Houston’s Most Inspiring Stories

Every neighborhood in Houston has its own vibe, style, culture and history, but what consistently amazes us is not what differentiates the various neighborhoods but rather what they all have in common.  From the Fourth Ward to Sugar Land (and everywhere in between) we’ve been blown away by how many creative and talented people call Houston home.  Check out some of the inspiring stories we’ve discovered throughout the city.

Lea Marie

I even lettered in choir my freshmen year and got to be apart of chamber choir sophomore year, exclusive to only juniors and seniors. Music has always been in my life. It keeps me sane. Gives me peace. When I feel down, I sing. I got confirmed into the Catholic faith at 16 years old with my saint being St. Cecilia. (Patroness of Musicians) Music is a reminder that God gave me a gift for a reason, it’s important I use it for Good. Read more>>

Eujon Hughes

I quickly realized that her passion and true purpose extended beyond traditional counseling. A graduate of the Udemy-Transformation Academy (Class of 2021) as an Accredited and Certified Life Coach, I continue to expand my leadership and coaching expertise to better serve her clients and community. It was here that the seeds of her Life Coaching career were planted. Read more>>

Jorahja Lewis

I haven’t mustered up the strength to go to her grave site yet . I was doing makeup in my wheel chair not even able to stand but I still wanted to do faces . I pushed through every challenge from surgeries to having to start over multiple times in life . Fighting illness and betrayal from people you love most! These challenges are what build your character. Read more>>

Khasauna Freney

In 2016, I became a mother to my son, Khonner. Motherhood is truly a blessing from God, one I am thankful to experience every day. In 2020, COVID-19 came like a storm, and I went through a difficult time being out of work due to contracting the virus and the worldwide shutdowns. God remained faithful. Read more>>

Gin Keel

I do Golfcart Tours through Carriage Haus Rentals, Ghost Tours at the Galveston Naval Museum, Pop-Up Tours at Moody Mansion, and I am always creating new tours and developing new partnerships. I am known for the partnerships and collaborations that I do as a portion of the ticket sales sold for the things I do with the non-profits, are given back to them for their preservation efforts. I am extremely proud of being able to do this work and to help out in my community. Read more>>

Paige Kail

I’m a proud native Texan and Aggie, having earned both my undergraduate and veterinary degrees from Texas A&M University. After graduation, I took a leap of faith and moved to the Pacific Northwest to begin my emergency veterinary career near Tacoma, Washington. The expereince was incredible, but eventually, Texas called me home. Read more>>

Drew Willey

I started my career as a criminal defense attorney here in Houston, where I co-founded Restoring Justice, a nonprofit that provided free representation to people who couldn’t afford a lawyer. At the time, Harris County was (and still is) one of the largest drivers of mass incarceration in the world—our jail population hovers around 10,000 people, second only to Los Angeles, and Texas leads the nation in prison population. Through Restoring Justice, our team prevented more than 600 years of incarceration, saved tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, and helped shift the entire county’s indigent defense system toward fairness and reform. Read more>>

Katherine Kuntz

Going through this challenging time strengthened my faith in a whole new way and allowed me to truly feel and see the presence of God / Source / Higher Power and its work in our lives. It was also my first real experience with life and death that hit so close to home. Those insights changed everything for me. I realized that life is precious and fleeting. As a result, I felt called to lead my life then with greater love and intention, giving back selflessly to others in need, just as that stranger had done for my family. As I stepped into this new mindset, the first of several divine opportunities entered my life. Read more>>

Ayoola Ayolola

I started my journey in music and got introduced to the public in West Africa through a music competition called Project Fame West Africa, which I won. Read more>>

Daniel Cardozo

Honestly, my whole story is just about taking risks and never being afraid to fail. I didn’t grow up with connections or a silver spoon; I just wanted to make something happen. I started out trying to build a business with my best friends Jasim and Manshir. We worked harder than ever before, lost money, failed, but learned so much. Read more>>

Vanessa Nwokoye

Thank you so much for having me! My journey began in nursing, where I discovered a deep love for supporting others during their most vulnerable times. This inspired me to pursue a Master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner, with a focus on treating the whole person rather than just symptoms. Read more>>

