Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of most of the wildly successful folks in our community have exhibit an extreme degree of resilience and we’ve come to believe that if our goal is to help our community achieve great outcomes we have to help build resources and knowledge around how one can become more resilient.

Shaina Trumpf

I want to talk about where I get my resilience from—my mom. But to tell that story, I’d like to go back to the beginning, even before I was born.

My parents were two loving people. My father, who already had two little girls from a previous marriage, was eager to start a new life with my mom, who had actually worked for him years earlier. My mom always credits my dad for shaping her into the strong businesswoman she became later in life. She still tells that story, even now—35 years into their marriage. Read More>>

 Adrian Francois

Resilience often comes from a combination of internal mindset and life experiences. For me , it’s built not bought

Adversity – Facing challenges head-on taught me how to recover and adapt.

Purpose Having a clear “why” (my mom my legacy my son Francois Francois he fuels persistence. Read More>>

Mark Morton

I get my resilience from a few places.

First, from my parents, who had a small farm in Saskatchewan (the middle of the Canadian prairies). It was a small farm and they didn’t make much money at it. Luckily, we were able to supplement our grocery budget with the vegetables that my mom grew in a large garden, and with the chickens and pigs that we raised, and with the geese and deer that my father hunted. There were many tough times, economically speaking, but my parents didn’t give up — I guess they couldn’t give up, as there wasn’t any other choice! But seeing their hard and ongoing work in the face of farming challenges was a good lesson. Read More>>

Alessia Di Cecco

When I think about resilience, I don’t have to look far — it’s in my DNA. My resilience comes from my parents. Both Italian immigrants who came to this country when they were young, they had to start from scratch. No safety net, no clear path — just grit, determination, and a belief that life could be better if they were willing to fight for it.

They faced discrimination, doubt, and countless voices telling them they couldn’t succeed. But they never listened. They worked hard, built lives and careers they were proud of, and set an example for me that has shaped who I am. Watching them succeed against the odds taught me that “no” isn’t the end of a story — it’s just the beginning of a new chapter. Read More>>

Shannon Bulrice

I think my resilience was born from a mix of chaos, necessity, and love. I grew up in an unstable environment with adults who struggled deeply—my mother has schizophrenia, and I was raised primarily by my grandmother. I became a mom myself at sixteen, which pushed me to grow up quickly, but also gave me a drive to create something better. Raising my daughter became a kind of healing for me—a chance to build the safety and love I didn’t grow up with. That experience taught me to keep going, to find strength in softness, and to trust that growth doesn’t always look like progress. Over time, resilience stopped feeling like armor and started feeling more like roots—deep, grounded, and still growing. Read More>>

Esther Andries

Resilience, for me, was created in the process of losing everything… twice.

I’m originally from Belgium, and by my mid-twenties, I had already built and sold a wellness cafe, launched a supplement brand, and published a cookbook. When I moved to LA, it felt like the dream was unfolding, until it wasn’t. Within a year, I lost my business, my marriage, and the sense of stability I had worked so hard to create. I found myself starting over from scratch, in a new country, with no income and no clear roadmap. Read More>> 

Masha Gliebova

I believe my resilience comes from growing up in a culture where art was both a luxury and a lifeline. I learned early on that creativity is not something fragile — it’s something that can carry you through chaos, disconnection, and change.

That belief was tested when I moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2022. I had to leave behind a thriving photography practice, a loyal client base, and the comfort of professional recognition. Starting over in a new country — with a different language, different expectations, and no network — was not easy. But it also reminded me why I became a photographer in the first place: to preserve stories, to hold on to what matters. Read More>>

Susan Pilato

Resilience is developed over time and experience; however, it takes confidence and surrounding oneself with people who will stand with you in difficult times. I learned early on about resilience when at 13 years old my mother passed away from breast cancer. Both my sister and brother had their own families and had moved on with their lives. My father and I were left to carry on together. We learned together how to cook, do laundry without shrinking all of our clothes and to fill the house with love without Mom.  Read More>>

 John Daues

I am resilient because I have been a depressed MF for some time! You ever have that feeling that things aren’t making sense, your job/school/path isn’t going anywhere, and you’re letting life pass you by? Well, I’ve felt that way my whole life! It wasn’t until a few years ago, that I jumped into the deep end with music prod, and discovered another side to life. Before that, I was used to having bad days, never having fun, and feeling unfulfilled. Read More>> 

Brandon Slade

I got my resilience largely from my personal journey of navigating and overcoming significant learning challenges. Throughout high school, I struggled with academics, and it wasn’t until college that I recognized my brain worked differently from my peers. Receiving my ADHD diagnosis became a pivotal moment; instead of seeing it as a limitation, I was driven to better understand how the ADHD brain works. Read More>>

 Joanne Tang

I get my resilience from having a good support network. Building strong, healthy relationships with loved ones and friends give me needed support and help guide me in good and bad times. Read More>>

David Smith

My resilience started at a young age. I always strived to be the best. I always considered myself a hard worker and dedicated to achieving goals. If I found myself not good at something, I would work incredibly hard to make myself better. When coming into mushrooms it was no different. We had a lot of trial and error starting this business. Many failed attempts. But we stayed resilient through the ups and downs and here we are with a store front, online store, and a successful grow op. Read More>>

Shaun Savage

I think that my resilience is shaped by a combination of personal attributes, my experiences in life and having clear values.

