Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our hope with the Portraits of Resilience series – we hope the stories below will inspire you to tap into your own resilience.
Arize aka Ace Ifejika
Honestly because I never had a plan B. I constantly walked this line where I was one right move from proving everyone wrong and one wrong move from proving everyone right. I still walk that line to a certain extent. Living in LA and just being in this lifestyle the wrong moves are always within reach. Read more>>
Tarik Holmes
I’ve always been a big dreamer, and my dreams aren’t just dreams to me – they’re goals. The possibility of achieving those goals is always exciting and keeps me going when things get hard. I’ve felt to give up quite a few times, especially this year because things haven’t gone the way I planned. Read more>>
Justin Ruger
My resilience was ingrained into me by my late grandfather, Edwin Johnson. He was a Harvard and Yale graduate that instilled the importance of hard work, dedication, and never giving up. When I was younger, I had some health issues that discouraged me and his words of encouragement have given me the strength to fight no matter what happens in life. Read more>>
Brendan Kelly
My resilience comes from my positive attitude and persistent work ethic. Operating in the cannabis industry is challenging and often times full of setbacks, but I am determined, strong and I never give up. I always remind myself of the saying “fall 100 times and get back up 101 times” – it helps me focus. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made with CEAS Collective and I’m looking forward to the future. Every milestone achieved is a reward in itself and helps motivate us to keep going. We have big plans for our future and I can’t wait to see them all come to fruition! Read more>>
Glory Jefferson-Richard
My resilience! Wow! I’ve overcome so many things throughout my life. Such as, being a survivor of foster care. Imagine being snatched away from your siblings in the home that you thought was normal. From group homes to group homes and finally being stable into one foster home not knowing that the care taker really didn’t like you. Read more>>
Brianne Atkinson
My resilience generates from my faith in God, I have experienced more failures than I have experienced success, but to sit in failure for me is not an option. I also give myself grace to grieve my losses, but there is a time limit for me and then it’s time to move forward. I have a responsibility to my family and to those who are watching from a distance and rooting for me. Read more>>
Natalie Antoinette
My wellspring of resilience is rooted in a profound connection to my life’s purpose. As the firstborn child of Jamaican immigrants, I embarked on a journey to pursue the American dream, marked by determination, courage, and the pursuit of higher education. I watched my family struggle to make ends met and I wanted to be able to be the first in my family to create stability and freedom. Read more>>
Christina Diamantara
Though it’s been a journey trying to discover the tools that could help me boost and maintain my resilience (why don’t they teach this kinda stuff at school?), I have come to appreciate the small but very impactful practices that get me through stressful or difficult times. Developing and maintaining a steady routine that works for me, eating healthy, exercising daily, meditating, breathing exercises, and reaching out to loved ones are things that may sound redundant but have a major impact on maintaining a positive outlook which ultimately is the only thing that can get you through adversities. Read more>>
Mayuka Yatomi
1. Acceptance of Reality: Resilience begins with the ability to accept the current state of affairs, whether they are positive or negative. As a business owner, acknowledging the reality of my situation is crucial. This acceptance allows me to confront challenges head-on rather than denying or avoiding them. Read more>>
Rob Grad
I grew up in a house with a lot of conflict. As a teenager, I wasn’t suicidal per se, but sometimes I wished I could just cease to exist. Drugs became my companion. They helped me numb out, and fit in with a crowd at school. I was socially awkward and maladjusted, so just that was a victory. The problem with drugs though, is they tend to only work for a little while if at all, before things spiral downward. Like they did for me. Read more>>
Jeremy Norton
My father demonstrated dedication and focus–to a detrimental degree, really–raising us in the two years between our mother dying and him remarrying. He worked hard & steadily his entire career: that was his purpose. He taught me that doing the right thing isn’t fun but it IS right. (He also, in his human failings, taught me that people are complicated and flawed.) Read more>>
King Taycho
“My resilience is deeply rooted in the community and neighborhood where I grew up. The environment instilled in me a relentless spirit, a ‘never quit, never let up’ attitude that has been instrumental in overcoming challenges and adversities. While many around me succumbed to various addictions due to their associations and circumstances, I was fortunate to be guided by principles that taught me to rise above such influences. Read more>>
Alan Gurvey
Resilience is a word that truly defines me. Interestingly enough, I did not go through any childhood trauma, or have any prominent negativity in my childhood years. I grew up in a fairly normal environment, whatever that may be, so I think that I have something inside me, probably genetic, that made me a real fighter. Read more>>
Ravell Robinson
