It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Miami.
Sadie Marshall
If you had told me years ago that I would one day own one of the country’s most specialized biohazard remediation companies, I would have believed you. I’ve always believed I was meant to do something extraordinary—I just had no idea what that journey would look like or where God would lead me. I didn’t grow up with a roadmap for this life. Read more>>
Adam Cole
My path here and to yoga in general started how a lot of self-exploration and healing journeys start — with suffering and hitting a real rock bottom. There was a season of my life where, on paper, I had everything… Harvard degree, high-paying job, beautiful wife, healthy body, great friends and family… and yet I felt completely lost. Read more>>
Capucine Safir
I’ve always been passionate about movement. I grew up as a competitive gymnast and equestrian and I thought that would always be part of who I was. But at 17, I suffered a serious back injury. Read more>>
Rodrigo Rodriguez
My name is Rodrigo Rodriguez, and I am a flutist originally from Venezuela. When I was 12 years old, I moved to the United States with my immediate family to escape the economic and humanitarian crisis in my home country. From a very young age, my father made sure I was surrounded by music. Read more>>
Renee Cyrius
From the day I was born, I believe I was given a gift to create. Ever since I was old enough to hold a crayon, I found myself exploring the beautiful world of art. Read more>>
Elijah Hawkins
I’ve always believed that success comes from creating opportunities instead of waiting for them. Growing up, I was drawn to music, business, and bringing people together. That passion eventually evolved into building experiences that connect communities through entertainment. I started by promoting events, managing DJs, and producing music while learning every side of the entertainment industry from marketing and sales to operations and event production. Read more>>
Diana Copperwhite
I started out at the Limerick School of Art and Design in Ireland where I got a good grounding in all aspects of art making, initially thinking of being a graphic designer, but in my second year switching to fine art painting from then on it was painting, drawing and printmaking with an expanded practice into 3D. Read more>>
Sierra Meriwether
My journey into entrepreneurship started with a simple goal: helping people improve their financial lives. After graduating from Wayne State University with a degree in Business and a minor in Accounting, I knew I wanted to build something that would create opportunities, not just for myself, but for others. Read more>>
Malka Espinel
I was born in Bogota, Colombia. I found my love of ingredients and cooking while on my families farm. I worked in pastry shops in Bogota and cut my teeth in the business. I was accepted to culinary school in Chicago. I was stagier at Charlie Trotter and also at Fauchon in Paris honing classic pastry skills. Read more>>
Daniella Fernandez
We started our company because we saw a need for more native plants in residential landscapes and saw a decline in places where people could access locally sourced food. Our mission is to help South Florida families in the 305 and surrounding areas transform their outdoor spaces using eco-conscious landscaping that benefits the environment and the people within them. Read more>>
Gustavo Leon
I’m originally from Caracas, Venezuela, and I moved to the United States in 2013 on a golf scholarship to pursue my college education. A few months before graduating, I realized that entrepreneurship was what truly excited me. I never really saw myself working for someone else—I wanted to build something of my own. Read more>>
Kenneth Crawford
From the time I was a little kid, I loved creating spaces. I built houses and buildings with LEGOs, constructed towers with Lincoln Logs and stacks of books, and constantly rearranged my sister’s dollhouse. I even moved the furniture around our living room – something my mother did not always appreciate! I also enjoyed walking through new-home construction sites, fascinated by how houses were built. Read more>>
Jamillah Hankerson
Jaymillyrock has spent years lending her voice behind the scenes as a background singer, supporting a wide range of musicians and creatives. When X-YLE invited her to step into the spotlight and create a project of her own, The Fifth Summer was born. While she may be new to the independent artist scene as a solo act, her passion for music is anything but new. Read more>>
Danielle Hanson
My journey into real estate started in my twenties as a single mom who simply wanted more time and flexibility to be present for my son. At the time, I was working full-time at a credit union, and after purchasing my first home, I admired the life my REALTOR® had created for herself. Read more>>
Michael Pucciarelli
I was born in South Florida in 1969 and thanks to my wonderful parents I was raised on Disney World rides as they took my sister and I too Disney world many times. Read more>>
Rachael Russell Saiger
My story really starts with my grandmother. For 17 years, she worked the overnight shift at a homeless shelter for women and children, many of them survivors of domestic abuse. I spent a lot of those nights there with her – doing homework, playing with the kids, and learning without realizing it what it means to show up for someone. Read more>>
Gustavo Vieira
My story is about transforming tourism into experience. I started in 2000. With 26 years in the industry, I have a background as a Tourism Specialist and Business Administrator. My foundation was built in travel agencies, hospitality, and events. However, my passion has always been about the experiences I dreamed of living and providing for people. Read more>>
