North Loop’s Rising Stars

Jacqueline Vasquez

I was born and raised in Houston, TX, and I started performing at the age of 3 with ballet. I come from a 1st generation Latinx household, which filled my life with music, culture, great food, and dancing. Dancing is a big part of how my family celebrates and unites together, so dancing came very easy to me, and I fell in love with all forms of it. I continued with ballet off and on throughout the years, acting as my foundation to dance.  Read More>>

Alric Davis

Our strength is our sometimes-biggest challenge – our youth. I cannot tell you how many times we’ve been at events and have been ignored, silenced, underestimated, or not taken seriously. There were those who would not return our calls, audition for our shows, or even professionals who refused to give us their business cards. I have a sterling memory and have locked in those moments as reminders to never lose sight of who we are and why we started this. Read More>>

LaShonda Fields

Hello, I’m LaShonda, and I’m deeply passionate about language education. As a bilingual enthusiast, connector, and plant-based mom of five children, my journey is all about diversity, equity, and purpose. Throughout my career in public education, I’ve taught Spanish at elementary, middle, and high school levels. I am the founder and CEO of My Language Link, an online language school certified by the City of Houston.  Read More>>

Yazzy Nicole

y name is Yasmin Rodriguez, AKA Yazzy Nicole (La Alpha), born and raised on that (Nawf Side) of H-Town. Before I became an artist, I spent most of my time working 12-hour shifts in the medical field. Every now and then, going out on the weekends with friends, but mostly chillin’ in my apartment. The passion for music has always been with me since I can remember. Read More>>

Alexis D. Williams

My name is Alexis, and I am the CEO and founder of I Am ~ Luxury Accessories. This journey began for me a little while after becoming a mom, where I went through a period where I felt like I lost touch with who I was as Alexis. Who I was with me, outside of just being a mom. I am sure it was partly the hormones, but I started to doubt and question the roles and titles I had taken on, the ones people had given me, and even some of the ones I had given myself. Read More>>

Ashley Santos Batiste

Starting from the beginning, I am the oldest of 3 and raised my siblings after being sent to grow up in a foreign country with people we did not know and a language we did not speak. Nevertheless, we adapted, and that became my home. Growing up in Puerto Rico in the area I was in, you did not see many Afro-Latinas, so I was always different. Always seen as different, different textured hair, skin tone, and very extroverted.  Read More>>

Jamaal Roy

The road was not smooth at all! I still work a regular job to pay bills. Clothing design took a back seat, but music was already in the works, so I had to at least finish what I started there. I had to juggle a lot during those few months. The workload, in terms of studying, was exhausting. I found myself bringing materials with me to my main job so I could cram in as much in as possible. Read More>>

Yunggod

Hip Hop is not something you do, but it’s who you are. Before I ever wrote my first lyrics, I was Hip Hop. That’s the beautiful thing about it. That’s why I fell in love with it. I wasn’t allowed to listen to rap growing up, but I always found a way. Whether it was a DMX documentary on VH1 or staying up past my bedtime to watch Street Flava on UPN (y’all remember Street Flava?!?) I always found a way to get my fix.  Read More>>

Deanna Perez

I have always known that I wanted to go out of state for college and explore a new area. At 17, when I received the Posse Foundation Full-Tuition Leadership Scholarship for Colby College, this then became a reality. At Colby, I majored in Education Studies with a professional teaching certification in 7-12th grade English. I knew that I wanted to go to graduate school for education leadership, as my original intentions were to become a high school administrator. Read More>>

Ashla Glass

I was the youngest and only girl of three children my parents had. My Father came from good stock, but after coming out of the service, my grandmother said that he was never the same. My father was an addict and was not the father that his family needed. He wasn’t a bad person; he just had this problem.  Read More>>

Rebecca Self

I started my career in education as an elementary school teacher. I absolutely loved working with kids, but I found my favorite and most meaningful parts of the day were when I got to hear about my student’s lives and build deeper connections with them. This led me to get my Master’s Degree in Counseling. My heart has always been in education, so I continued to work as a school counselor for 6 years, getting to meet and help kids from so many different backgrounds. Read More>>

Mica Jones

When I got the invite to share my story with Voyage Houston, I thought, ‘Why me?’. And then I read VH’s mission and some of the other fascinating stories about everyday people like me out here creating, grinding, dreaming, wanting more for ourselves, and wondering how did we get to where we are. Read More>>