I like to think that I’ve developed my resilience over time. But ever since I was a child, I’ve always had to overcome adversity. And at first, it wasn’t easy. Of course. The first time you do anything, It’s not gonna be easy, but when it comes to adversity, it takes spiritual growth; It takes growth and experience. And over the decades, I think that it’s become streamline for me in a way that it has become a tool to unlock a greater; Perspective for myself. So therefore no matter how hard things get, I never really have reason to give up. Read more>>
Anita Scruggs
My resilience comes from the crucible experiences of life itself. Initially, I held the belief that resilience was an innate quality, but life has been a reminder that true resilience is an acquired skill, a constant adaptation, and a test of resourcefulness. My journey has been shaped by a multitude of experiences, each reinforcing my conviction that every season has purpose. Read more>>
Brandon Kazen-Maddox
My resilience definitely comes from the women in my family. My mother, who is a Child of Deaf Adults, or CODA, has taught me the most about how to uphold myself as a person of integrity, with values and ethics that I live by, and to keep my heart both open and guarded at the same time. My Grandma, who is white and Deaf, taught me to question the rules of society, and to challenge those that are unjust. Read more>>
Everett Jesse
I believe as you fail you build resilience. I have a much longer list of failures than I do accolades. I have failed in pretty much forms of the human experience – business, relationships, athletics, etc. Each of those failures came with a choice, do I keep moving or do I quit. People don’t like admitting this but sometimes the right answer is to quit. Read more>>
Dr. Calenthia Miller
Over the course of my life, I have encountered numerous obstacles and hurdles that have tested my resilience and ability to adapt. Through these challenges, I have gained a deeper understanding of my capabilities and strengths and the importance of a positive mindset in overcoming adversity. Read more>>
Xavier Thomas
Being a big believer in the Lord himself that gave me faith and told me that I will win every battle, war, hardship that comes my way. No matter what it may be. Read more>>
Mark Indig
I spent over 40 years in film production as a Location Manager, Studio Executive, Unit Production Manager and Producer. I don’t think anything short of being in combat or working in an ER could have hardened me any more considering unrelenting pressure, sleep deprivation, long working hours, being away from home for up to a year at a time and exposure to the elements. Photography is a vacation in comparison. Read more>>
Donna Bates
I’m not really sure actually. I don’t think that most people have any choice but to be resilient if you want to survive in this ever changing world. I’ve always had a lot of projects going since I was a kid. I guess otherwise I would become bored. Read more>>
Will Mazzola
As a source of inspiration, I always like to keep in mind one of Bruce Lee’s thoughts: “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” These words serve as a constant reminder to build the resilience needed to navigate through life’s challenges. Read more>>
Marisa Bean
First, I would say I get my resilience from my country, Guatemala. I come from a country that has a lot of creativity and drive. Most Guatemalans are hard working and they learn to find new solutions for old problems. The economy is not that stable, so you have to be creative, hard working, and entrepreneurial to make things work. Read more>>
Diesha Banner
For me I think life has always been a roller-coster from wins to losses they all come consistently…But digging within has always been my practice… While I consider my story one that is unique to me… I also know so many that have overcome challenges. The trials that come only make me stronger as cliche’ as it sounds. Read more>>
Christian Haynes
I think I get my resilience from my parents. They’ve always taught me to work my hardest at everything I did. Growing up, I was a bit of a rebellious kid and I would only put the bare minimum of effort into tasks that I was given. I at first didn’t really understand why I had to put more effort than was required into things. Read more>>
Ashley Blum
When I think about resilience, it brings up deep emotions. I’ve been involved in community work since 2005, where I’ve worked with thousands of people seeking mental health, substance use, and homelessness support. I’ve seen people battling to survive while living under bridges, going in and out of psychiatric hospitals and jails, experiencing serious mental health symptoms, and falling through the cracks of systems that are not set up to support them the way they need. Read more>>
Brandy Michele Adams
Knowing and believing We Are All Stars gives me the resilience to rise once again after a car accident left me with a spinal cord injury, two smashed discs in my neck, a collapsed disc in my back, and autoimmune along with the City of Dallas shutting me down for almost a year in 2017 nearly taking everything I had built over a decade in South Dallas at my art space WAAS Gallery. Resilience comes from within. Read more>>
John Presnell
By recognizing there’s joy in creativity. I think the moment one become overly serious about things is the moment they begin to lose. My philosophy is that life is a game, and like any game there is opposition and obstacle. Sure, play to win, but don’t take it all so seriously! Light things float, heavy things fall. Read more>>
Brennan Aerts
Being in the music industry, I accepted early on that my career would be a long game. Although the “war of attrition” mentality used to feel unique to seemingly impossible industries like music, acting, etc – we all know very well, now, that ALL great achievements take lots and lots of time. Resilience is, frankly, required of all humans. I came from a humble background, only one generation removed from severe poverty, my grandparents being the first Americans in our family, coming from an Irish immigrant background. Read more>>
Apiwe Bubu
