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.

Regina Hutt

My resilience comes from a life shaped by challenges.
From a young age, I had to navigate obstacles that many don’t face until much later in life. Each setback became fuel—a driving force pushing me to rise above, to grow stronger, and to strive for something greater within myself. I refused to let circumstances define me. Watching others around me struggle without the same inner strength only deepened my determination to keep evolving, keep learning, and never give up. Read More>>

Rachele Holt

By being raised by my mother; the most resilient person I have ever met. I remember at a young age she was putting herself through accounting school, raising me byherself and working two jobs. In the very early mornings I would come along with her to help on her paper route, and then in the evenings I rode along in the backseat to help along with her pizza delivery job. (unfortunately for the patrons, I would sneak a couple of their toppings here and there) Read More>> 

Andrea Velazquez

My resilience stems from the decades long crusade to change the perception of aquatic fitness in the US. It is a constant battle to change stereotypical misconceptions surrounding “water aerobics”. We all envision old ladies with flowered swim caps when exercise in the pool is brought up in conversation. I have been on a mission to reach different demographics with awareness, education and experience. One person at a time. Read More>>

Nicole Rolon-Caro

Resilience didn’t come to me by chance—it was modeled, lived, and eventually, demanded. My father was a powerhouse of a man—strategic, sharp, and quietly unstoppable. He treated life like a chessboard, always thinking ahead, always showing up. He didn’t lead with noise; he led with wisdom and unwavering purpose. And no matter how heavy someone else’s burden was, he was the first to help them carry it. That’s the legacy I carry. Read More>> 

Dr. Sharmaine Longsworth

I often trace my resilience back to my roots—growing up in the Philippines, a third-world country where simply getting through each day required grit, resourcefulness, and a deep sense of purpose.

There, education wasn’t a given—it was a privilege. I had to work hard not only to attend school, but to afford tuition and put food on the table. Every step forward demanded sacrifice, determination, and faith that things would get better. Looking back, I realize how those struggles shaped me into who I am today: someone who doesn’t back down when things get hard, but instead leans in. Read More>>

Katherine Melchior Ray

I am the American-born daughter of a German Jewish refugee who fled Hitler at age 15.
Only years later did I realize how deeply I had internalized a fear of rejection—how survival shaped the way I approached hardship, identity, and success.

When I lost my job running women’s footwear at Nike headquarters—a dream role that blended my background as a college varsity volleyball player and former model—it felt like my entire world was crumbling. I wasn’t just losing a title; I was losing a piece of myself. Read More>>

Latishia D. Bowden

My resilience comes from God first, and from being a mother. I was raised by a strong single mom in South Memphis who made sacrifices I didn’t understand until I became a parent myself. Life didn’t give us much, but it gave us grit. Now, as a mother of two amazing kids, I keep pushing forward—even on the hard days—because I know they’re watching. Resilience, to me, is love in motion. It’s choosing faith over fear and trusting that every test will produce something greater on the other side. Read More>>

Melissa & Melissa

I think we both get our resilience from our difficult journeys in life. We both started life younger than most, being teenage mothers on our own and having to do any and everything in our power to support our children and raise them in a better environment than what we were. Although we did not meet until later in life, our stories are incredibly similar and it is one of the main things that created our strong bond. Read More>>

Frances Smith

I was the only girl with three brothers. I fell third in the line up. It’s very easy to not be heard in my family. I remember sitting at dinner and trying to out shout my siblings just to be heard. I went as far as practicing yelling outside. Once I matched the level of intensity at the table I finally felt heard. My father was a typical man’s man. I refused to let the sex I was born into define who I was. If my brothers could do it, so can I.  Read More>>

Elsa Nilsson

I get my resilience from overcoming challenges. Every tough moment I’ve survived reminds me that i can get through anything. Everything always works out. Read More>>

Kia Leep

This might sound cliche, but I thrive on adversity. For as long as I can remember, anytime I’ve been told I can’t do something, it’s driven me to want to achieve it even more. This is both my weakness and my superpower! My driving desire to defy has certainly gotten me into trouble in the past, (see: the time I dyed my mouth blue for a week when I ate some garnish on a date after the date teased me about avoiding the garnish) but it’s also consistently pushed me outside my comfort zone and facilitated growth in more ways than I could count. Read More>>

Anjanee Davis

I get my resilience from being a little girl with nothing but a spoon and a jar of peanut butter.
No food in the house. Just hunger, quiet, and the sound of my own breath as I climbed kitchen cabinets, too young to reach but too determined to stay stuck.

