Selling Confidence in the Barbershop with Eric García
Eric García is a Richmond-raised Army Veteran based in Austin, Texas. With deep roots in valuing family and hard work, he has demonstrated these qualities across a six-year enlistment in the US Army and his current pursuit as a barber. Emphasizing selflessness as his greatest lesson in the military, Eric shares in this interview how […]
Following the Light of New Opportunities with Sowaida Nezami
Sowaida Nezami is a computer science major and current Master’s student in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the American University of Rome. Born in Afghanistan, Sowaida’s life has taken many routes and paths. Through struggles and redirection, she embraced her calling to become a peacebuilder like her admired sisters. With an incredible amount of […]
How Family Values Shaped Jerry Calabrese’s Success at McDonald’s
Before Jerry Calabrese became one of the leading experts in accountability at McDonald’s Corporation, he began his life deeply rooted in an Italian-American upbringing. In this interview, he shares how the early values he was taught in compassion, family, and hard work influenced his great success over 35 incredible years at McDonald’s. As the former […]
From the Army to Archaeology with Camilo Bayona-Mañosca
Camilo Bayona-Mañosca is a Colombian-born, Canadian-raised U.S. Army Veteran who served in the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He served an impressive term with notable achievements as an interpreter for NATO and Special Service missions and received two Army Achievement Medals, a Good Conduct Medal, and a National Defense Service Medal. Today, Camilo is studying […]
The Healing Power of Aloe- Serenity Discko’s Mission for Digital Wellness
Serenity Discko is the Founder of Aloe Bud, a self-care and mental health app designed to encourage taking time away from technology. Inspired by their upbringing, Serenity shares the story of how they discovered that self-care should be treated the same as caring for plants. From a young age, they knew how important it was […]
Guarding the Past and Shaping the Future with Ashley Kippley
Ashley Kippley is a current Sustainability and Built Heritage Intern at ICCROM while completing her master’s in Cultural Heritage at the American University of Rome. Born and raised on the New Hampshire shoreside, she shares how her upbringing immersed in nature, music and volunteer work influenced her current mission toward cultural heritage. Notably, she eagerly […]
Turning Latvian Legacy into Global Empowerment with Ieva Jākobsone
Ieva Jākobsone is a Latvian-born businesswoman, entrepreneur, professor, and EU lawyer. Across the many impressive titles Ieva has earned, she is the co-founder of the Latvian-African NGO, “She Rebuilds the World” (SRW). This project aims to inspire, empower, and educate female entrepreneurs in Africa in conjunction with Latvian leadership. In this raw interview, Ieva recounts […]
Planting Seeds of Change in Nigeria with Umar Shiru
Umar Shiru is an Employee and Labour relations manager with the Nigerian Ports Authority in Lagos, Nigeria. Most importantly, Umar is a Nigerian reformist who believes in a safe, stable, and successful future for Nigeria. He has founded an initiative called ‘A Nation Called Nigeria’ (ANCN) to unite Nigeria against segregation and injustice. Umar has […]
Growing Up Multicultural & Sustainable Agriculture Inspired by the RGV with Suzanne El-Haj
Suzanne El-Haj is a Palestinian and Argentinian-American from the Rio Grande Valley. She shares the incredible story of the two cultures of her parents coming together in America to start their careers and family. Suzanne was inspired by her environment and community growing up in the Rio Grande Valley to begin her journey in Sustainable […]
From Healing Hands to Empowered Voices in Afghanistan with Mahboba Islami
Mahboba Islami is one of the strongest women I know. Starting from life in a Pakistani refugee camp to surviving in Afghanistan, Mahboba endured many challenges while becoming a trauma surgeon. Her story tells only a glimpse of her strength from becoming a surgeon to discovering her true passion for advocating for human rights and […]