Kelly Violette

I began my career in the Office of Neighborhoods for the City of Riverside in Southern California, where I learned so much about the importance of community building and civic engagement. That experience gave me a strong appreciation for how local government can directly impact people’s lives. From there, I transitioned into city planning—a field that immediately captured my interest. Read more>>

Austin Rominger

When we were kids our grandma had given me [Austin] a few piano lessons, to which I would immediately turn around and teach to Holden. We come from a musical family and those lessons seemed to unlock something in us. We continued learning piano for a few years, but it was predominantly classical pieces. Our piano teacher Mrs. Read more>>

Father Anthony Baba

I’ve been in the ministry since I was in college, and after graduating from the University of Houston, I attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in Boston, MA. After graduating from Seminary, I was hired to be the Youth Director at St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS. After serving in that capacity for four years, I was ordained as a priest and transferred to St. Read more>>

Isaac Perez

As a kid I always knew I wanted to grow up to do something with music but as I got older I saw that it was just a dream so back in 2005 I joined the Army where I would travel to different states. Read more>>

Sofia Hernandez

As a first-gen daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was born and raised alongside my older brother in the small city of Lake Jackson, Texas, just an hour down 288 South from Houston. I consider my life’s journey to have really began at The University of Texas at Austin, where I studied Bilingual Education and took courses in Mexican-American and Afro-Latino studies. Read more>>

Courtney Dolliole

Essential Vibez Candle Co started back in 2020. I’ve always been a candle lover to me, the first thing you notice when you walk into any home is the smell. That’s what inspired me to start creating candles that bring warmth, comfort, and good energy into every space. Read more>>

Sarah Saenz

I have always loved photography. I used to do event photography when my kids were little but as they grew up, our lives got busier and photography got put on the back shelf. Read more>>

Daniela Gomez

I’m a florist here in Houston, also known as alienas bouquets. I started off as just being a girl who loved the art of giving to others. Such as always gifting flowers which then became to creating and gifting. I’ve always had a creative side to myself, which I wanted to express and thought what better way than starting off with flowers? Read more>>

Amber Star Aubrey

I was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and was stuck at home for months. I call that period my cancer vacation, because I spent every day painting! I went to Michael’s and got some watercolors and just started painting my way through the Bible. Read more>>

Roxy Perez

Hi, I’m Roxy Perez, a Houston-based model with a deep love for fashion, self-expression, and helping others see the beauty in being exactly who they are. My journey into modeling wasn’t a straight path; it’s been one filled with self-discovery, courage, and learning to embrace every part of myself, the soft, the strong, and everything in between. Read more>>

William Johnson

I was born on the northeast side of Houston. My mother was addicted to crack, and it was in my system at birth, so I was raised by my aunt and uncle. Being reminded of that throughout my childhood gave me a heightened sense of insecurity — I often felt like I wasn’t good enough at anything. Read more>>

Amanda Medina

I went to massage school to pay for my college tuition but when I was in Memorial Hermann Massage and Spa Therapy School in 2011, I fell in love. I spent my beginning years working my craft in clinics, spas, and franchises learning from the absolute best therapist and owners of the businesses. In 2017, I worked multiple jobs to start my mobile practice. Read more>>

Charla Burns, MD

From a young age, I knew I wanted to make a meaningful impact in life. By high school, I had set my sights on becoming a doctor. My passion for math and science initially sparked my interest in medicine, but witnessing the health disparities affecting people of color and those in underserved communities truly fueled my drive. Read more>>

Stephanie Silva-Garza

My journey started over a decade ago in the world of medical and legal sales, a fast-paced, competitive industry where I learned how to communicate, negotiate, and build relationships with confidence. For more than 10 years, I poured everything into my career, but deep down, I always knew I wanted to build something of my own. something that created real impact. Read more>>

L.J. Hamilton

I began writing poetry during my elementary school years in Toledo, Ohio. Motivated by my older sister, a childhood crush served as the impetus that expanded my awareness of the incredible opportunities associated with creativity. Subsequently, my writing progressed into songs, short narratives, and material focused on self-help and personal growth. Read more>>

Lauren Whitton

Sometimes God plants a dream in your heart that feels impossible. You wonder: “Where did that come from?” “Do I really have the time?” “Maybe one day, when the kids are older…” That was me. But the desire didn’t go away. In fact, when my Father passed away in 2022, the dream grew stronger than ever. Life is short, and tomorrow is not promised. Read more>>