I didn’t have much but I had will.
And even then, I knew how to climb. Read More>>

Francis Gonzalez

I think from a few places, first; growing up in Puerto Rican is an act of resilience on it’s own. hurricanes, terrible infrastructure, corrupt government and years of economic manipulation from our colonial overlords (the US) left the Puerto Rican people with no option then to become self reliant, resourceful, patient and persistent. We have a fraise for it, “La Brega”, that broadly translates to “the struggle”. With that backdrop my Mother is the second reason; she taught me that “success never lies in being the best but rather in doing your best”. Read More>>

Nick Warner

A few summers ago, I did door-to-door sales—and let me tell you, it’s no easy gig. One day, I hit a breaking point. I was completely discouraged and ready to quit. I started going door to door, barely trying, just muttering, “Do you want pest control?” It was the clearest sign that I had mentally checked out. Read More>>

David Moyle

I think I get my resilience from the people I love and who love me. Spending time with them gives me the distraction I need when things are difficult and the time we spend together recharges me. Over the years, my children, my sister, her family and lately my now adult son and my fiancé really give me the energy to continue when things are difficult. The things we do together are the source of my joy. Read More>>

Pujarini Ghosh

I have had my share of ups and downs while moving through a very squiggly career. I took risks, changed cities, switched fields and every jump meant starting over. Going from fashion editorial and styling to creative technologist was like learning a new language with lots of late nights, plenty of mistakes and many “try again” moments. I taught myself skills that scared me and often found myself as the only woman in a room full of tech pros, determined to hold my ground.  Read More>>

Jaqui Almaguer

I feel that I get my resilience from my family and their struggles. I’m a daughter of immigrants, specifically from Mexico. Hearing the stories from both sides of my family and the things they experienced as children such as poverty, limited resources and other struggles allow me to persevere. Especially when I hear stories about my maternal great great grandmother who was a survivor of sexual abuse, domestic abuse, widowed several times, survived the plague, survived a revolution, was a dula and medicine woman and indigenous. Read More>>

Trebreh Baaheth

I honestly get my resilience from my trust in God and my dad. He never gave up no matter how hard or challenging things got. Trusting in God has been the sole reason I am where I am and who I am today. Read More>>

Antoine Godet

I come from a family where I was always taught that nothing comes for free — if you want something, you have to work for it. I started working young, doing seasonal jobs so I could afford the things I wanted. It wasn’t much, but it taught me the value of effort. After high school, I did a series of small jobs — cleaning, factory work, sales… They weren’t passion jobs, and I never really felt like I belonged there, but they taught me discipline, endurance, and above all, a kind of pride: the pride of not giving up, even when it’s hard. Read More>>

Lynn Fraser

I get my resilience from persistent interest and action to build a strong mind and nervous system. I understand now how trauma works, both from childhood and the everyday trauma we all experience.

I had a stable upbringing but it was emotionally cold. When things started to go wrong for me as a teen, I felt I had nowhere to turn for help. Read More>>

Dr. Anntoinettemarie Williams

Where do I get my resilience?
I came into this world fighting—literally. Born breached, I was already defying odds before I took my first breath. That spirit, that fire, has never left me. My resilience is not something I learned—it’s something I’ve always carried. It is sacred. Forged in adversity, refined by purpose. Read More>>

Halie Schoff Cieslica

Growing up as an athlete taught me early on that growth often comes from discomfort and not always getting your way. I’ve also experienced deep personal loss, including losing my mom in my mid-20s shortly after getting married. Watching her face cancer with so much strength and determination deeply shaped me. Read More>>

Matthew Omojemite

My resilience was developed out of the passion to improve and stand out in my space (education) via a rare scope of research which I chose after a painstaking observation of past researchers and their work in the space. Read More>>

Maggie McClure

I would consider myself a very resilient person. Especially in the business I am, although thats not where it originated from. It started with my parents. Before I ever knew it they sacrificed everything to give me a better life and you can see it in our relationship as a family. I feel really lucky in that way. Although, when I got older my relationships with my peers got more complicated (as it usually does when going through puberty). Read More>>

