Baltimore’s Most Inspiring Stories

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. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.

Jillian Parente

Healing is possible,’ is a mantra I composed when I initiated my profession as a Clinical Social Worker. Along this path, over the last 12 years, this affirmation has become more impactful; and, I have accumulated many additional roles, professionally and personally. Read more>>

Ember Fae

I’ve been a witch since I was 13. Talking to the ocean, the trees, the earth, definitely talking to animals. I went to vet school at 21 and kept my magic practice alive, mostly hidden in my bedroom because that felt safer than explaining it to anyone and I didn’t really feel like there was anyone I could connect to with the practice. Read more>>

Adam Kirr

Have always been interested in music. From an internship in college at Def Jam to working for Scott Weiland’s record label after college, I got a good sense of the business side of the industry early in my career. Eventually took marketing jobs in non-music related fields for much of the 2010’s and on the side co-produced the Charm City Bluegrass Festival. Read more>>

David Jacober

I began drumming at an early age, and later graduated from Towson University with a BA in Audio Production and Jazz Performance (percussion). Soon after, I formed a rock band with my best friend called “Dope Body”. We spent over a decade releasing music and touring mostly the US and Europe. Read more>>

Tavia Mick

My story didn’t begin with a business plan. It began in my grandmother’s kitchen on Christmas Eve. Every Christmas Eve, we baked cookies together for our entire family. It wasn’t just a holiday tradition, it was where I first fell in love with baking. Read more>>

Fawn Baranko

I’ve always had a passion for interior design, but I didn’t follow a traditional path to becoming an interior designer. Before launching my design career, I spent 20 years serving as a Navy nurse. Those years gave me a deep appreciation for people from all walks of life, each with unique needs, challenges and goals. Read more>>

DUSHYANT VISWANATHAN

Since starting in Columbia in 2012, we grew to open centers around the country, currently with 2 offices in Los Angeles, 1 in Charleston, SC, and we will be opening another in Temecula, CA this fall. We have a reputation as a chronic disease specialist, particularly in complex women’s health endocrinology Read more>>

Jeryl Cole

I was introduced to sales, customer service and entrepreneurship at a very young age. My family includes several inspiring entrepreneurs across many fields, providing me with a front-row seat to witness great ideas come together to launch successful businesses, such as bars, cell phone stores, carryout restaurants, and real estate ventures. Read more>>

Latosha Maddox

I grew up in Frederick Maryland, and always loved art and surrounded my life with it as long as i can remember. When i was in elementary school I got a summer scholarship to take an art class at the Delaplaine Art Center in, and thats where my love for art really bloomed. Read more>>

K Sarah Alickovic

Sarah has always had a passion for art in any form, taking many classes in as many mediums as she could. In highschool she took a ceramics class and instantly fell in love with the process. She graduated with excellence in sculpture and a focus in ceramics then took her passion for creation into the local makers market scene. Read more>>

Derek Torsani

Born in 1989, I became an artist in the 90’s with the backs of napkins as my canvas for drawing, tabletops and pens a medium for beat making. Around the turn of the millennium I borrowed a proper drum kit from a family friend. With it I started my first band, and with my dad built a website for our band in Adobe Dreamweaver. Read more>>

Leon Stanford

I’ve always believed that every person carries a story long before they know how to tell it. My own began with curiosity—about people, about culture, and about why some voices seem to echo across generations while others disappear before they’re ever truly heard. That curiosity eventually became Digital Empath Studios. Read more>>

NisaRenee Collins

I grew up in the beauty industry. My parents have always been by biggest inspirations . My mother, Renee Wiggs had been licensed since I’ve been in this world. I grew up working in her salons. Read more>>

Erin Detherage

My path has never been a straight line, and I think that’s what makes it meaningful. I grew up in Oklahoma, but it wasn’t until I moved to Northwest Arkansas that I truly found my place in music. The local music scene was incredibly accessible and I could walk to venues and see talented bands performing almost any night of the week. Read more>>

Shayn Green

I was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina and art has always been a huge part of my life. As a child I would draw the characters that were on my cereal boxes or in my favorite TV shows and that really sparked my love for art. Growing up there was an abundance of black artwork, entertainment, and music in our home. Read more>>

Janethe Peña

Founded in 1999 as part of the Latino Transitional Housing Partnership, DC Doors was created to help residents facing homelessness and economic instability access housing and the support needed to rebuild their lives. In 2010, the organization launched as an independent nonprofit after securing funding for a new program, marking a major moment of growth and expanding what DC Doors could offer to the community. Read more>>

TaKeyia Dickens

The Assembly DC was born from a simple belief: events should do more than bring people together—they should build community, create opportunities, and leave a lasting impact. After spending years producing large-scale events and leading community partnerships for organizations like the National Cherry Blossom Festival, I realized there was a gap in the industry. Read more>>

Jheen Oh

Susosu Water started with a simple question – Why has something as essential as water become so dry (Haha)? As we looked around the market, we noticed that many brands were built around clever marketing rather than meaningful innovation! On one end were purified tap waters packaged as ‘premium products’. Read more>>

