Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Tasha Nicole | Lifestyle Creator, Millennial Mom

I grew up in northern Colorado, in a supportive and loving blended household as the middle child of four. My upbringing was greatly influenced by the strong, independent women in my family, who set an example of self-reliance and determination. This environment taught me the value of perseverance, hard work, and the importance of being self-driven. Growing up in a tight-knit community also instilled in me a sense of collaboration and the importance of supporting others, values that have shaped both my personal and professional life. Read more>>

Rebecca Guidera | Somatic Psychotherapist

I am from South Carolina (I lived there from 2 years old to 20 years) and grew up in Charleston. Living in the South was a mixed experience for me because of the nature of the environment. I had a significant amount of privilege as a white, cis, and middle class person and I continue to unpack the ways my privilege clouded my awareness of the various layers of racism, capitalism, and oppression existing around me. There is a continual thread of grieving and healing in my process of learning about the layers of pain existing in the culture of being in the South while also recognizing the resilience that permeates alongside the past and present harm. Read more>>

Gabriel Anderson | Dean & Dahl Principal Designer

“I grew up in Castle Rock, Colorado, while my wife Brooke was raised in Littleton. As the youngest of nine children, I often found myself exploring the rugged foothills in solitude, captivated by the beauty and serenity of nature. That sense of freedom and wonder has never left me. Now, living and working amidst the forests of the Hudson Valley in New York, I find that being surrounded by nature is essential to my creative process. The landscapes of Colorado set a high bar for inspiration, and that connection to the natural world has profoundly shaped who I am today.” Read more>>

Sue Shutterbug | Portrait Photographer

I am from a small town in Colorado. When I was young I was painfully shy. My mom even told me my teachers would ask her if I spoke at home because I had hardly said two words the whole year. I was the kid who would rather stay quiet than risk saying the wrong thing. My shyness also held me back from making friends and I often felt pretty lonely. Read more>>