Diondre Diaz

Before this journey, my life was consumed by the hectic job of being an Assistant Manager at Whataburger. The long hours and different shifts. My schedule was all over the place! I was always on the go, since being on the go I would get fast food for convenience. This lifestyle took its toll, just tired I was doing this for so long, it caused me to fall into a depression along with some personal life issues I was dealing with. Read More>>

Vanessa Botero

I’m Colombian. I worked in my country as a journalist and social communicator for more than ten years in communications in the public and private sectors. However, I have always been connected with fashion and image. I remember that in the office, my colleagues would ask me for advice to improve their looks or choose dresses for essential parties and celebrations. Read More>>

Kingpin Cash

I first got my break in 2015 when I was passing out my CDs inside the club. The guy who put me in the game was HERM, He asked whether I wanted to help promote the strip club, and from there, I started doing my own events as an artist and got booked for my first show. Read More>>

Miranda Thomas

I was a teen mom, pregnant at 17 and delivered at 18, but I didn’t want that to define me or let my parents down. I utilized that as a stepping stone and wanted to show my parents that although I was a mother at a very early age, I could still conquer all that I wanted and desired. I still completed High School and College. It started after I divorced in 2015 with my high school sweetheart. Read More>>

Paola Urrea

My journey since immigrating to the United States has been a rollercoaster of challenges and triumphs. In 2017, just after graduating from the university, I Arrived in South Florida with little more than a dream and my determination, I found myself starting from scratch in the hospitality industry, despite my background in accounting and business administration back home. Read More>>

Kenneth Millyun

Music has always been a passion of mine. I’ve listened to and enjoyed all sorts of music. I am a true appreciator of the art of music. It started when I was younger, maybe around my preteen years, getting together with family members and them blasting oldies and me hearing it from a far-off room in the house with my cousins. Got me quickly adaptive to how music is a feeling. Read More>>

Melyssa Wiseman

I began my career as a bilingual elementary school teacher. I taught 5th grade for 6 years at Houston ISD. I really enjoyed working with children and guiding their learning. My teaching career even allowed me to experience living abroad while teaching in the UAE. During the time I was working as an educator, I was fortunate enough to meet my now husband, Robert Wiseman.  Read More>>

Quneque Matthews-Lyons

One of my closest friends has been a lash tech for over four years now, which inspired me to become a lash tech, too. In September 2022, I took my class, and in October of that same year. I gave my two weeks’ notice to my job from there. I began practicing on family and friends until I got comfortable with taking regular clients. Read More>>

Randal Kissling

Co-founders Mary Tipton and Christine Morgan volunteered for dog and cat rescue in 2011… Both had been in Rescue for many years by this time. They decided that they could put together an organization that was more transparent and better managed, so they formed their own 501c3, known as K-9 Angels Rescue (K-9AR), in 2012. They pooled $3,000.00, formed a board, stole a handful of volunteers, and found a donated space.  Read More>>

Juan Carlos Rodriguez

I am originally from Venezuela, and I came to the US in 2004 when my wife was working for an Oil & Gas Corporation. We were able to apply for residency, which allowed us to start working; this process took two years. Once I got the Green Card, it opened the doors to starting my American Dream. I Always admired and respected this Country, and I wanted to carry the American Flag in my Heart. Read More>>

Grayson Michael Harper

I’ve said this a bunch, but I wrote a lot as a kid. I had a million different ideas of what I could do with my life, but I always wanted to write. There was one project in particular that really solidified this for me: in fourth grade, I used my dad’s work-issued computer to write a novel about a boy going to an alternate universe. I don’t remember his name or what he looked like, but I do remember that I was channeling myself through him.  Read More>>

Tori Yaussy

Well, if we go all the way back…my first instrument was the piano. My aunt and grandmother both played the piano as well, and I remember jamming away on their instruments as a very little kid. My grandmother’s piano now lives with me as an adult, and my aunt gave me my first piano lesson. Read More>>

Felicia Vertus

I started Powetik Waist Beads during my active-duty career. I was going through a really rough time being miles away from family and going through a divorce. I lost myself completely going through so many options. One day, I decided I wanted more; I wanted something to motivate me to keep going in life. I knew I wanted to make Read More>>