Marisa Skolky

My resilience isn’t something I was simply born with—it’s something I forged through the fire of my own life. I spent 16 years living with Bulimia, navigating chronic anxiety, depression, complex PTSD, chronic illness, and patterns of self-abandonment rooted in intergenerational trauma. I’ve walked through darkness many times, and each time, I found a way to rise again, a little stronger than before Read More>>

Jose Vega

My resilience comes from my inability to fail. As bold of a statement as that may sound, as an entrepreneur , father, man of faith & so much more – “of course we face L’s (lessons) challenges meant to teach us & strengthen those who know how to decipher the message & lesson. Through those challenges I’ve earned humility & resilience as well as courage to face what ever comes my way. Knowing that my success is just on the other side of it.  Read More>>

Tina Rose Rea Meister

My artistic practice centers the queer home; I have found this to be the most powerful way of finding strength in a world that feels ever-more rejecting of my identity and the love I have found.

Growing up, I was not exposed to a lot of representation of women-loving-women. I had grown up with a romantic spirit, absorbing media that centered relationships that looked more and more distant from my queer reality.  Read More>>

Beatrice & Christina Long

Where do you get your resilience from?
We get it from our parents.
We grew up in a rural seaside town in Taiwan during the 1960s. Surrounded by high mountains and the ocean, it was hard to access the big cities—and with that, good musical training was nearly impossible to come by. But our parents loved classical music deeply. Read More>>

Adeyemi Adewole

I believe my resilience comes from my faith in Jesus Christ, which provides me with spiritual strength, hope, and guidance in navigating challenges and staying committed to my artistic vision.

It also stems from growing up in Nigeria and witnessing the resilience and adaptability of the Nigerian people during my formative years. My Yoruba heritage and cultural traditions have instilled in me a deep sense of determination and perseverance. Read More>>

Soozee Van Dyke Woods

My siblings and I grew up in a military family, moving on average every 2 years, with 2 locations lasting just 6 months. We learned to rely on each other and become independent. At a young age we developed the capacity to be flexible, adaptable, and to reinvent ourselves as needed. Read More>>

Chelsea Rosauer

Well, the short answer would be my childhood. Through my elementary school years, I attended 6 different schools and lived in 4 different states. No, I’m not a military brat. My dad just had tough luck with jobs, and we tended to make big moves with every layoff. Being the oldest of 3, and with my parents struggling to balance the chaos of raising a family through financial uncertainty, I was parentalized young and expected to pick up the slack.  Read More>> 

Mohammad Tanveer

Here are some of the reason that keep me or get me resilience for this industry

1Passion for the Craft

I get my resilience from love food and feeding people. When the days are long, the weather’s rough, or the sales are slow, that passion for creating something meaningful keeps you going.

2. Connection to the Community

A food truck isn’t just a business — it’s a social hub. Seeing regulars, getting real-time feedback, and feeling like part of the neighborhood creates a sense of purpose and belonging that makes the tough days worth it. Read More>>

Jasmin Barnwell

Honestly speaking, it’s hard for me to say where exactly I got my resilience from when I wasn’t supposed to be here. My mom had a very traumatic pregnancy with me. She had to have me by emergency c-section or else she and I were going to die. I was supposed to be born at the end of August but ended up being born early in the month. It’s kind of funny, but I think my birth was the only time where I arrived early to something. Read More>>

Erin Norman

I think my resilience comes from two places: my purpose and my lived experience. As a filmmaker, I spent years knocking on doors that never opened, or that only opened a crack. That feeling of being overlooked or undervalued can break you down or it can light a fire under you. For me, it lit a fire.

What keeps me going is knowing that I’m not alone in that struggle. There are countless talented people with stories worth telling who just need someone to believe in them and give them a fair shot.  Read More>>

Sophia Kwan

I get my resilience from constraints – both in life and in design.

Growing up first-generation Asian American, I didn’t have creative role models or a family background in art or design. What I did inherit was a box – of constraints and expectations to play it safe – so I spent years of my energy building my life inside that box. But the more I tried to force myself into that mold, the more I felt like I was disappearing. It wasn’t ambition, it was autopilot – and I wanted out. Read More>>