I believe I developed my resilience growing up in amongst one of the most resilient cultures and nations in the world, The Xhosa nation from which come Nelson Mandela, Trevor Noah, Black Coffee and other individuals of notable distinction. Much of the preparation including ceremonies and idiosyncrasies that permeate life growing up were much of what one has leaned on and continue to exude in a manner of speech when addressing the matter of resilience. Read more>>
Lizzy Polanco
I get my resilience from my parents. From a young age, I saw first hand how my parents were faced with so many odds. They immigrated to the states at a young age fleeing war and came to a country were they didn’t know English, had no family or friends here yet they worked very hard to make their American dream come true. Read more>>
Elizabeth Soto-Lara
“My resilience comes from my parents, my superheroes. I have never met such a stubborn, determined, and strong couple. They support and complement each other in an inspiring way that I couldn’t help but follow their example. Read more>>
Noel Ross
Enduring years of skepticism, rejection, and criticism from industry figures I aspired to be around and gain knowledge from is similar to the narrative depicted in the film “Whiplash,” specifically the Charlie Parker story as it was explained in the bar scene. Embracing the pain and persistently striving for one’s passion is everything. If the journey were effortless, everyone in Los Angeles would be doing it, let alone actually be what they say they are. Read more>>
Josh Zammit
Well, I’m not too quick to label myself as such, considering I still carry quite a few painful scars, some pretty raw. What does keep me going is my passion for the work and the necessity of expression. Oddly enough, those trials tend to inspire my creativity. Read more>>
Chad Pulido
Resilience, my ability to withstand adversity, bounce back from setbacks, and continue to thrive even in the face of life’s most challenging moments. For me, the source of my resilience can be traced back to a variety of experiences and influences in my life. Seeing people close to me face various hardships and challenges instilled in me the understanding that adversity is a part of life. These experiences served as a reminder that everyone encounters obstacles at some point, and it’s our response to these challenges that truly defines us. Read more>>
Tammy Rodgers
My resilience comes from my upbringing and God! I was raised by a farmer ( milk man) who always put his family first, we may have never been rich but we were rich in LOVE and FAITH and my sister and I wanted for nothing. He is the only man who has shown me what true unconditional honest love really is. Read more>>
Tina Carlyle
I was just 7 years of age when my mother was shot and 8 when she passed away from a traumatic gunshot wound where the bullet could never be removed. But it soon took her life based on her suffering from a few cardiac complications. That was the worst day of my life. After her funeral, my sister and I moved to Florida with my grandmother. Years later, I became pregnant at age 14. Read more>>
Reginald Parham
I get my resilience from my family. My parents survived and thrived, through the pre-and post-Civil Rights era with tenacity and hard work. They believed in their worth and their children’s worth. They instilled that mindset into myself and my brother. Life is a gift and we have the responsibility to live fully and pursue our calling unashamedly. Read more>>
Selena Conmackie
When I think of resilience, my mother comes to mind. As a young child I watched her move away from her family to follow my fatherʻs career in the hotel industry. We left Hawaii to travel and she had to learn to do things ʻon her ownʻ without being able to call her parents and siblings for those things you would ask for help on. Read more>>
Tasha Hickey
My resilience is deeply rooted in my life perspective. I hold a profound belief that my journey has a purpose and that every step, whether challenging or smooth, is part of a greater plan. This unwavering conviction gives me the strength to face adversity with determination. I firmly trust that my purpose will ultimately make sense of all the challenges and triumphs. Read more>>
Haley J Albaum
I was fortunate enough to grow up with a family that always encouraged me and always pushed me to be my best. From that upbringing, I have always remained the confidence to show up for myself. Read more>>
Bunny H
Honestly from my best friends, family & mostly my environment! I grew up not really fitting in anywhere. My family was probably one of the only Asian families in the city. There wasn’t anyone around that looked like me so it was really tough growing up. I was bullied pretty bad for the way that I looked. Read more>>
Gina Loring
Great question! To be an artist, I think you need a certain amount of resilience because there are so many ups and downs. When I first started out, I was super naive, but experience has given me a more realistic, grounded perspective. I’ve learned to figure things out myself, expand my skillset, and be proactive as opposed to waiting for others. Read more>>
Tracy DeVore
This is a really good question! Especially because currently, we are having to rely on our resilience in light of the fact, that just a week ago we were ousted from our shop location of 8 years with just 30 days notice, at our busiest time of the year! My father once said to me, when things get hard, or if things get bad, it’s just like riding a horse (he was a farmer/teacher/horse breeder/cattle rancher). Read more>>
Giovanni Gonzalez
I can’t say I am a resilient person, who has a super power that other people do not have. I certainly did not go to the Himalayas to connect with my purpose or had a life altering event that gave me the kind of resilience necessary to overcome all the usual obstacles. Read more>>
