We asked folks we admire to tell us about what they want their legacy to be. Check out their responses below.

Maria Lopez | Professional Visual Artist. I Paint and Draw.

I want my legacy to be that I created art all my life despite setbacks and hard times. I hope I live to 100 years old making art like Georgia O’Keefe. Art is one of the most wonderful things in life. Art brings people joy or emotion in life or causes them to think critically. The beauty of creating things from your own mind is wondrous. Did you know in war torn societies they always pursue to bring art back first? Art lifts down-trodden people’s spirits and heals communities. Are is pure human spirit manifested into reality. I’ve had to take out student loans to obtain my art degrees that have bankrupt me. I still still pursue art. I’ve been an adjunct art Professor and they cut my hours. I still pursue art. I was an art gallery owner for 2 and 1/2 years and it failed. I still pursue art. I was banned teaching volunteer art at the public library to children, teens, adults and senior citizens due to Covid 19 library restrictions. I still pursue art. Due to no art jobs I’ve had to work fast food to support myself and my family financially. I still pursue art. Read more>>

Holly Loff | Executive Director

I want to put programs in place that protect river health, habitat and special places far into the future. I want people to value the river and those protections so that our streams remain clean and healthy long after I am gone. On a more personal level, I want people to feel like I was kind, and that I left things better than I found them. I want to be remembered as someone who is even-keeled, up for adventures, always open to new perspectives and willing to take chances – albeit sometimes calculated ones – if they would lead to a better world. Read more>>

Beth Copic | Realtor | Mom | Servant Leader

I want to create a world where women are empowered to make decisions and live their best life without fear of judgement. I want to inspire others to break down barriers and create opportunities for themselves regardless of their backgrounds, and to see obstacles as growth opportunities. I want people to remember me as kind and tenacious. I want them to think I was willing to do the right thing even when it was unpopular. My best hope is that my children and their children will remember that in those “fear or faith” moments I always tried to follow the path of faith and put fear behind me. Read more>>

Kelli Hansen | Founder of BCC Evolution and a Warrior For Mental Health

I am on a mission to empower people to break their silence about their mental health challenge so it does not rule their life. Doing this through education, awareness and connecting people to resources, Therefore I want to be remembered as a warrior for mental health. I want my nonprofit BCC Evolution, a mental health and suicide awareness nonprofit to be my legacy for all the generations to come. Read more>>

Maggie Grout | Social Entrepreneur

I hope to inspire younger girls to go after their dreams and to be liked for their accomplishments. I want to see the next generation led by diverse, compassionate voices. I’d like to be remembered for my nonprofit, Thinking Huts, and our mission to increasing global access to education with humanitarian-driven technology solutions. More than anything, I desire to catalyze efforts aimed at placing people before profit. We need to be building solutions for the greatest benefit to humankind. Our work should lift up those around us as well as those we may not come face-to-face with who live drastically different lives. Read more>>

Andy Sydow | Musician, Songwriter, Podcast Host (Middle Class Rock Star)

That’s a question that I probably ask myself a lot, without even realizing it. It’s the reason behind a lot of my actions, and I bet that’s the case for most people. For me, I want to leave an incredible body of work behind when I go. I’d like to record tons of albums, produce lots of records, continue putting out more and more podcast episodes, record with an orchestra, score a motion picture, tour as a headlining act in sizable clubs… the list goes on and on. I think at the end of the day, I just want to have written lots of songs that impact people in a positive way. Read more>>