Jay Lawrence

Jay Lawrence’s journey to Combat Zone 360 didn’t begin on a comedy stage—it began on the battlefield. After serving 21 years in the U.S. Army, including combat deployments that earned him a Purple Heart, Jay retired believing he would finally have time to enjoy life. Instead, like many Veterans, he found himself struggling with a loss of purpose. Read more>>

Christopher Munoz

I am a lifelong avid photographer who received my first camera to capture images of my fishing adventures in my younger days. Read more>>

Nicole Johnson

I have been an artist since I was a child, participating in art shows, designing flyers and posters, and learning art history as early as elementary school. As a child I worked in graphite, acrylic paint, and oil pastel. Read more>>

Neil Feldman

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was introduced to piano at a young age and studied at the Peabody Preparatory Conservatory, where I developed a strong musical foundation. In the late ’90s I fell in love with rock music, picked up the guitar, and spent my college years playing in bands and writing songs. Read more>>

Dr Monica Riley

I’m excited to be here in this space with you! This year – 2026 – Dr. Monica’s Natural Beauty is Celebrating A Decade of Excellence! So, get comfortable and join me as we illuminate pathways to Self-Care mastery, together! Allow me to introduce myself. I Am Dr. Monica Riley, MD and I am the award-winning founder of Dr. Monica’s Natural Beauty, LLC! Read more>>

London Epiphany

First and foremost, I am where I am today because of the grace of God. My journey actually started when I was 5 years old. My dad enrolled me in Tae Kwon Do so I could learn self-defense, and I trained for 11 years. During that time, I also ran track, studied visual arts in school, and discovered my love for dance. Read more>>

Elyse Dworin

With a background in special education and nearly 20 years in the classroom, I’ve spent my career working closely with students who learn differently. After having my second child, I reached a point where I knew I needed a change. Read more>>

Santana Dawson

Girlhood Journals, Is a community for girls founded by girls. Read more>>

Ishmael Wilson

My journey into dry cleaning really started with prayer. Years ago, I was asking God to lead me into a business that could survive the ups and downs of the economy. I wanted something that people would always need, regardless of what was happening financially. Read more>>

Robert Atkinson

Note: this is from a zine I published a few years ago, so it’s a bit long. How I Became @Baltimore.Saltbox I grew up where snow came in two categories: real and lake effect. Don’t ask me to tell you the difference because I can’t. Read more>>

Malik Pinkney

Malik ‘Coach’ Pinkney is a broadcaster, media executive, musician, and community builder whose career spans traditional radio, satellite broadcasting, digital streaming, podcasting, and TikTok LIVE. He has produced and hosted two #1-rated radio shows in the Washington, D.C. Read more>>

Shawnta Warfield

I’ve spent much of my career in public service, working in budgeting and finance while also pursuing opportunities that allow me to connect with people and make an impact in my community. Looking back, one of the common threads throughout my journey has been a love for bringing people together. Read more>>

Eboni Jackson

I’ve always loved esthetics even as a teenager. In high school, I’d be in the back of the classroom doing me and my friends make up. I still remember getting my first facial at 19, being super inquisitive throughout the service, and by the end asking the esthetician her title and how to learn and become the same thing. Read more>>

Gary A. Royster

I can still hear my deceased father’s voice, “Buy a truck, Gary, you can always make money!!” I’m Gary A. Royster, owner of Je Transporte. I have used my dad’s words as a catalyst to jumpstart my property preservation & renovation business. After many years of battling alcoholism and addiction alongside my father, I’ve overcame adversity. Read more>>

Jada Imani M

After years of being called a drama queen, my mother put me in acting classes at the age of 10. The more I learned, the more my love for acting grew. I learned the basics of projection, staying in character, memorization, and enunciation. Fast forward to the next year, I auditioned for Thomas Pullen with the hope of joining the Drama program. Read more>>

Eric Gilmore

I’ve always enjoyed bringing people together. Whether it was through music, event rentals, or now an event venue, it’s always been about creating experiences that people will remember. My path has been anything but traditional. After serving in the U.S. Army, I built a career in Human Resources while continuing to pursue my passion as a professional DJ. Read more>>

Amy Hooper

I always knew I wanted to help people. There is so much suffering in this world, so any difference I could make by giving back seemed like my path forward. Read more>>

Deborah Kevin

Leaving a lucrative corporate career is one of those decisions that looks brave in retrospect and feels like freefall in the moment. I walked away from a Six Sigma Black Belt title, a steady paycheck, and a professional identity I’d spent years building—and I did it to care for my family. There was no dramatic pivot plan. There was just love, and necessity, and a whole lot of figuring it out as I went. Read more>>

Candace Parrish

I began my cosmetology career in 2006 in Frederick, MD. I relocated to Baltimore in 2008 and have been in Baltimore ever since. I started Down the Aisle in Style Wedding Hair and Makeup in 2014. I opened Charm City Hair Studio in 2016. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this July! Read more>>