Those of us who were lucky to have someone see something in us long before we saw it in ourselves know how impactful it can be. We are thrilled to highlight some of those stories and honor some of the OG heroes.
DL Pettigrew
It would be my dear mother who is about to turn 90 on November 6th. She fought for me to go to college even though I didn’t do well on the senior placement exam, and my school counselor thought I wasn’t college material. Read More>>
Peyton Fallis
The person who saw me clearly before I could see myself was my new coach. Deep into my last prep, my mental health was in pieces. I had stopped believing I belonged on stage. My previous coach had left me discouraged, doubting myself, and convinced that no matter what I did, I would never be enough. Read More>>
Daria Dana
My parents always told me that I was brilliant, intellectually astute, creative, and that I would accomplish great things in and for the world. I could always tell, even when I was a child, that they fully believed it with every fiber of their being. I believe they were seeing me clearly for who I was and what I was capable of. Read More>>
Brian Harris
That person is my wife, Genevieve. She saw the man I was becoming long before I could see it myself. Where I saw limits, she saw potential; where I questioned my calling, she spoke life into it. Her belief in me has been both a mirror and a catalyst—reflecting who I truly am and pushing me to rise into it. Read More>>
Alena Smith
God did! Through trials, tribulations, and losses, He revealed my purpose and gave me the strength to overcome what I thought might break me. When I faced miscarriages and endured the emotional roller coaster of the NICU journey with both of our boys, I couldn’t fully see who I was or what I was capable of. Read More>>
Champian Fulton
Definitely my father, Stephen Fulton. He just passed one month ago and I have been thinking a lot about his influence on my life. He was my biggest fan, my biggest advocate, and my best teacher. He taught me everything, from how to work on a car to how to talk on the phone. Read More>>
LaTanya Booker
My paternal grandfather, James Brown. My grandfather always pushed me to do things that I wasn’t comfortable doing. It started with participating in a school spelling bee that I didn’t think I was smarter enough to win to singing solos at several different churches in and around our community. Read More>>
Derek Mitchell
I think my Mother saw all that I could do and be even before I could see it. She saw a deep reserve of passion and talent and drive and did everything to support it and to make it reality. Read More>>
Jim Hinckley
I was rather content in a blue collar world. But in retrospect I see that the childhood dream of becoming a writing was there bubbling under the surface. It was my dearest friend, my wife of 42 years, that gently encouraged me to chase that dream. Apparently she saw more in me than I saw in myself. Read More>>
Kristin Hardwick-Soriano
Definitely my family saw my talent within the creative field before I ever could! I knew I always loved fashion, art, and creativity; but it wasn’t until I put them all together I truly saw myself and my passion/calling in this world. Read More>>
Greg Edmondson
My mother’s mother! I was first born, and first grandchild. That comes with a lot of attention, but also a lot of expectation. I was mostly placed in the ‘smart’ or ‘gifted’ kid programs, which sounds better than it actually was. I excelled at intellectual pursuits, but was small and insignificant at things that people paid more actual attention to. Read More>>
Vanessa Flowers
My mentor, the late Renee Ferguson of NBC5 Chicago, saw me clearly before I could see myself. She told me I was a storyteller from the very beginning and truly invested in me, even allowing me to intern for her in the investigative reporting department when I was only 14. That experience was life-changing. Read More>>
Maz Joachin
I was in 11th grade when my art teacher at the time looked at the characters I was illustrating and made a very brutal observation. “Why are all your characters white?” I was baffled, I hadn’t thought about it but subconsciously I was programmed to draw what I saw on TV, which were mostly white characters. Read More>>
Consuelo Romero
Vaya, me gusta esta pregunta. Recuerdo haber tenido una pareja que vio mucho potencial en mi respecto al rubro de la moda, y en una charla un tanto profunda, donde hablamos de la búsqueda de cada uno, el me comentó que veía en mi un gran talento y vocación por la moda. Read More>>
Lynda DeGrow Kingsley
Many of our artists have been creating for years in little bits of spare time while we were doing the life thing – marriage, kids, jobs, community involvement . But as we got closer to retirement age, and commitments lessened, we got serious about our art, often taking art classes, workshops, even going back and getting Art degrees like I did. Read More>>
Lu Camy
A therapist once told me, “You are a genius.” I was in a period of deep sadness and hopelessness. I watched some friends doing and writing amazing things and I felt small and incapable. He was definitely using hypnotic techniques and speaking directly to my subconscious — that part of me that needed to believe in myself. Read More>>
Helene Bergbauer
I worked for Parfums Givenchy in the 1990’s and one of my co-worker introduce me to my profession as an esthetician and educator. Another one of my co-worker gave me the opportunity to learn and execute the work for Carita Paris. I am most grateful for those two people in my life. Read More>>
