We asked some of the most generous entrepreneurs, artists and creatives we know to talk to us about where they think their generosity comes from.
Dr. Sophia Khousadian
My generosity is deeply rooted in my core values of compassion, empathy, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact in the lives of others. As an educator, author, and humanitarian, I firmly believe in the transformative power of individualized learning and personalized support. My background in educational psychology and organizational leadership has equipped me with the tools to understand the diverse needs of individuals and communities. Read more>>
Rosemary Oglesby Henry
When I was a little girl I would read, My Book of Bible Stories. I recall a story of this Angel who dressed like a beggar and was turned away at every door except one. The person who let the Angel in was not wealthy but kind. The next morning the Angel revealed itself. I carry the story. Read more>>
Marianne Battikha
Generosity I believe comes when you feel abundant and at peace. At peace with Yourself, with the world around you and with everything in you and out of you. Then you just are generous and ONE with all. Read more>>
Julissa Contreras
Generosity saves lives. I grew up as a witness to how acts of generosity transform circumstances and naturally made it a priority for how I show up in the world. I owe a lot to other people extending their generosity to me. I believe it’s a key practice everyone should connect with and become intentional about showing up generously in the world. Read more>>
Layla Ramirez
My generosity stems both from my faith as a Christian and from deeply engrained family values. As the daughter of two parents who are both the youngest of 12 in their families, examples of generosity from my parents and siblings to aunts and uncles to grandparents and cousins were always abundant. Read more>>
Allison Pezzuti
My generosity was instilled in me by my mother. She has always given her time, talents, and resources from clothes off her back (literally) to any funds she could afford to give to charities, individuals, family, and neighbors. She grew up in an immigrant household where her mother brought family over from Germany, opened their house to family, and gave them a start in the U.S. Read more>>
Latoya LeGrand
My generosity comes from being in the same predicaments of the community that I serve. It is also rooted in my personal experiences with the struggles faced by our community, driving my deep commitment to empower and uplift those in similar situations through ProjectsIIProjects. Read more>>
Joshua Stucky
During the mid 1980’s when HIV began its grip on teh LGBTQ society, a small group of us found that what was lacking outside of healthcare answers was the ability of those affected to have simple needs met. It was frustrating and dis-heartening. We found that by donating our time to doing comedic performances (which allowed people to laugh through the pain) we could donate to area charities that were working to meet the needs of people with HIV. Read more>>
Butter
My generosity comes from from appreciating small things, and what I did not have. I was born from a family of generous, loving people. My mother was very generous. She’s very caring I’m a born nurture I’m a my mother, so I love freely and openly so I always like to see people smile, it takes more energy to be mean negative or selfish so I choose a ladder. Read more>>
Michele Anderson
Generosity has been a guiding force in my life, tracing back to my humble beginnings in a low-income family. Money was scarce growing up, and survival mode was the norm. Through experiencing firsthand the challenges of living with limited resources, my upbringing cultivated an empathetic perspective. It’s this empathy that propels me to give generously of my time and resources to others. Read more>>
Eric Edner
My mother taught me to always be considerate to others. That being ingrained in me since I was very young I’ve always felt that helping others when you can is the way to be. I enjoy helping others when I can. Be it with passing on a glass skill or helping in general. Read more>>
Rosa Castillo
My heritage plays a huge part in how I connect with people, especially within my family, social connections, and my community. Immigrants from a small town in El Salvador who traversed through the civil war, all of them children of a baker who taught them skills like farming, selling bread, as well as caring for their younger siblings. Read more>>
CR Grimmer
When I was an undergraduate student, I had multiple day jobs and took classes at night. I was also navigating some complex PTSD without realizing that not everyone was having the same emotional difficulties. Several of my professors saw me in those classes and identified the combination of my drive to “achieve” with my lack of emotional support. Read more>>
Shelbi Klein
Growing up, our family embraced generosity as a core value, thanks to my quiet yet incredibly giving father and the unwavering support and strength of my mother. Even now, people share stories of the impactful deeds my parents, especially my father, performed for others in times of need. Read more>>
Angelo Dickens II
My generosity comes from my personal, and professional experiences in life. Sometimes knowing how another person feels by having been in their shoes makes you become more relatable to how they may be feeling. Read more>>
Shanicka House
My generosity comes from my lived experiences. I was raised in a very small town, by very selfless parents, who lived a life of generosity my whole life. For the first 13 years of my life my mom was a single mom, and we both lived with my Grandparents. My Grandfather passed away when I was four and I then stuck to Grandmother like super glue!! She loved God with all of her heart, and she also loved people. Read more>>
Odanzy
I can say it stemmed from the moment I realized that I was truly known and loved before I even knew what love was. I had always grown up in the church, knew the right things to do, what to say, and how to act ‘Christ-like’ in front of fellow believers and friends. But when I had a personal encounter with God after high school, I knew He had His hand specifically on me and it wasn’t until college that I began to walk in that grace. Read more>>
Steanie LaHart
The seeds of my generosity were sown early. Witnessing my mother’s dedication to helping others through the church’s Christmas Giving Tree instilled in me the joy of giving. Later, when a close friend battled breast cancer, her fight ignited a fire within me, leading to the birth of Busted Foundation. This wasn’t just about sympathy; it was about channeling the power of collective action to make a difference. Read more>>
