Portraits of Baltimore

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Baltimore.

Alston Taggart

Growing up in Winston-Salem, NC, I was surrounded by the arts and encouraged to explore dance, music, drawing, and sewing by both my wildly creative mother and a lovely neighbor who is a harpist.This led me to studying Art History and Fine Arts at UNC – Chapel Hill, where I spent many long and happy nights pulling prints and painting in the art building. Read more>>

Minji Nam Atticus Mellor-Goldman

My husband Atticus and I met at a small school in Georgia, where he was studying cello at a school of 25 students– a strings only conservatory called the McDuffie Center for Strings. I came to the school to work as a staff pianist and we met while he was in his last year of undergrad. Read more>>

Dana Scarton

I spent over 25 years working as a journalist. I covered everything from local government, Olympic sports, physical fitness and western healthcare. My work appeared in The Pittsburgh Press, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Washington Post, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, and Washingtonian Magazine. Read more>>

April Taylor

The Woman Behind the Lens + Studio 47 For 14 years, I’ve had the joy of capturing life’s most meaningful moments as a wedding and portrait photographer. What started as a small home studio has grown into something I only dreamed of—Starrella Photography and, more recently, Studio 47, a natural-light creative space for myself and an inspiring community of photographers. Read more>>

Dr. Damilola Ajongbolo

I’ve always been a problem-solver by default. Even as a kid, I was constantly buying, selling, and trading, I loved the mechanics of systems and exchange. That instinct to fix things naturally pulled me toward healthcare. I originally planned on medical school, but as I matured, I realized that my best flow state wasn’t in the high-trauma environments like surgical settings. Read more>>

Marian Lally

As someone who has craved movement since childhood, I migrated from a life-time of ballet to fitness with my certification in Group Exercise in my late 20s. Seeing the need to give one-on-one instruction after leading group classes for years, I became certified as a Personal Trainer while managing group fitness programs at multiple gyms in the Silver Spring MD area. Read more>>

Wilfred Rodríguez

My journey into filmmaking started way before I ever picked up a camera. Growing up in Puerto Rico, movies completely pulled me in. My parents would take me to the theater whenever they could, and at home I’d spend hours watching films while my dad was at work and my mom was busy around the house. Read more>>

Jeffery Lorenzo Williams

Jeffery Lorenzo Williams is a highly accomplished keynote speaker, author, real estate broker, and entrepreneur based in New York. He is the creative force behind the shoe and fashion brand JLORENZO, and also serves as a Legal Finance Administrator at Colgate-Palmolive the company that gave him a brighter smile and brighter future. His life is a powerful testament to resilience and determination. Read more>>

Nick Impallaria

I started learning diesel truck repair with my uncle when I was 16 years old. Since then I have been perfecting my craft. I have worked in numerous shops over the years and had risen as high as a mechanic could go and decided I needed a change. I hit the ground running and began to build my clientele. Read more>>

Jermaine Nicholson

I was born and raised in Baltimore, where I always had a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit bubbling under the surface—even as a kid, I vaguely remember hustling candy bars in middle school to make some extra pocket money. Growing up, though, investing wasn’t something we talked about at home; it just wasn’t part of the conversation. Read more>>

Gbelley Taylor

My journey began with creativity as both an outlet and a lifeline. I immigrated to the United States as a child during the Liberian civil war. From an early age, I learned to adapt, observe, and make sense of even uncertain environments. Fashion became a way for me to express identity, confidence, and resilience. Read more>>

Le’Cheay Armstrong

The thought of my business was in the midst of the pandemic. There was a lot of uncertainty with a new virus going around and having to quarantine. At the time, I was receiving unemployment benefits and additional aid from my university. I knew that the money I was receiving wouldn’t last forever so I decided to use this additional income to start a business. Read more>>

Brenda Waters

My journey has really been about service, growth, and helping people feel good from the inside out. I started my career in nursing 36 years ago, and that path led me into the United States Air Force, where I served for three decades. I worked in areas like neonatal intensive care, surgery, pediatrics, and eventually moved into medical leadership. Read more>>

Stacy Valentine

GRO for Change Foundation was born out of a need we saw in the disability community. Through our connections to the community through my daughter, who has Down Syndrome, I met amazing people who I could see were not provided with the rich, meaningful, engaging opportunities they deserved. Read more>>

