The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.
Jay Star Forever
I’m originally from Grenada, Mississippi, but Memphis is where I really grew as an artist. I started making music back in 2009, teaching myself how to record and write songs that mix smooth R&B melodies with storytelling and rap influences. At first, I was doing everything on my own—writing, recording, and figuring out how to get my music heard. Read more>>
Kaylyn Sonae Norman
Since childhood, I have always been passionate about beauty. I grew up with a collection of nail polish, changing my nails almost every other day, and that early love for creativity led me toward my career path. After graduating from high school, I immediately knew that doing nails was what I wanted to pursue. Just eight months after starting out from my first studio apartment, I was able to leave my job and transition into doing nails full-time. Read more>>
Andrea Kirksey
It all started with a little cosmetic bag — just a few nail tools and polishes I used to practice on friends and family. Back then, I had no idea it would turn into something bigger. I decided to go to nail school while working a full-time job and finishing college — and honestly, it was a lot. Read more>>
Asia (ADUBB) Wilson
So I started out practicing music singing in the church choir (Mt. Olive CME in Mississippi) with my family. Mainly there with my mama and my grandma. My dad was also an inspiration. I would listen to his floppy disk tracks that he would produce. Fast forward; I picked up the trumpet in middle school in 6th grade and been stuck with it since. Read more>>
Toni Williams
I started in corporate admin and planning 38 years ago. I traveled internationally doing meetings and events. I moved from corporate to a local private golf club (Spring Creek Ranch). There, I was able to start their event program. We began with rehearsal dinners for members and grew to do many weddings, corporate events, rehearsal dinners and golf tournaments including the Danny Thomas Celebrity Tournament. Read more>>
Kejuan SparksA
Well basically I created the name sjerio in 2020 it took me 5 years to drop the clothing line due too life changes and just losing family members and having kids but I always knew what I wanted to do and I always knew I loved clothes. I love getting dressed feeling good. Read more>>
Kristian Jackson
When I was pregnant with my son, I became passionate about pregnancy and birth. I dove into research, wanting to be educated and informed so I could have the smoothest birth possible. For the first time, I learned the word ‘doula’. When I learned what a doula would do for me, I knew I had to have one. Read more>>
Tonia Howell
Most of my career, I have been in similar roles. I worked in fundraising, marketing, and communication for a large, local private school, then worked in marketing and sales at a local medical device company, and here I am, at the Arlington Chamber, where I have been able to use all of those skills in what I do every day. Read more>>
Syng Saikou
I’ve always said music chose me before I chose it. Growing up in Memphis , a city with such a rich history of soul, blues, and R&B , I was surrounded by music that carried both pain and beauty. As a child, I found myself writing songs and melodies as a way to express feelings I couldn’t always say out loud. Read more>>
Rattlesnake Betty
I grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, making art on the back porch with my mom. We’d use whatever we had on hand—magazines, glue, glitter—and I loved how those simple projects turned into something meaningful. That joy of creating never left me. As I got older, life took me to Memphis, where I embraced the name Rattlesnake Betty. Read more>>
Kaitlyn Brown
Katie Beth Activewear began with a simple bit of encouragement to follow my dreams — to be a place were women could get, comfortable and affordable activewear that helps them feel confident and strong in every season of life. Read more>>
Andrea Baird, M.S., Executive MBA
My story really began long before I ever held a title or had a career. It began with learning how to survive and persevere. I experienced homelessness and instability at a young age, and those early challenges could have easily written my story for me. Read more>>
Christine Stella
I have always loved travel and really enjoyed booking my family’s travel – down to the smallest detail. Soon family and friends had asked me to help them because they knew I loved researching travel. My husband said I should be paid for all this work I do so I joined a travel agency in 2019. Read more>>
Michael Jones
Growing up in Houston, Texas, life was anything but simple.. Raised by a single mother alongside two sisters and a brother, he quickly noticed the differences between his home life and that of his classmates. “Most of the kids I knew had both their parents around,” he recalls. Read more>>
David Morris
I started training Jiu-Jitsu in 1995 as a Junior in High School in Fort Wayne, IN. All throughout my childhood I played traditional team sports. A lower leg injury ended my Junior year basketball season. I saw an advertisement on T.V. for a local Jiu-Jitsu program. After a few classes, I was hooked. Read more>>