Izabella Curtis

I have always been a creative and caring person since I could remember! I went from drawing on the walls in my parent’s house with anything I could find as a kid. To oil painting and finding my love of working with my hands while studying in New York! But throughout my artist journey, I’ve found my passion as a curly hair artist! Now I get to paint and design on curly hair and help curly people be them! Read More>>

Koren Whisnant

I started doing my own hair in college. People would ask me to do their hair, so I started doing hair out of my dorm room. As I grew with clientele, I rented a suite in an office building and rented outstations in the suite. As I gained more exposure, I networked with clients in the entertainment industry, which landed me some deals with record labels to do hair for artists and special events. I decided to take things a step further and branch out. Read More>>

En’Jouli Webb

I started by telling my grandma I wanted to be a photographer. She had a NIKO COOLPIX, and she gave it to me. from there, I learned how to use the camera settings by trial and error and YouTube videos. From there, I graduated with a Canon T6 and started taking my interest more seriously. I prefer street photography and candid portraits. I often find myself shooting birthday shoots, fashion models, and Rappers because they ask for a shoot, but I do not actively look for clients and bookings.  Read More>>

Sehrish Ali

When becoming a therapist, my goal was to work in a setting that fit not only my specialty but work style as well. For me, the goal was also to gain experience working in different settings to gain knowledge, referral sources, and strategies to utilize when opening my own private practice.  Read More>>

Shawna Solomon

My journey started when I was young girl watching my aunt run her salon. It was so inspiring to watch her run and manage her own business. Being a teen mom, I assumed and was told college was out the picture and I needed to work. I worked in her salon when I could, but also worked in banking to pay the bills. Always thinking of ways to make more money. I would braid hair after work & on weekends for extra cash. Read More>>

Mahmoud Khsayem

I grew up in Aleppo, Syria, one of the oldest cities in the world. I had a childhood surrounded by history – I played among Roman ruins, and my father opened a rug shop in an ancient castle. I come from a weaving family – my ancestors began weaving rugs and textiles over 400 years ago.  Read More>>

Kelly and Samad Hubbell-Hinton

BLK Beetles isn’t just about getting a business going; it’s also about starting a movement to push the boundaries and meaning of wellness. As a growing wellness community, our mission has remained the same from day one: making wellness not only accessible but a true joy for everyone, especially those who have been underserved and marginalized among us.  Read More>>

Izabel Wicker

I started Hush Hush Tan in 2009 while living at home with my mom. I needed a side hustle, so I purchased tanning equipment and became obsessed with learning about techniques and solutions. I tried to get trained by a “professional” and quickly realized I had more knowledge about spray tanning than the instructor, and that’s when I knew I was ready to start tanning clients. I started spraying in my free time before and after work. Read More>>

Domonique Brown

One day, my wife and I were relaxing and having a conversation. We were talking about business ideas and the thought about starting an edibles business was one. We were chilling, indulging in some grade “A” smoke while conversing about it. I told my wife I think it was a great idea and how much we could do with this business, knowing that the cannabis industry was being legalized in the United States.  Read More>>

Yasmen Thompson

In 2015, I embarked on my digital odyssey as a YouTuber, sharing my life’s moments and makeup escapades with the world. With each video, I poured my creativity and authenticity, hoping to connect with audiences far and wide. But as the tides of fate would have it, the waves of change swept in with the onset of the pandemic. Read More>>

Jo Dunham

I had kicked around getting a swimming pool for years because none of my friends would let my pups come swim at their pool. My boy Goose went away to train with a hunt trainer, and he was swimming every day. I seriously put in the pool for Goose so he could keep swimming once he returned! Read More>>

Nicole Lopez

As I sit in the serene ambiance of Revive Salon and Spa, nestled in the vibrant heart of the Heights, I can’t help but reflect on the extraordinary 17-year journey that has led me to where I am today: a proud salon owner, a color specialist, and a certified hair loss practitioner in hair regrowth therapy. Read More>>

Garlan Dougharty

I’m originally from Bay City, Texas; I’ve always been drawn to creating Art and Music. My parents bought me a recording software when I was about 16. I produced my first album in 2011 though it’s not out anywhere I had a long way to go from there. I went on to create my album “Time Flys” in 2013, which I would describe the genre as electronic pop punk, close to Hyperpop these days. Read More>>