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.
Rae Dahn
I think my resilience was forged in the spaces where science and surrender met. For years, I studied hormones, reproduction, and the beautiful ways the body adapts under stress. I earned my PhD in Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology and thought I understood resilience from a cellular level, the biochemical loops that keep us going when life gets hard. Read More>>
Estefanía Mena
I get my resilience from my three-year-old self; the little dreamer who believed that art could heal and that love could move mountains. I owe this reality to her, to the courage she had before the world tried to define what was possible. Read More>>
Dusty Dawn
I was taught to get back up. As a country kid with siblings, we ran hard, fell down a lot, and ate a lot of dirt. Not usually purposefully. As soon as you could do something productive, you were put to work. Shucking corn, moving pipe, or loading hay. We had a lot of family tragedy and trauma early on. Read More>>
Kristal Calzada Borrero
Growing up I learned unconsciously to overcome challenges from a young age. My mom, who has been a single mother my whole life, started and finished college when I was a child and started her career in nursing. Read More>>
D. Marcel
I’d like to think it was passed down. Years watching my Mom work multiple jobs, go back to school, and start her own business all while raising my brothers and I made me want to be something in life. Like many young boys I just wanted to alleviate some of her stress. I watched her grow and in many ways grew with her. Read More>>
Carlotta Schiavio
My resilience comes from an inner drive that simply won’t back off. Creating art isn’t just something I do — it’s who I am. Life’s too short to spend doing anything that doesn’t light you up inside. So even when doors close or people say no, I keep moving forward. Read More>>
Bobby Barnwell
Everyone has a story and faces their own challenges in life. Growing up in a toxic environment, for lack of better words, gave me pretty thick skin. I learned early on that my attitude and efforts in life were the only way to break that cycle. I sometimes perform my best under pressure because of it. Read More>>
Karissa Paxton
I feel like I get a lot of my resilience from some of the amazing Karissa supporters in my life. Even at a young age, I watched my Mom work hard without complaint, she can create beauty out of chaos, and turn obstacles into opportunity. Read More>>
Lex Chante’
Honestly, my resilience comes from life just doing what life does. I’ve been through enough moments where giving up would’ve been easier, but something in me never let that be an option. I think a lot of that comes from my faith; just knowing God’s timing is real, even when I don’t understand it. Read More>>
DEMETRIO
I was raised by immigrant parents who came to the U.S. with just one suitcase between them and my brother. Seeing how hard they worked for things that others seemed to get so easily gave me an entirely different understanding of resilience. My family’s always been stubborn in the best way. When we set our minds to something, it gets done. Read More>>
C.HeavenNezCree Kirby
Years ago, during a trip home, an older relative said to me, ‘If nothing else, you are persistent.’ Up until that moment I genuinely had never given thought to that. I was simply following my inner compass and allowing the seed inside of me which held my dreams, goals and plans to grow. Read More>>
Amy Delgado-Tola
I get my resilience from the women and educators who came before me: my father, who taught for years in Upper Manhattan’s Washington Heights and believed in the power of learning, and my abuelita, who always reminded me, “Amy, puede.” Their words shaped how I face every challenge with faith, humility, and perseverance. Read More>>
Georgiana Loi
I believe my resilience comes from my deep love for dance, my dream to grow as an artist, and the constant support of my incredible family. I studied dance at the Athens Conservatoire in Greece, where I received my Diploma in Dance Pedagogy. Read More>>
Jynafer Yanez
Resilience comes from doing hard things on purpose. It’s not something you’re born with. It’s something you earn when the big vision pulling you forward is stronger than the fear holding you back. I’ve had to build things from the ground up multiple times. There was a season when we left everything comfortable behind to go all in on building something new. Read More>>
Lisa Pham
Where do you get your resilience from? Honestly, a lot of my resilience comes from my parents and growing up Vietnamese American. My parents came to the U.S. with almost nothing, and I watched them work incredibly hard to build a stable life for our family. They never really talked about “resilience”, they just lived it every day. Read More>>
Denice Rivera
My resilience was born in the spaces between endings and new beginnings. I’ve learned that the same fire that threatens to consume you can also become the light that guides you, if you let it. Read More>>
Brett Moffatt
My resilience comes from learning early that if you want beauty in your life, you have to create it yourself. I grew up in the Fassifern Valley in rural Queensland—a place where culture wasn’t something you encountered, it was something you had to consciously construct. There were no galleries, no museums, no sophisticated visual traditions readily available. Read More>>
Aviated Keyaan
I would say my resilience came from many factors. The root of those would be my upbringing and culture. My mother was always tried to instill in me a sense of confidence and motivation to chase my dreams. Read More>>
Amp Trop
I got my resilience from working hard in the shadows and also from continuing to fail along my journey . I’ve taken way more losses than I’ve won but the wins are what’s talked about , not the losses Read More>>
April Turgeon
I think my resilience comes from having to build myself in my own way. I’ve always loved learning, but I never really fit the structure of school. And I’ve always been someone who naturally steps into leadership, but I struggled to stay in jobs that didn’t feel aligned. So I had to trust myself early. Read More>>
Bernadine Allala
The deep belief that I am made for more and that there is a destiny to be fulfilled keeps me going. It gives me the strength to rise when I fall and to wipe my tears quickly so I can see clearly the road ahead. I am resilient because I know this journey isn’t just about me—it’s about restoring a family and a generation. Read More>>
Faye Arcand
Resilience is something I learned as a young child and honed over the years as challenges presented themselves and tough decisions needed to be made. Being the seventh of eight children, means you have to stand up to be heard and seen. I was blessed with a sister who recognized something in me. Fourteen years older than me, her influence was huge. Read More>>
