Where you grew up and your background can often have surprising effects on our lives and careers. We’ve asked folks from the community to tell us about how their background has affected them.

Malachi Scott | Athlete/Actor/Artist

Well I was originally born in Kansas but I moved to Compton,CA when I was 5 so I would say I’m from Compton. I grew up in the hood where I battled mental and physical abuse from my adopted parents. It wasn’t easy at all. I went through many dark times but for me to be alive I would say it made me better. I feel like it was a test from God to see how I could handle my situation and be able to thrive. As soon as I got the chance to leave that house when I turned 18 my life changed. I got to show how much I could do with the freedom of the world. Read more>>

Ericka Btiwny | Philanthropist, Public Speaker, Mentor

My name is Ericka Brown born and raised in the projects of Columbia, SC. I was raised in Gonzales Gardens. The stigmas placed on youth raised in single parent homes and/or the projects. Let us deemed as a menace or bound to be a single mother on welfare. Going through the trenches of life has humbled me tremendously. God, my parents. It’s made me who I am. Read more>>

Caroline Clark | Functional Ceramic Sculptor

I grew up in the woods of rural South Carolina, surrounded by my extended family. This gave me a very strong sense of safety and community and allowed me to take risks and try new things in a supportive environment. Growing up on a farm in a forest also exposed me to life cycles and up close nature that still informs my artistic work. Read more>>

Ladaro Pennix | Musician and Entrepreneur

I come from Long Beach, California, and my background has deeply influenced who I am today. It was through enduring struggles and hardships that I underwent a profound transformation. Growing up in a neighborhood plagued by gang activity, I had to fight relentlessly for everything I wanted. This led me down a path immersed in the street life, where hope often seemed elusive. It was a journey marked by unfortunate events that ultimately resulted in my prolonged incarceration. Read more>>

Mark Flowers | Artist

I was raised in Greenville, SC and a son of a painter and professor at Furman University.. Although he never really sat me down and showed me how to paint, etc.-He was an example to follow. I resisted at first, but always found myself making art about the resistance. Read more>>

Imani Peterkin | Life Coach, Youth and Community Advocate

I was born and raised in Columbia, SC. When it comes to how my background and upbringing impacted who I am today, there is a lot that I could say. I grew up in a very faith-based family and a family of handworkers. My upbringing was not always easy, I grew up in a single parent home watching my mother work superhard and trying her best to provide for her two children. Read more>>

Kiran Anderson | Artist/Singer/Songwriter

I am from Greenwood, SC but I grew up in a small town called Ninety Six. I feel like my background and upbringing had a lot of impact on who I am today because it makes me look at life in various of ways. My father was in the military so he taught me how to survive, how to live in a world full of chaos but still able to find peace within it. My mother was a nurturer but also a very strong independent woman which she taught me how to be resilient and persistent in the things that I want in my life and nothing is never handed to you, you have to work hard for it. Read more>>

Tori Lund and Blake English | Country Roots Band, Few Miles South

We currently reside in a small rural community of South GA, where my partner, Blake, grew up. I was raised in Los Angeles so we have very different backgrounds. Blake learned country living skills like hunting and fishing, and learned how to navigate the 405 freeway. Read more>>

Camille Soltani Icely | Artist, Poet, and Jewelry Designer

I am from Summerville, South Carolina. My upbringing was a very challenging one, but it really shaped me into who I am now. I want to protect my siblings and not share too much, but we went through a very traumatic event when we were young, and it lasted for many years. This trauma followed me into my relationships in adult life, and effected my mental health as well. However, I have been on a long journey of healing, and I can look back and see how far I’ve come in that. I write all of this because love, healing, and transformation, is a core part of my art. All I share in my paintings and writings are with an open and vulnerable heart, because I hope to encourage others in their own healing journey. Read more>>