Where you grew up and your background can often have surprising effects on our lives and careers. We’ve asked folks from the community to tell us about how their background has affected them.

Alex Passakos | Bar, Club & Restaurant Owner and Co-Creator of the Holy Passakos Blonde Ale

I was born in Buffalo, NY to Greek immigrant parents. We moved to South Florida when I was 2 years old and I have been here ever since. My parents have owned diners (I know, Greeks owning a diner, such a cliche!) and I grew up working in them, which is where I learned about hospitality and how to deal with different personalities, both when it comes to guests and fellow co-workers. Read more>>

Angela Garcia | Relationship Coach

I was born in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba and immigrated with my mother, aunt, and grandparents to the United States when I was four years old. This journey was far from easy, leaving behind my father. I was not aware at that age how much my life was going to change, for the better. As young a immigrant I saw the challenges my family faced from language barriers to simply acculturating to a country 90 miles away from their beloved island. This motivated me to be everything they hoped I would become. Read more>>

Christopher Moore | Video Engineer, cameraman & video editor

I’m from a country in south America call Guyana and if you know about my country there is a lot of history and i was lucky enough to have a dad that was a photographer and watching him work made me want to become some who capture every moment of people life i got my first camera from my father then i wanted more so i start looking into video and that caught my attention more so i got into television production and love it and that made me who i am and what i do today Read more>>