Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Allison Pittser | Social Media Strategist + Coach

I am from here in Arizona. I was actually born in Flagstaff but was brought to Phoenix at a young age. My dad was a general contractor by day and a local musician by night and my mom owned a home cleaning business. I never really knew what it was like to have a parent who worked a “normal” job, with a “normal” schedule. It’s second nature to me to have some type of freedom with life, and anytime I have been placed in a setting where I have to be in an office, or work a set 9-5 schedule, I am bored out of my mind. Read more>>

Nicholas Hyche | Owner/Operator

I was born and raised into a military family. Both my mother and father were in the US Air Force. Because of this, I had the opportunity to live in some pretty cool places that standard Americans would only think about visiting. I was born in San Antonio Texas, only there long enough to move out to Crete Greece. Moved back to San Angelo Texas for a spell, then moved to Ohio before heading to Frankfurt Germany for four years. There, we lived off base in a town called Dietzenbach. Read more>>

Priscilla Mora | Esthetician & Laser Technician

I was born and raised in Arizona. My upbringing was founded on striving for ambition, inclusivity, and empathy. I think anyone with immigrant parents or with an immigrant background can relate to ambition being embedded into our brains since we were young kids. Now that I am getting older, I am creating a new definition of the word ambitious. It’s that it isn’t always the values of life but instead the values YOU put into life. Read more>>

Safiyyah` Johnson | Former 28 Year Special Education Instructor turned owner and operator of Sofreshsmells LLC

As an Arizona Native, I believe their is a rich history of stories yet to be told. Locally, they are common knowledge but the world has yet to hear its tale. My parents are the product of the Okemah community. This community migrated west from Oklahoma looking for opportunity and never ceased. Upon arrival in what is now known as Scottsdale Arizona, they built a strong network farmers, churches, and businesses. As both my parents were a part of this community they instilled in me a sense of pride and passion for family, freedom and ingenuity.. It took me retiring from teaching to build Off-Grid shipping container homes on family land in Luling, TX (where my mother was born) to realign my focus for me and my posterity. That freedom lead to Sofreshsmells LLC Natural Products. Read more>>

Sherry Shahriari | Mom, Social Media Content Creator, Blogger & Business Women

I grew up in Iran/Tehran. I moved to the United States when I was 22 years old. Living and growing up in a different culture was a wonderful experience. My father attended graduate school in 1970s in the United States. He was a businessman and entrepreneur in Iran, and I grew up watching his example and amazing work ethic. I followed my father’s lead and obtained an MBA in United States in 2004. I immediately knew that I wanted to be in business for myself and created a retail business specializing in Italian designer shoes and handbags which I had for 13 years. I started my social media platforms within this retail business. In 2019 we closed the retail business and I converted those social platforms into my personal blog about lifestyle, home décor, fashion and travel. Read more>>