Magi Romero

Hey, I’m Magi — a pet and family portrait photographer based in Houston, Texas! My love for photography started back in high school when my mom gifted me my very first camera. It wasn’t fancy, but it sparked something in me. I photographed everything — classmates in the library, flowers on walks, and plenty of self-portraits just for fun. Read more>>

Jessica Cole

Every story starts somewhere. Mine started in a place no one expects — Pre-Law. I went to Purdue University with every intention of becoming an attorney. Design wasn’t even on my radar. But during an internship, one of my coworkers introduced me to Photoshop, and it completely changed my trajectory. Read more>>

Nathalie Mejia

I fell into this journey in 2019, shortly after having my daughter. While at home, I often wondered how photographers created those stunning images of newborns, the tiny details, the peaceful poses, the pure love captured in a single frame. Motherhood had opened my eyes to the beauty of these fleeting moments, and I wanted to preserve that magic for others. Read more>>

Manuel Mendez

My story starts in Beaumont Texas as a first generation Mexican-American food dinner time lunchtime breakfast wasn’t just a comfort food for me. Read more>>

Jazmine Escalante

Growing up with a Cosmetologist as a mom, opened me up to the world of beauty at an early age. I loved watching her do her makeup and hair, and once I was allowed to start doing it myself, I quickly fell in love with everything beauty. I could spend hours doing it and eventually started waxing my own brows. Read more>>

CitySlicka Fresh

**“I’m CitySlicka Fresh — born and raised between Alief and Mission Bend, Houston. Music’s always been my outlet — a way to translate what I see and live every day. I started freestyling with my partners on the block, turning real stories into rhymes. Over time, people started feeling the authenticity — because it wasn’t made-up, it was lived. Read more>>

Arlena Bessard

In 2000, I took a church trip with my actual family and my church family to Atlanta Georgia. We enjoyed soul food sightseeing and experiencing new things together. My mother’s best friend who is like another mother to me had very swollen ankles and feet and I began to work on her by instinct and pure love having no formal training. Read more>>

Greg Sentimore Jr

Meet Greg Sentimore Jr.: Model, Entrepreneur & Advocate for Mental Strength Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Greg Sentimore Jr. is a dynamic force whose journey blends athleticism, leadership, and creative expression. Known for his striking presence and versatility as an athletic model, Greg brings energy, focus, and confidence to every project he takes on. Read more>>

Robert Stewart

I’ve been playing music all my life, and I knew from a very young age it’s what I wanted to do. Whatever instrument I’d pick up, my immediate instinct was to come up with something of my own, so writing was there from the get go as well. Played in some really fun bands, played at church, played anywhere really. Read more>>

Alyssa Pietraniello

I’ve always had a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. I started my first business, AEPCustomz LLC, in 2020 during college, customizing apparel and turning it into a full e-commerce brand that shipped nationwide and generated over $100K in sales. That experience taught me everything from branding and marketing to customer relations; and sparked my love for digital strategy. Read more>>

Mandy Hoffman

We’re a family-owned business that opened in 2021 after spending years doing the work for everyone else. At some point, we realized it was time to take everything we’d learned and build something of our own. It started small — me in the office keeping things organized, Dan out meeting customers and handling sales, and our brother leading the installs. Read more>>

Kimberly Brown

Some people chase comfort — I’ve always chased growth. I went to college for a few years but quickly realized it wasn’t for me. My journey really began in a corporate travel call center, booking flights, hotels, and car rentals. I’ll never forget my very first call after six weeks of training — I froze. Read more>>

Sophia Davenport

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that your purpose usually finds you when life feels heavy. I started doing videography for fun back in 2009 — it helped me cope with anxiety, and honestly, I’ve always loved having a camera in my hand. In every home video from when I was little, I’m begging my parents to show me the other side of the camera. I’ve never loved being in front of it as much as I do behind it. From 2017 to 2019, I filmed weddings before Covid hit, and even though I loved it, life shifted fast. Read more>>

Carrington Johnson

Before Mike C became a partner, he was actually one of my very first clients — booking me to provide a hookah experience for his birthday party. Over time, he began assisting with events, and it wasn’t long before I approached him about officially expanding Infinite to Houston under his leadership. He agreed, we invested in new hookahs, and together we elevated the business to the next level. Read more>>