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.

Joseph Lattanzi | Opera Singer

I grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta – specifically Mableton. I got interested in music through a great public school elementary music teacher and then went to the Cobb County magnet high school for the Performing Arts. I grew up doing musicals, studying dance and voice, and seeing all the shows around town from The Atlanta Opera, The Atlanta Ballet, The Atlanta Symphony, Alliance Theater, Fox Theater, and others. Read more>>

Mystie Medlin | Motivational author & Photographer

I am from Americus, a small town in rural South Georgia in the heart of the bible belt. Faith and family are taught to be the most important aspects of life. Although, for me raised in a toxic family dynamic, and an inherent skepticism of the faith others around me held so dear, I always felt very different from my family and peers. Read more>>

Carrington | Singer & Songwriter

I’m from Sin City baby, Las Vegas, NV. Truthfully, Vegas had a lot to do with who I am today. I was exposed to live entertainment at a very young age. I’m talking about Christian Scott, Chris Botti, Destiny’s Child, Ledisi, Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion and more. Seeing those talented artists when I was 6, 8 and 9 years old really set the tone of what I wanted to be like as a singer/performer. Read more>>

Gretchen Wagner | Artist & Professor

I was raised in Connecticut by my parents, both engineers, one mechanical and one civil. My older sister also studied engineering before becoming an architect. We were always working on projects, but our parents had one rule; If we wanted to make something, we needed a drawing and a plan. So I grew up sketching my ideas with drafting pencils on graph paper. Read more>>