Chase Rossman
My story started on a family trip to Iceland in 2018 – I remember walking along the black sand beaches, wood trails, trials opening up under waterfalls to take a beautiful image around me. Each image felt and looked beautiful but each one also felt a little off at the same time! Read more>>
Woodlyn Sinois
I Started my hair journey at a very young age of 13 years old. I decided to go natural and being in a family of 4 with a single mother was not cost affective for my hair journey. Read more>>
Beverly Marshall
How I got started as an artist was simple. When I was young my brother and I were pretty much rivals. He was 2 years older than me and usually better at things than I was. One day we were drawing together and he started making fun of me and teasing me about my drawing. That just lit a little fire in me. Read more>>
Victoria ohanna
I’ve been creating art for over 20 years, but my path has never followed a traditional route. I’m a self-taught artist, originally from Curitiba, Brazil, and I grew up between Miami and New York, two places that continue to influence my work. Over the years, I’ve explored everything from portraiture and abstract painting to live painting and large-scale installations, always pushing myself to evolve creatively. Read more>>
Robert Brantley
Human Fluid Rot was an accident. In 2005 after being on bedrest for several weeks recovering from surgery, I was tinkering with some electronics I had lying around in search of sounds I’d never experienced before. I had no prior knowledge of any movement or genre associated with what I was doing. As a matter of fact, I’d only find out about that months later. Read more>>
Johandry Zurita
I’m 35 years old, originally from Venezuela, and my love for creativity began long before social media. From a very young age, I was always drawn to photography, beauty, fashion, and anything that allowed people to express themselves visually. I’ve always been fascinated by how a single image can tell a story or evoke an emotion. Read more>>
Ani Aguilar
I am a painter and licensed general falconer. I grew up in the cement tropical jungle otherwise known as Hialeah, and come from descendants of Cuban and Mexican immigrants. My mother traveled her way through the Texas border, and my father arrived on a prison boat from Cuba. Read more>>
Torenzo Gann
I began drawing pictures of cars around age 10, and as an adult, I realized it helped me cope with my chaotic home life. I loved art classes in school, but it was my eleventh-grade art teacher, Ms. Richards, who really inspired and encouraged me to become an artist. After high school, I applied to Kendall College of Art & Design. Read more>>
Ryan Vesce
I’ve always been fascinated by performance and what separates good from great. That passion led me to spend 14 years playing professional hockey, where I experienced firsthand what it takes to compete at the highest level. Read more>>
Leo Montero
I have been inclined to the Arts from when I was a little kid. I used to dance at my school at every graduation ceremony, my cousin María Andreina was my dance partner many times, we were like glued together and I learned from her a lot. I love her. Later on when I had to choose a career path I went for Architecture. Read more>>
Gemini Michelle
My story began with creativity, entrepreneurship, and a desire to build something meaningful. I have always been someone who sees possibilities—whether through business, entertainment, technology, storytelling, or branding. Over the years, I have explored different industries and gained experience in business administration, real estate, customer service, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Those experiences helped me understand that I wasn’t meant to fit into just one box. Read more>>
Tiffani Knowles Senatus
I grew up as the daughter of two extraordinary immigrants. My dad, a native of The Bahamas, was a business owner — he operated both a travel agency and he was a franchisee in Greyhound Bus Lines in Miami. He taught me such amazing work ethic. I will never forget one morning after a tropical storm that our whole front lawn and street were flooded. Read more>>
Noor-Hoda Hakimjavadi
My journey into the field of nutrition and dietetics was driven by a fundamental belief: that food is one of the most powerful, yet underutilized, tools we have for healing, vitality, and long-term health. I began my academic and professional path by securing my Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition and obtaining my credentials as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Read more>>
Shelly Perry
My interest in design started with a very early love of art. I enjoy the discipline and process of creating fine art and started painting as a child. Art school and travel in Europe expanded my appreciation for design, architecture, and building. To me there was no distinguishing between ordinary functional objects and works of art. Read more>>
daryl meyer
I never planned to be an actor. Planned to go to law school. I started modeling in high school and did it part-time to make money through college. Read more>>
Berk Boge
I moved to Miami in 1997 after accepting an opportunity to manage a real estate office in Coconut Grove. Before that, I was in graduate school, while also teaching squash as a club professional. Real estate wasn’t part of my original career plan, but I fell in love with the business almost immediately. Read more>>
Anouck Jourdaa
Anouck Jourdaa Noon’s artistic journey began in France, where childhood visits to museums sparked a lifelong fascination with the great masters. Immersed in the works of Paul Gauguin, Matisse and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, while also captivated by the adventurous illustrations of the Tarzan comic books she grew up reading, she developed an early appreciation for bold color, expressive line, and visual storytelling. Read more>>
