Explore topics that matter
Discover the culture creators who are shaping the future.
Artists
Author and entrepreneur Christine Weimer shares her story of overcoming heartbreak through poetry in honor of her daughter and the surprising way her journey allowed her to quit her 9-5 job and empower other women.
Writer Nikki Frias is the self-proclaimed Judy Blume for bitches. She’s the creator of Girltellme.com, a platform that empowers women by giving them a space to share their writing. Her book, inspired by her divorce, will be available for pre-order on November 1.
Through a studio space and the healing power of plants, as well as the experience of motherhood, Kielle Relles dedicates her life to empowering the Black and Brown community around her.
Multidisciplinary artists Angela Townsend talks about her journey creating Sexpecations.
A short curated list of eco-friendly small businesses from around the world, sorted by region.
Indie actress Callie Gilbert discusses her journey to acting and, now that she’s here, picking roles that matter for humanity.
Chicago rapper Jay Wood doesn’t ride waves, he makes them. Like countless others across the globe, he graduated college, University of Missouri, into a pandemic. But COVID-19, for him, is perhaps a blessing.
Bulgarian-American writer Ellie Bozmarova touches on her personal journey to writing her memoir.
Chicago photographer Allie on self-expression through capturing striking images of people.
Makers
Through a studio space and the healing power of plants, as well as the experience of motherhood, Kielle Relles dedicates her life to empowering the Black and Brown community around her.
A short curated list of eco-friendly small businesses from around the world, sorted by region.
Blaze Taylor is a modern cowgirl. She is a regular at rodeos, but loves fashion and makeup. Her swimsuit design and photo broke the Internet earlier this year. Now, the 21-year-old is using her platform to advocate for the causes she cares about: agriculture and supporting girls.
Author Nakia Montgomery and daughter, Bri Smocks, share their journey creating their children's book series, Levi and Toonk. Inspired by Nakia's grandson, the collection follows the whims and life learnings of Levi accompanied by his imaginary friend, Toonk. By establishing this book series, they hope to see more minority leads in children's books and promote a love of reading for all, especially for gifted children of color.
Meet HarperSage, a fashion brand with a cause: human trafficking.
Tapu Hanapi shares the importance of recognizing art as an extension of oneself, embracing both traditional and modern artforms, and practicing self-care as a creative. As the founder of Native Arts Hawaii, a studio creating wearable kapa and feather art, she hopes to see an emergence of Native Hawaiians contributing to the beautiful growth of contemporary Hawaiian art.
Kapa, a beautiful and versatile fabric derived from the wauke plant or ulu tree, remains an integral part of Hawaiian society. Kekai shares her take on kapa art, on transforming its use, and pushing the boundaries of kapa as an art form.
Kalolaine believes Oceanic voices have been minimized for too long and sees the rise of digital and traditional Pacific storytelling. After co-creating Pasifika Film Fest, a platform for Pacific filmmakers, she is ready to reclaim space for herself as a Pasifika storyteller by launching her own feature documentary, A Child of Oceania.
Streetwear designer Md Kamruzzaman on his label Divinus, why Queens matters, and the importance of staying authentic.
Chicago media personality Paulina Roe reminds us of the power of voice. Here, she takes us behind the scenes of her career, what drives her activism, and why we should all take better care of ourselves.
Entrepreneurs
Author and entrepreneur Christine Weimer shares her story of overcoming heartbreak through poetry in honor of her daughter and the surprising way her journey allowed her to quit her 9-5 job and empower other women.
Writer Nikki Frias is the self-proclaimed Judy Blume for bitches. She’s the creator of Girltellme.com, a platform that empowers women by giving them a space to share their writing. Her book, inspired by her divorce, will be available for pre-order on November 1.
The Science Writing Revolution’s goal is two-fold: close the opportunity gap in publishing and reduce the mental health and resource cost of writing papers.
Social impact leader and mentor, Macauley Kenney, shares her journey through MIT, her experience as an entrepreneur, and how she became COO at one of today’s leading global health startups, SurgiBox, Inc.
Tell Me More Gifts is on a mission to make gift-giving better - meaningful, local, and eco-friendly.
Rachel Abady, the co-founder of the Manna Cooking app is a media guru, and she’s ready to revolutionize how we use cooking apps.
In difficult times, we look up to visionaries who can transform hurt into positive change. Rosie Myers, the creator of Resistance Fashion, is one of those visionaries.
Activists
You’re probably a philanthropist, you just don’t realize it.
The Science Writing Revolution’s goal is two-fold: close the opportunity gap in publishing and reduce the mental health and resource cost of writing papers.
Social impact leader and mentor, Macauley Kenney, shares her journey through MIT, her experience as an entrepreneur, and how she became COO at one of today’s leading global health startups, SurgiBox, Inc.
In difficult times, we look up to visionaries who can transform hurt into positive change. Rosie Myers, the creator of Resistance Fashion, is one of those visionaries.
Meet three women who sprung to action to help their local communities face the COVID-19 pandemic and the organization that equipped them with the resources for lasting change.
Indie actress Callie Gilbert discusses her journey to acting and, now that she’s here, picking roles that matter for humanity.
Meet the poet who’s donating 100% of her poetry collection’s proceeds to COVID-19 relief efforts.
Sherin Ali shares her inspiring story of personal resilience, grit in the face of the U.S.’s painstaking immigration laws, and the launch of Mokha. Inspired by Black leaders in her community, she’s creating limited edition Radical Self-Care Boxes featuring the products of Black creatives. With each purchase, 1 box will be sent to a Black Chicago activist doing justice work on the front lines.
Multi-passionate entrepreneur, Alisha Small, shares her journey of personal resilience, how she turned an idea into a successful business, and why we should all invest in our personal development.
Meet HarperSage, a fashion brand with a cause: human trafficking.
Casandra Chesser is a freelance reporter who recently published her debut novel, Rising Water.