Lyndsay (Huver) Stokes
I truly believe the resilience I now possess is because of my journey as a single mom. I wasn’t always resilient and without having to go through hardship, i definitely wouldn’t be as resilient as i am today. I was 21 years old when i graduated from cosmetology school. I had big dreams of being successful hairstylist that was highly sought after. Read More>>
Sarah Slaughter
Resilience, to me, comes from choosing to rise after every setback, and my journey has shown me that. I’ve always considered myself someone who can get back up, but healing from chronic migraines taught me what I am capable of when I take charge of my health. Read More>>
Penelope Lopez
My journey has been a testament to resilience, hard work, and an unwavering belief in the power of community and self-discipline. It all began in the Dominican Republic, where the seeds of my resilience were sown. Leaving my homeland for the United States wasn’t merely a change of scenery, it was a bold leap into the unknown. Read More>>
Nicole Rich
My resilience comes from God. For my family and me, faith is the cornerstone that gives us strength and hope during life’s challenges. Knowing that God is with us provides a powerful source of comfort and encouragement, helping us stay united and steadfast no matter what obstacles we face. Read More>>
Ezra Kettersmith
Resilience is like a habit—it’s not a trait that’s suddenly achieved overnight, but one that’s developed over time. Being born and raised in Minnesota, the idea of resilience has always felt commonplace because of the harsh and unforgiving winters here. This became even more apparent as I grew older. Read More>>
Kaho Tokiwa
I think about challenges and failures in three categories: personal, interpersonal, and environmental. Personal failures stem from my own limitations—for instance, failing an audition or, on a smaller scale, forgetting my dance shoes at the bus stop. These are things I can’t blame on anyone else. The solution is clear: I need to improve myself. Read More>>
Daniel Roman
My mother. I am first generation-born here in the U.S to my mother from Colombia, I’m the youngest of 3. She cleaned houses for years before, and after I was born when she got here. Some of my earliest memories were going to work with her while she cleaned. Read More>>
Georgia Sheridan
Before I was a photographer, I was a dancer. That world is tough. You get a lot of no’s and still show up. Doing that taught me resilience: rehearse, adjust, try again. I learned to take feedback without taking it personally, to trust my craft, and to stay calm under pressure. Read More>>
Dr Sadiyo Siad
My resilience comes from the journey itself, from growing up between cultures, rebuilding after displacement, and turning every challenge into an opportunity to serve others. I was once a refugee, and I learned early that survival isn’t enough — you must transform hardship into purpose. Education became my tool for that transformation. Read More>>
Alex Lewis
I believe my resilience comes from my family lineage. Specifically my great-grandfather, P.H. Lewis. He was a pastor in Selma, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement and an active Civil Rights leader. He opened both his home and his church to activists, even during dangerous times like the Bloody Sunday march. Read More>>
Breanna Wiley
I get my resilience from every challenge that tried to break me and failed. Growing up as the only girl with seven brothers, I learned early how to be strong, how to speak up, and how to fight for my place. I learned that toughness doesn’t always mean hard — sometimes it means getting up with grace when life knocks you down. Read More>>
Tina Beecham
I’d say my resilience is layered—built from life experiences, self-awareness, and the decision to never let pain define me.
It comes from being underestimated and choosing to rise anyway. Read More>>
Brayden Ayers
Being an Actor becoming or having resilience is a must because you will get rejected for a lot of your journey and I had the resilience before acting as well my mom and dad told me that if I’m going to be going for something that I need to have the mind set of not giving up no matter what Read More>>
Lynxx Zaphiar
I get my resilience from my grandmother, Ruby. She was the kind of woman who carried faith in her voice and strength in her hands. I remember watching her sit at the piano in church, steady and sure, even when life around her wasn’t easy. She’d sing to me as a child—songs that reminded me that I was loved, protected, and capable of getting through anything. Read More>>
Jacie Boyd
My resilience as the Owner of Westward Wick is forged in the unique transitions of my life. Moving across the country, succeeding in the demanding corporate real estate world, and then pivoting to the challenges of being a stay-at-home mom of two, taught me that adaptability is essential. Read More>>
Miriam Arroyo Gil
I think my resilience comes from a mix of my vision, my cultural roots, and the women who came before me. Growing up between Mexico and New York and a couple of years in London, I learned to constantly adapt and reinvent myself while staying grounded in who I am. Read More>>
Leonard Patterson
Honestly, I didn’t think of myself as resilient until later in life, but looking back, the seeds were planted early on — in grade school, actually. Read More>>
Kenya Mitchell
I get my resilience from a host of factors.
1st being GOD the Creator; I wouldn’t be who I am today without my faith and without his hand on my life. I’ve been through a host of trials, some from my end but he’s never left me. I get reminders daily to persevere. Read More>>
Dr. Quinn Denny
I think I gained a good deal of resilience as early as childhood. We moved frequently, ten times total growing up. It meant adjusting to new environments which taught me to adapt. I also gained resilience by watching others and learning from them. Read More>>
Esther Park
My name is Esther Park. I was born in South Korea, grew up in New Zealand, and later moved to New York City to study at Parsons School of Design. I’m a fashion designer recognized for my material innovations, and my collections have been featured in Vogue Runway (2023), WWD Korea (2023), Hypebeast (2023), The Vanilla Issue (2025) and Highsnobiety Style (2025). Read More>>
Gene Griffin
I get my resilience from my childhood. I grew up rather modestly. I choose not to use the word ‘poor’ because I feel that is relative to where you are in the world. We didn’t have much growing up, and there were struggles. As a child, I didn’t have nice clothes Read More>>
Kristi Kandel
I’ve learned resilience in a lot of ways. In development, projects rarely go the way you plan. Costs blow up, cities change the rules, and sometimes you spend months or years on a deal only to watch it fall apart at the finish line. You can either fold, or you find a way to keep the project moving. Read More>>