Genevieve Carvil-Harris-
Thank you so much for this opportunity to share about one of my latest endeavors. After years of coaching and building capacity for organizations, ministries and business owners I was inspired to make a shift. Since 2013, I had privately assisted individuals with successfully publishing and monetizing their stories. Read more>>
Jacqueline Korner
My journey into the world of behavioral science and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) began in 1982 at The Universidad Central de Venezuela. Even during my undergraduate years, I knew I had found my true calling while working closely with professors on advanced research studies in both ABA and the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Read more>>
Dr. Ana Isabel Hume
My dream was always to be a combat journalist, but after undergoing brain surgery at the age of 11 due to hydrocephalous because an inoperable brain tumor was obstructing the ventricles, they placed a VP shunt… then I was a liability to the military. Luckily I married an airborne army ranger and lived in 5 states with him as he deployed 6 times Afgan/Iraq. Read more>>
Fabiola Acevedo PA
At 18, I left Chile with nothing but hope, carrying my unborn daughter and a dream of giving her a life I never had away from rapes. I lived my entire pregnancy in fear, never seeing a doctor and hiding my situation out of shame. Read more>>
Jessica Bakeman
I arrived in Miami alongside Hurricane Irma. My September 2017 move-in plans were stalled by storm surge warnings and a mandatory evacuation order, but my soon-to-be boss called to ask if I could start work early. I was moving for a new job, a reporting position at WLRN News. Radio broadcasts save lives during emergencies, so hurricanes are all-hands-on-deck. Read more>>
Dr. Breana Turner
Women’s health has historically been underfunded and under-researched. I often think about the fact that the NIH Revitalization Act, which required the inclusion of women and minoritized individuals in federally funded clinical research, wasn’t passed until 1993. Read more>>
Tom Virgin
I grew up a book worm. I have always loved reading books. When my elementary school teacher started reading to us, I begged my Mom to buy the book my teacher was reading, Charlotte’s Web. My wish was granted. We moved three or four times by the time I was in Junior High School. Read more>>
Ashley Smith
My name is Ashley, and I am the CEO and founder of Apex Fresh Cut Fruit. My journey began with challenges that shaped the person I am today. I was raised in South Florida by my aunt and uncle Diane and Willie Johnson . Read more>>
Stayc Sharrow
I have autism but was not diagnosed until I was 44 but gymnastics is what helped me regulate even before I could get into a class. Read more>>
Lorenzo Marranini
When I originally established the foundation of this project and trademark back in 2010, the focus was entirely on raw sound research. RDM Records was born in Milan out of a strict necessity for total artistic autonomy. Read more>>
Symon Plante
I would say my story starts all the way back to South Florida, which is where I’m originally from. Music started off with me just singing to my parents and family members , once high-school rolled around I started singing in choir and musical theater. Once I graduated, I went into college for music education and also got into my first relationship. Read more>>
Carolyn Pompilus
From Waste to Worth: How One Grassroots Movement Bridges U.S. Recycling and Haitian Relief The Spark: A Personal Mission for Haiti. The journey of Recycle Beyond Walls began in June 2010, born from a deeply personal desire to bring hope and humanitarian relief to a grieving nation. For the organization’s founder, Carolyn Pompilus, the tragedy hit close to home. Read more>>
Batsyz
Ironically as a child, growing up with a father who was an artist who didn’t fully live out his dreams, I’ve always regretted wanting to ever end up like him. I told myself I would never want to be an artist for that reason. I was aware art was the one thing I didn’t only just love, but was good at. Read more>>
Stesha Jean Baptiste
What started as a childhood love for drawing and crafting turned into a career in graphic design. I started by offering a few services to friends and family. When the pandemic hit and businesses needed to boost their online presence, I saw a chance to help out with their visual identity. Read more>>
Sabrina Sosa, LMHC
When I was in college, I really struggled to choose a major. The one thing I did know, was that I didn’t want to study psychology. I hated it with a passion and believed it was a depressing and hopeless career. Read more>>
Diana Pantoja
I’m a Colombia-born artist. Since early I honed and showcased my natural talent while completing accredited visual art and painting courses throughout several schools in my home country. Read more>>
Virginia Jimenez
Like many people, my story wasn’t built on one defining moment—it was shaped through seasons of growth, heartbreak, healing, and discovering purpose. I originally went to university for Business Administration in Finance with the goal of eventually owning my own business. From 2015 to 2021, I was a solo entrepreneur creating coaching opportunities and providing communication training while raising two young sons. Read more>>
Jillian White
I have always been a fashionista. But my path wasn’t linear, and after going to multiple different schools and getting my cosmetology license, I decided to take the leap and chase my dream to study fashion design with a concentration in intimate apparel. After getting accepted to FIT in 2022, I had just earned my BFA this past May 2026. Read more>>
