of their responses below.

James McMillin | Ancestral Lifestylist & Entrepreneur

I am inspired by underdogs, people going against the grain but going with their own integrity. I am inspired by people who beat adversity against all odds, who vie against forces that they don’t abide by–the bigger and stronger the better. I am inspired by humans who undergo great suffering and maintain their own sense of integrity and grace, who are not embittered by the muck of life but empowered by it. I am inspired by processes of Nature and believe it is our most obvious and most ignored (in modern&western society, anyway) teacher. I am inspired by primitive peoples who live gritty, hard-knock lives but who take it all in stride as the nature of things–nothing personal. Read more>>

Chris Wiggins | Podcaster and Producer

When I was younger, I read the book “Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?” by Reginal Lewis; he was the first brother to build a billion-dollar company. Coming from a mom who worked at Sears before she eventually was a business owner and a grandma who was a southern housekeeper, I never knew our people could have wealth outside of music or sports. Learning about black entrepreneurship inspired me, as these stories were never taught in school and not mentioned in my community. The hustle it takes to succeed, being your own boss and the complex calculus to success struck a chord with me that has always remained; this led to be starting Starmada Productions. Read more>>

Sheryl Robinson | Gold Award Girl Scout Mentor and Cheerleader

I am inspired by the young women I work with. Earning the Gold Award is a process that involves identifying a problem, finding the root cause, determining a solution, creating a plan to implement the solution, connecting the issue to our world, implementing that solution, creating a team to support the project, ensuring the solution is sustainable into the future, and writing a reflection of the project summarizing the outcomes. These young women have done many amazing projects – writing a book, improving our oceans, changing laws. They do this while balancing school activities, work, and planning for the future. Read more>>