Julie Heath

A group of fourteen local artists, who have displayed and sold their artwork in other local galleries, got together to form their own cooperative in 2024. They created the Annapolis Art Cooperative, doing business as the Annapolis Pearl Gallery—a brick and mortar store at 32 West Street in Annapolis. Read more>>

Linda Aluoch

I’m a certified Human Rights and Anti-Trafficking Consultant, and the Founder of HopeWorks Global. This work is deeply personal to me not just a professional field, but a mission born from my own lived experiences. Every initiative is rooted in my journey, and in a deep commitment to protect, empower, and restore dignity to those often forgotten. Read more>>

Noah Lichtig

I started Gulp Fitness 4 years ago as a part time student looking to help people with their health and fitness. Over these past 4 years, I was able to learn more about health and fitness. I used my knowledge to help clients achieve their goals. I have met so many people who have helped me grow my business! Read more>>

Joanne Woo

Make and Munch was created to fill a gap in the Northern Virginia event scene. As an experienced event planner, I saw that traditional catering often lacked interaction, while activities felt disconnected from the overall guest experience. I wanted to create something that combined both in a way that felt intentional, polished, and fun. Read more>>

Johnny Martyr

As a young introvert, I developed a passion for mid-century photojournalism and stream-of-consciousness literature. I merged these interests by chasing candid moments with b&w film. In the early aughts, I exhibited urban still lifes and author portraits in various Baltimore, Frederick and New York art galleries. Read more>>

Miriam Rodriguez

Pop Pop Soda Shop started as a simple idea fueled by creativity, community, and a desire to build something of my own. In the beginning, I was serving drinks from a small setup with coolers and a folding table, showing up to local events and pop ups with no guarantees except my work ethic and a belief that people would love what we were creating. Read more>>

Stefanie Kamerman

I’ve always been a creative soul. My creative career began in high school, where I explored painting in electives. Paint was my first love affair, and from there, I dabbled with every medium. Eventually, I found a love of sewing and started my first boutique business selling indie baby items to modern moms. Read more>>

Khadee Roberts

I grew up in an environment where emotions were not named, processed, or modeled. Like many families navigating underprivileged circumstances, survival came first, and emotional awareness simply was not part of the conversation. The struggle was real, and we learned to keep moving without being shown how to channel the emotions and energy that naturally come with life’s challenges. Read more>>

Lakeisha Sprow

SIDC HOMES was founded from my passion for decorating spaces that are not only beautiful, but intentional and deeply functional. Early in my journey, I noticed that many clients felt forced to choose between strong, bold, and luxury design versus quality construction, and I believed my clients deserved both. That realization became the foundation for what SIDC HOMES is today. Read more>>

kay Swietkoski

Growing up I was always known as the artsy kid. I have expressed myself with creative outlets ever since I can remember. From drawing to painting, singing to cosplaying, art is a big part of who I am. Read more>>

Scott Janish

It’s an ‘Author-Meets-Author’ Connection.. Before they we were business partners, both Mike Tonsmeire and myself were prominent figures in the homebrewing community through their respective blogs and books: Mike Tonsmeire: Known as ‘The Mad Fermentationist,’ Mike wrote American Sour Beers and was a consultant for Modern Times in San Diego. Read more>>

Arielle Clopein

My story begins with personal experiences that have shaped who I am today. I am a person in long-term recovery. I say that first because none of the things I have in my life would have been possible without my recovery, so I make sure I stay very active in it. Read more>>

Vihang Dave

I knew as early as my college years that I wanted to build a business with my wife—who was my girlfriend at the time. We always shared the same vision of working for ourselves, creating something meaningful together, and having the freedom to shape our own path. Read more>>

Karen Weiner

Hi everyone my beauty journey began over 40 years ago with The Magic of Aloe I was the makeup girl working in home parties, my 1st year I was awarded Cosmetician. I wanted to learn more about the beauty industry so I attended Von Lee International School of Esthetics to become a licensed esthetician. Read more>>

Virginia Dixon

As is the founder and principal of Your Mortgage Genie LLC, a mortgage brokerage and financial literacy firm serving the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. But my journey into homeownership advocacy did not start in a traditional way—it started inside the very systems most consumers never see. Read more>>

Pixie windsor

opened my vintage shop, miss Pixie’s furnishings & whatnot in august of 1997 with only whatnots and furniture and art from my family storage. the space was 500 square feet and located in DC’s bohemian adams morgan area. business was exciting and i quickly started going to two auctions for merchandise to sell and hitting up a few artists to sell in the shop. Read more>>