We asked some of the most inspiring folks we know to tell us what they are inspired by.

Zaozao Zhang | Interdisciplinary Sculpture Artist

My inspiration stems from East Asian cultural backgrounds and perspectives on history, which harbor many mysterious elements, myths, and poetry within the realm of traditional Chinese culture. Extensive reading and research on archaeology during my childhood have deeply influenced me. I was fascinated with the traces time leaves on objects. In tracing back history, I attempt to uncover the secretive feminist resistance within the patriarchal-dominated historical perspective and endeavor to employ these acts of resistance to dismantle the colonization of the body. Simultaneously, I am enamored with the narrative of magical realism, such as the works of Gabriel García Márquez. My works often cloak themselves in a surreal, psychedelic guise, using narratives that transcend the ordinary to ‘seduce’ the audience into the artistic world I create. Read more>>

Laura Tamarah Hernandez | Owner/Managing Attorney at Latam Law, LLC

I was inspired by my own experience as an immigrant. I moved from the Dominican Republic to the U.S. in 2005 at the age of 13, during which I experienced racism for the first time. The experience is humbling to this day and soon after arriving to the US I realized that I wanted to dedicate my career to helping other immigrants know their rights and feel supported and welcomed. After starting law school I learned about immigration law and how I could achieve my goals of wanting to give back to my fellow immigrants by becoming an immigration attorney, and I never looked back. Read more>>

Smoji | Electronic Music Producer/Engineer

I’m inspired by many things. The most impactful inspiration would be the people around me and the people I work with. There’s a lot of talented hardworking individuals that have a consistent drive towards their goals and that keeps me on my feet too. Everyone around me is constantly in the game and active, no one is sitting on the sidelines. There is times that one of the artist will achieve something great and in some way, it feels like we all did something collectively. Read more>>

Collin Sanford | Singer for Wake Me

Our band has evolved from being specifically inspired by other bands in a very specific genre (Thrice to name one), to appreciating and being inspired simply by good songwriting in general. That includes anything from Pop and R&B to Rock and Metal. We have grown to appreciate well crafted songs and love to take songwriting ideas from across genres and see how we can incorporate them into our rock sound. Read more>>