On the personal side, I try to maintain a growth oriented mindset. I try to learn and improve continuously. While many people see the negative side of the inevitable challenges that occur while growing a business, I see the challenges as opportunities. I’ve always had enough confidence in my own abilities and always believed I would find a way to be successful. I’m naturally optimistic and I find most roadblocks or setbacks are temporary and can be overcome. This gives me the discipline to persevere through tough times. Read More>>

Gina Stojanovski

I came from immigrant parents who didn’t speak English. As a child, I had to quickly learn English to help my parents navigate life in a new country. We had nothing, so anything beyond that was always considered a bonus. Watching my parents each work two jobs taught me early on that perseverance was essential. In many ways, my siblings and I raised ourselves, developing independence and a strong sense of determination from a young age. Read More>>

Nick Laureano

My resilience stemmed from a long line of pain and disappointment in my childhood. I chose the path of kindness and spreading love.

It led me on a path to not become like those who hurt me and be different from the rest. Finding new ways to level up and improve my well being. Challenging my own thinking and setting no bar for myself as I believe there should never be a ceiling. You can go as high as you so choose. Read More>>

Jeanette Harrison

I’ve experienced a lot of challenges in life. I was in foster homes as a child, and I believe that helped me learn resilience. Foster care taught me to adapt to situations quickly, which is part of resilience. I had to learn new rules in a new home very quickly and understand the people where you are living. That also gives you insights into human nature. When you have good foster parents like I did, I also learned hope and faith. I saw a life that maybe I wasn’t living as a child with my bio-mom. That taught me to have vision. Read More>>

Donna Marie Todd

The rapidly expanding universes of quantum physics, neuroscience, and meditation practices have given me resiliency to overcome major life challenges. The expression, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear,” has proven true in my life and in the lives of many I engage with.

Those who know me well call me a phoenix and, while not actually laughing at the circumstances I’ve faced, have wondered aloud how the one presenting itself at the time will alter me for the good. One friend has witnessed so many of these resurrections that when she hears of another major challenge born of defeat says,, “I wonder what colors your new feathers will be!” Read More>>

 Luke Gardiner

It’s not to say I was abandoned, because that’s certainly not the case. But I was left alone a lot growing up, and forward into later years dealing with substance abuse in isolation; I had to find ways to overcome and stay positive.
It seemed when I would need someone most, all I would have was myself. So I had to make that be more than enough. Read More>>

Marie-Noelle Marquis

I moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19 feeling absolutely invincible despite not knowing the language or having much experience navigating a big city or life as a matter of fact. I was in for quite an awakening but it quickly taught me that I had to learn to have my own back. I couldn’t trust anyone, I sadly couldn’t rely on anyone either. This was a city where everyone was trying to get ahead at any cost. I had a very healthy upbringing and self-esteem was something my mother instilled in me so I think that definitely helped guide me through the sharks.  Read More>>

 SB Tennent

Rejection is a great teacher. For every yes I’ve received, there have been a thousand nos—and I’m talking dating, work, college, grant applications, you name it. My line of work requires constant applying: for proposals, grants, programs. For me, applying has become a practice, a discipline. With every form I submit comes a chance to clarify my message, my purpose, my direction. It’s an opportunity to apply, in every sense of the word. Read More>>

June Sekiguchi

My current exhibition at ArtX Contemporary in Seattle, The Geometry of Resilience, emerges from a concept that has been evolving for some time. In the wake of the global pandemic and amid ongoing political crises, we find ourselves more vulnerable than ever. How do we navigate the precarious conditions imposed by our government? These challenges ignited a deep urge to explore resilience through my work. Read More>>

Krystal Rose

I believe we are all born with a sense of resilience and our life experiences continue to foster it. My traumatic experiences that cultivated a need for resilience started at the age of 4 and I wouldn’t fully process the impact from those events until much later in life. Those early experiences left me fearful and unable to trust others or myself. I spent a lot of time in a state of emotional flight, running from discomfort and pain or freezing up and sabotaging any success. Read More>>

Christina V. Aigner

Where do I get my resilience from? It’s not just one moment—it’s a collection of choices I made when it would’ve been easier to give up or shrink.
I came to the U.S. all by myself. No family. No friends and totally supported by my Dad. Just a suitcase and a decision.
Eventually I took at placement test at UCLA for a postgraduate program in Marketing, not knowing how anything worked—but determined to make something happen. That was my first real test of resilience: choosing to move forward in the unknown. Read More>>

Mark Jones

I get my work ethic and resilience from my grandmother and my mom.