Jaccarri Woodson
My generosity comes from a long family line of givers. I grew up in church where my grandfather and grandmother has pastored for over 40 years. I saw them unselfishly give their time, resources and divided attention to every person that walked through the doors of the church. My Mother and Father were my everyday example of generosity. Read more>>
Hannah Stinson
My generosity comes from my maternal grandmother, my Grandma Bebe, she is and will always be my number 1 role model in life. Generosity oozes effortlessly from her essence and it is contagious. From a young age she taught me the importance of being generous through the act and ritual of prayer. Every night before bed she would kneel at her bedside and bring her hands into a prayer position while her elbows rested on the bed. Read more>>
Lindsey & Angelica Novotny & Medina
Opening School of Makeup Effects brought us many struggles along the way. From being self funded to getting people to take us seriously as female entrepreneurs, we always felt like we were fighting an uphill battle. Once we became established, we wanted to give back to the community and other artists by offering them opportunities that we didn’t have. Read more>>
Bill and Sarah Kuchma
I think it all comes from genuinely seeking out a situation where a void needs filled, and wanting to fill it at no personal gain for ourselves. Generosity can take on so many forms and shapes and sizes. You can be generous Financially, Socially, Spiritually, Relationally, or even Occupationally. To us, the most effective and gratifying way to be generous is to do it Anonymously. Read more>>
Darius Thomas
On this journey of entrepreneurship and creativity, many times I’ve been alone. Whether it’s the creation process or learning the ins and outs of business. I remember what it felt like to be alone and wish i had help and there was none. Read more>>
Stacey Chow
I feel like my generosity has always been a part of who I am. I want to see people happy and succeed. I will always do my best to deliver the best photos I can to my clients. I have always thought if you are generous to someone, it could be the thing that makes their day better or remembers me. Read more>>
Carrianne Nackers
I have always believed I’ve been put on this earth to serve and better the world through my gifts. Art has always been part of my life – I still have the Pocahontas eraser from one of the first art sets I received as a child! It wasn’t until I started working in the field of graphic design that I felt I could actually help people with my art. Read more>>
SalsaQueen Zapata
I grew up as a poor immigrant and when I started the business, I did so out of our house in Magna. I’ve realized that what we have and what we’ve obtained is temporary and doesn’t define who we are. We all have potential and sometimes, all we need is a word of encouragement or a helping hand. That’s what I needed so I try to give back and help others the same way that I was helped. Read more>>
Salina Nèou
This is kind of a loaded answer but it’s honestly my family’s history of surviving the Khmer Rouge – Cambodian genocide that resulted in over a quarter of the population to be executed starting in 1975. I feel like all children of genocide/immigrants can relate. I grew up with horrid stories of war crimes and struggle that my family always taught me as early as I can remember to appreciate the little things in life because someone out there would beg to be in my shoes. Read more>>
Caryn Benevento
My generosity doesn’t come from me but rather through me. As Caryn, the person, I am limited in what I can be generous with. I think part of living a simplified life is not having an excessive amount of extra. I strive for efficiency and flow in my life so I use my resources to create a ‘hug’ around me and the ones in my inner circle whom I have vowed to guardian and care for, including (in my most recent years) myself. Read more>>
Carla Krings
I’ve got to say that growing up I had very little, my mom was a single mother, she would try her best to give me whatever I wanted or needed, and I remember the happiness I felt from receiving a simple gift for my birthday or Christmas. So I love making people happy! Most of my close friends would say I’m generous. Which I hope I can continue giving as I’m blessed with success. Read more>>
Kevin Singleton
Giving back is something we take great pride in. I’ve always had a great love for the outdoors and wildlife for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was a young child I always spent as much time outside as possible. I always loved hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, even catching snakes, frogs, and turtles. Read more>>
Daniel Hutchinson
I believe we can all be generous if nurtured to believe its a natural part of life. Almost like the ebb and flow of the Tao, giving and receiving. Growing up being aware that my father gave his time to help underprivileged children fostered a sense of service. I learned it wasn’t necessarily money that displayed generosity but time, attention and care. Read more>>
Juliet Mena
At my core is my faith in God and that’s my foundation. Helping, giving, paying it forward all those aspects of me have been molded by so may factors in life. As a first generation immigrant I saw my parents work hard and struggle but even in that struggle there was always time to help someone out. Read more>>
Claudie Marne
My roots in generosity stem from the influence of my mom and grandma, who ingrained in me the importance of food in every celebration and daily life. In Guadeloupe, food is seen as a blessing and a way to express love and generosity. This belief has fueled my passion for cooking and baking as a means of showing affection. Read more>>
Gerkys Triana
My generosity is deeply rooted in the example set by my dad. Witnessing his joy in bringing happiness to other has inspired me to carry forward that spirit of giving. Read more>>
Shailyn Ramsey
Generosity comes in many forms. I would describe my generosity as the willingness and readiness to be of assistance to not just the people close to me but those who need help. This could include giving someone your time, love on them, help them with finances, give advice, and the list can go on. This desire stems from how I was raised and my family’s dynamic. Read more>>
Phillip C. Alexander
My generosity comes from my upbringing. Since a child I’ve known somewhere deep in my heart that my true purpose in life was people. I never knew the capacity or medium in which I could affect the lives of those around me but my grandmother always reminded me that God created me to be powerful. Read more>>
