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.

Jamila Parker | Artist

Hello, My name is Jamila Parker! Many people know me as Milajae from my social platforms. I am a 25 year old creator from Mesquite Texas. I’ve always had an interest in art since I was younger. I started out drawing and eventually got into graphic design as well. My family is very creative which has been both impactful and inspiring. I grew up with a very crafty mom and was always surrounded with different art projects. Read more>>

Jonathan Rea | Psychotherapist & PhD Candidate

My narrative as an immigrant has provided me with a cultural lens, which influences the way in which I see the world. I spent the first years of my life in an indigenous village in southern Mexico. My mother’s employment as an educator brought my parents and I to the United States. My world as a child was bicultural, bilingual, and culturally compartmentalized. I would spend my school days soaking in the new American culture, speaking English, and learning American history. I would come home after school to a Mexican-American household which only spoke Spanish inside the home and celebrated a Latinx heritage. Read more>>

Jordan Jojo” Williamson | Salon Suite Owner & Cosmetology Instructor”

I am from Houston, TX, brought up in a family of 6! (2 parents, 2 sisters and older brother) I was raised in a faith-based home which taught me the morals, ethics and disciplines that have molded this person I’ve come to be. These same teachings are also reflected in the way that I serve my clientele and operate my business. Read more>>