Growing up, with my grandmother and my mom, I had great examples. My grandmother worked as a supervisor at a state school in Louisiana for special needs children. Seeing this and the love and care he put in with the students taught me to love and accept everyone. My mom was a superwoman, as a mom of 3 boys, my mother worked tirelessly to provide as an ER admissions representative. This often meant working many times over your standard 40 hours. My mom even continued to do this after being diagnosed with MS and her illness progressing.  Read More>>

 Haerri Kim

As a visual artist, I find my resilience in recreating my story through imagery. My art often addresses themes of trauma and ambivalent emotions. By exploring these topics visually, I aim to invite others to share their own experiences of struggle. I work with various mediums, including printmaking, painting, and animation, allowing for a broad range of expression. Regardless of the medium I choose, I focus on creating allegories. Read More>>

Sanaa Salem

I believe my resilience comes from a deep sense of responsibility and love for my community. Growing up in a place affected by war and displacement, I witnessed suffering from a young age, but I also witnessed strength. My parents, neighbors, and teachers all found ways to keep going, to smile, to help each other even when they had so little. I carry that spirit with me. Whenever I face a challenge, I remember the children who depend on me and the dream of building something better for them. That vision gives me strength, even in the darkest moments. Read More>>

Dashay Jocelyn

One time back in 2018, I had to fly back to the east coast. I took a flight from LA to Philly, then a bus to New York because it was the cheapest fastest option for next day. One of my best friends at the time lived there, so when I took that route I would have lunch with him or spend a night sometimes. We sat for a quick meal before my bus and he asked why this trip was more abrupt than usual. I let him know my mom was diagnosed with cancer and I’ll never forget his response. Read More>>

Lara Brekken

My resilience comes from many experiencing many challenges throughout my life, including my parent’s divorce when I was fifteen, two divorces of my own, and two broken engagements. Through it all, I have sought to understand the “why” of every experience. I’ve considered myself and others involved through a spiritual lens. There is always an opportunity to learn and grow, and what I’ve been growing towards is alignment with the highest part of me-my soul. Read More>>

Chenda Lor

I get my resilience from my mom. My family immigrated from Cambodia on January 10th, 1980, when I was 5 years old. She was 37 years old, mother to 6 girls and one boy, she had just become a grandmother, lost her husband to an injury induced stroke and had to leave him in a shallow grave in Thailand near the refugee camp we walked many miles to after escaping the Khmer Rouge and those horrible 5 years in concentration camps.  Read More>>

Shanita Perdomo

I try to live each day with the hope that tomorrow will be better. I’ve been through some really bleak moments—growing up with drug-addicted parents, especially a mother who was rarely around to care for her children. That responsibility fell on me. There were days when I wasn’t sure if I wanted to live, or if I even could. But instead of ending my life or wishing it away, I chose to live. I won’t dive into the darkest moments, because what matters more is this:  Read More>>

Sasha Paul

My resilience is deeply rooted in my upbringing. I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe, where I witnessed my country go through economic challenges that most people can’t fully imagine. Even in uncertain times, I saw my parents move with grit and grace. My dad, a senior tobacco buyer, spent over 30 years steadily building his career, while my mum was the definition of a serial entrepreneur—running multiple businesses while creating a warm, grounded home. Read More>>

Teri Delane

Resilience, for me, is not just about surviving hardship—it’s about my pain into purpose. I grew up in a home filled with chaos and violence, and that kind of upbringing can either break a person or force them to develop an incredibly strong will to survive. For a long time, I didn’t know how to cope, and I turned to heroin at 14, a path that nearly ended my life multiple times.

But at 20, someone believed in me enough to give me a second chance, and that changed everything. I learned that resilience isn’t just about enduring suffering—it’s about what you do with it. I took the love and structure that saved me and made it my mission to give that same radical love to others, especially young people who, like me, never felt safe in their own homes. Read More>>

Soomin Kim

The idea of introducing delicious food and the culture behind it are never tiring! However, the tour participants’ genuine curiosity and the interest in my culture really keep me energized. Food brings people together and I feel grateful to be around other fellow food lovers all the time. Read More>>

Ursula Brantley

I feel my resilience comes from years of trauma and other life experiences paired with the only option I had which was to keep going. It hasn’t been an easy road to travel. In all honesty, I will forever travel this path. Some days will always be better than others, but the journey of resilience will always be mine. I’ve gone through and lost a great deal, but the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in life is the death of my son at the hands of his father while trying to be a present and functional mother for my daughter who is 14 months older than he is. My son was killed at 3 months old in 2008. We just celebrated his 17th birthday on March 3rd. Read More>>

 Lenka Ulrichova

I think my resilience has been shaped by necessity as much as by choice. Life handed me some very hard moments — including a breast cancer diagnosis that changed everything. That experience forced me to confront fear, uncertainty, and loss on a level I never imagined. And strangely, in the aftermath, I found an inner strength I didn’t know I had.

But resilience, for me, isn’t about “pushing through” or pretending everything is fine. It’s about allowing myself to feel — to grieve, to fall apart if needed — and still come back to myself. I find strength in softness. In beauty. In creativity. Photography has always been my sanctuary. When I’m behind the camera, I feel powerful, present, and connected to something greater. Read More>>