We’ve been working on our publication and platform for almost a decade because we deeply believe that the world will be a far more empathetic and collaborative place if we all had the ability to know each other’s stories. The past decade has brought unimaginable challenges along the way, but we persevere because we believe this is mission worth never giving up on. We often are inspired by the folks we’ve featured and their commitment to their respective missions and so we asked some of them to talk to us about this very topic and have share some responses below.
Heather Zassoda-Neals
I am fully committed to building my business with longevity and legacy in mind — not just for myself, but for my sons. My vision is to create generational wealth and a barbershop that serves as a true safe space: a place rooted in confidence, culture, discipline, and opportunity. Read more>>
Nancy Dome
The belief I am committed to no matter what it takes is that we can live in a better world. I have to believe we can live in a world where we all get along. I have to believe that every kid can succeed. I have to believe that everyone is worthy of our love, our time. Read more>>
Prodbysimba
Nothing stops Greatness’ If you have the means & the balls to create something keep doing it the higher you go the harder it will be so at least pull that fucking rope so what’s everywhere back there fill the rush coming. Read more>>
Daylan West
I am committed to the belief that self development is one of the most powerful tools a person can have. It changes how you see yourself, how you show up for the people you love, and how you impact the world around you. Read more>>
Michael Dergar
A cultural value I protect at all costs is dignity and with it, inclusion and diversity. To me, they are inseparable. Growing up, my family taught me that every person deserves to be seen, respected, and treated with kindness, no matter their abilities, background, or circumstances. Read more>>
Florie Gounelle
I deeply believe that using your voice doesn’t have to look or sound “perfect.” We often see singing or speaking as a performance, but the voice can also just be for ourselves. The vibrations of the voice in the body can do so much good, emotionally, physically, even mentally. So if someone sings or speaks “badly,” what does it really matter? Read more>>
Alyssa Kaye Parker
Helping people see their lives as beautiful. Not because they are perfect or have the best outfit or perfect smiles, but because they look at their photos and see how much love there is in their life. Read more>>
Sonya Jacobs
I am committed to my mission for life. I believe that emotionally healthy people can create healthy marriages that will create flourishing families which help develop thriving communities. I will pour into those different categories in whatever ways that I can for the rest of my life. Read more>>
Jane Edberg
I want those in grief to know they can heal from traumatic loss. They don’t have to carry it. They don’t have to make it a part of themselves. Of course all of that is based in choice, what a griever wants to feel, and how they process grief is personal and individual. Read more>>
Oz Billig
Never succumb to using AI for anything. Art is a creative processes. By losing that process and jumping straight to a result rendered by a heartless machine, you lose a key part of humanity. Read more>>
Chamisa Kellogg
I know I will make work for young people my whole life. Reading and books are so important for early childhood development, strengthening connection between the reader and the listener, and introducing new concepts and ideas in a safe and fun way. Read more>>
Krystle G Grandy
A project/belief I’m committed to is improving Pittsburgh’s chapter of Women in film and media and advocating for better treatment and representation of women in our industry as well as equality for all within the video space. I really believe in this organization and in 2026 am hoping to be serving as the Board’s President. Read more>>
Michelle Fite
My current project is a labor of love and the manifestation of my belief that we can create amazing fashion that does not come at the expense of people or the planet. Beauty should not create suffering, it is not necessary to extract or pollute these days. Read more>>
Natalie Pace
Sustainability. The Power of 8 Billion: It’s Up to Us. Community building. Living in harmony with our home planet. How each of us can save thousands of dollars annually with more-informed choices. Eliminating plastic. There’s #NoExcuseForSingleUse. Regenerative agriculture for nutrient-dense food, healthy soil and CO2 drawdown. I also have a goal of reducing my personal CO2 footprint by 1/3 each year. Read more>>
Carolyn McDonald
I naively sat down in my mid-20s and made what I thought was this noble mission statement, to “tell stories that help people set their hearts free. Free from fear. Free from doubt. Read more>>
Claire Coenen
I believe that every human carries a divine spark, a true essence. We all have the capacity to tend to that divine spark in ways that ignite more meaning and joy in life. I am committed to discovering and living out my own inner essence. I am also passionate about encouraging the people I work with to seek and stoke their own divine sparks. Read more>>
Frances McGarry
My book, loosely based on my doctoral dissertation, documents how Young Playwrights Inc. — founded by Stephen Sondheim — changed the world by giving young dramatists from all backgrounds an unprecedented platform to develop and produce their own work. Through interviews, archival materials, and first-person narratives, I’ve captured the artistic and social impact of an organization that transformed generations of playwrights, educators, and communities. Read more>>
Judy Malka
It is the project that I’m in right now the journey of my life as an artist, I carried it from the day I was dropped on this planet, And it’s with me till the end it is my calling and that is what I wanna be a remembered for. Read more>>
Madi Margao
My core belief — the one that fuels everything I do — is that no one is above redemption. For a long time, I was written off. A “lost cause.” A woman people assumed would never change. But God had other plans. My redemption arc is proof that healing is always possible when willingness meets grace. Read more>>
Kate Wexell
I genuinely believe that humanity will not be devastated by climate change. I will work as hard as possible to prevent suffering from climate change in the future. Sometimes, it feels like people are polarized when it comes to climate issues. People either believe that nothing is happening or they believe that we are doomed. Read more>>
Amy Thurman
The project I am committed to, no matter how long it takes or how many times I have to evolve to meet it, is bringing the message of Authentic Intelligence (AQ) into the world in a way that reaches people at the level where they have been silently hurting. Read more>>
Yiwen Qian
A belief I’m committed to, no matter how long it takes, comes from a sentence a famous and well-respected actress once imparted to me: ‘鹰飞得再高，它的影子永远在大地上,’ which means, ‘No matter how high the eagle flies, its shadow always stays on the ground.’ That phrase has accompanied me for years. Read more>>
Nicole DeMaio
One belief I am committed to, no matter how long it takes, is creating real pathways into this industry for musicians from marginalized backgrounds. I know firsthand how difficult it is not only to break in, but to build a sustainable career as a performer. Read more>>
Brianna Coleman
A project I’m deeply committed to is building a space for Christian voices to amplify Biblical truth. Five Thirteen Media is so much bigger than myself. I know it won’t happen overnight but I’m in it for the long haul. My hope, no matter how long it takes, is that others get the opportunities to shine their light and steward their gift well. Read more>>
Liza Kaplan Montanino
The value of teaching independent sleep via sleep training. Sleep training is often misunderstood and misspoken of as traumatizing, neglectful, leaving your baby to cry, unnatural, etc. Read more>>
Juliana Naufel
My biggest mission, not only in my work but at a personal level is spreading messages of hope, of joy and affection, because life can be too harsh and oftentimes we feel powerless and hopeless. From a very young age I struggled with my mental health. Read more>>
