We were fortunate to catch up with some brilliant artists, creatives and entrepreneurs from throughout the Houston area and they share the wisdom with us below.

Greear Webb | Law Student & Actionist

One of my favorite quotes comes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” This message, shared by Dr. King just two months before his death in 1968, guides much of my approach to life. As I strive to #LeadWithLove, I’ve come to understand that by holding onto hope, even when faced with life’s trauma and tribulations, we, as people, can triumph over tragedy and engage in the work necessary to better the lives of our friends, families, and, ultimately, our communities. Read more>>

Sonia Daptardar | Founder and CEO of Seeds of Reading | 10th Grader

One of my favorite quotes is “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” I first heard this in fifth grade, and it has since shaped the way I approach life. At the time, it was just a simple phrase, but as I’ve grown, I’ve realized how true it is. What I love about this quote is its call to action—dreams aren’t just about wishing or hoping for something to happen; they’re about actively working, persevering, and taking risks to turn them into reality. Read more>>

Haywood Craig | General Contractor & Entrepreneur

Haywood Craig, also known as LamarioStar, has achieved remarkable success as a millionaire, excelling not only as a general contractor and real estate developer but also as a professional recording artist signed to major labels such as Cash Money Records, Interscope Records, Def Jam, Think It’s a Game Records, Freebandz, Porter House Music Group, Atlantic Records, and currently ROC Nation. His journey began at the age of 13, inspired by his father, Earl Craig, a general contractor who founded a company in 1977. Read more>>

Dawn Reno Langley | Writer and Yoga Instructor

I became a writer at the young age of nine, publishing my first article in the local newspaper. That first publication led me to an early life as a freelance reporter and photographer. Traveling all over the country opened my eyes in many different ways, especially since I specialized in African American and Native American arts. I sold antiques during that time period, so I wrote for all of the antiques and collectibles magazines, then Crown Publishing contacted me to do a book on African American arts. They launched a long and fun career in writing books about antiques and the arts. Still, Ionged to write a novel, and after many published nonfiction books, I finally broke through, and Kensington published my first novel, All That Glitters. Read more>>

Cristal Ortiz | College Student & Content Creator

“Be patient, trust yourself and your grind.”
When progress is not immediate, many get frustrated. That frustration leads to a lack of motivation and eventually to a halt in grinding. You have to keep in mind that progress doesn’t happen overnight. A grinding mentality is one of the hardest things to maintain if it is not strong. It’s going to be steady progress when it comes to achieving your fitness goals. Don’t simply give up because you lack the patience to dedicate yourself to a long-term goal. Quitting a goal just because it can become a long process is not good enough. In my hometown gym, there’s a quote that says “If it was easy everybody would do it.” This is completely true. It is not an easy and fast process. It is up to you to be patient. Trust yourself and your grind. Read more>>

Kevin Maynor | Business Owner

There is always one thing you can find to smile about. Giving up is easy. You have to find reason to keep going. It’s worth it. For me, it’s knowing there’s such a brighter future once the storms pass. Read more>>

Tatyanna Navarro | Content creator

I think it’s very simple actually! If there’s no passion behind what you’re doing there’s no point of continuing but, if the passion is there, there’s no reason to stop doing what you love. Read more>>

Patrick Dougherty | Sculptor

It is a bit unusual for a sculptor to be asked by a museum, a botanical garden, or another like-minded organization to travel to its locale, find a space, and construct a sprawling temporary sculpture within its domain. It’s even more unlikely that the sculpture these institutions favor would be big works woven from piles of tree saplings gathered on nearby land. Further, this activity involves scores of local volunteers who work with the sculptor during the construction process. Read more>>

Sydney Russell | Graduate Student – Higher Education Administration

Because I want to have the most impact, I’m motivated to continuously improve myself professionally, socially, physically, and mentally. I surround myself with people who also are committed to growth for both themselves and people they care about. I regularly recruit feedback from these people for how I can handle a conversation better, how I can improve my public speaking skills, etc. I trust feedback from these people, so I always assume good intentions. Read more>>

J.m. Wallace | Fantasy Romance Author

I have always been a daydreamer. Since I was a kid, I would lose myself in stories and find my mind wandering throughout the day. As I grew up, I realized I had all of these amazing ideas, worlds, and characters just sitting in my head. And it wasn’t until I was an adult that I decided I wanted to do something with them. Read more>>

Ani Asanga | Abstract Artist

I chose an artistic career because I needed to create things that communicated withoit words. I’ve been making pieces since I was 5 and looking back on it, they all have a common theme: The need to say something that would usually need a whole book, or movie to say. I’ve made a few I’m extremely proud of and I’ll be showing them today, I didn’t think they’re what you’d expect. Read more>>