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.

Lee Conderacci

I’ve been into theatre and storytelling since I was a kid. I used to devise and direct plays with other kids in my neighborhood and present them for whichever parents, friends, and pets would watch. I loved acting in school plays and doing theatre classes and summer camps from elementary school through college, and I loved the community and collaboration among artists. I studied theatre and also dramatic literature, and I began to appreciate theatre as a mode of social engagement and political activism. Read more>>

Quiyantae Cole

My name is Quiyantaé Cole– formally known as Kiki. I was born and raised in West Baltimore, Maryland. For as long as I can remember, I always had a passion for and talent in multiple avenues of creativity such as cosmetology, music, poetry, clothing design, cooking, mental health advocation and business management. Read more>>

STEEZA

From a multimedia lens, I can genuinely say I’ve been doing the same things my entire life, just on different scales. I’ve been making music since a child, drawing & designing since a child, etc. Read more>>

Tiffany Watson

My journey in the beauty industry began in 2009 and has grown into a career centered around helping women feel confident, polished, and effortlessly put together. After graduating from George Mason University, I became a licensed esthetician and continued expanding my education in lashes, brows, and permanent makeup. Read more>>

Caitlin DeSantis & Nicholas Thomas

Mount Royal Studios grew from a shared love of interiors, art, travel, and the stories that objects carry. Caitlin has always had a natural eye for design and curation, while Nick’s background is in buying, merchandising, retail strategy, and brand building. Read more>>

Cedric ced boogie Arno

For more than three decades, Cedric “Ced Boogie” Arno has worked at the intersection of Hip Hop, media, history, health, and community engagement. His journey began with Music Mania Television in 1995, using television and independent media to document artists, amplify community voices, and preserve stories often overlooked by mainstream outlets. Read more>>

Donesha Holmes

I started doing hair when I was a young single mother. In the beginning, it was really just something I loved to do. Hair was my creative outlet, and I enjoyed making people feel beautiful and confident. At that time, I never imagined that something I considered a hobby would eventually become the career that changed my life. Read more>>

Vann Vega

Formerly known as Vybesoul! Vann Vega released his first song ‘Lost’ on soundcloud 2017. fast forward 9 years Vann has been working on refining the way music is consumed as equally working on his new latin album with his lates release ‘RMPC EP’ featuring his late grandfather Papo Vega and world of RICALALA. Read more>>

Eugenia Ciotola

My story with art really began in childhood when, as my mom remembers, I could spend hours drawing with colored pencils. I especially loved blue because it reminded me of the sky. My teachers always noticed my artwork, and I had a bit of a reputation as a child who saw the world in her own particular way. Read more>>

Ibrahim Khalil

My name is Ibrahim Ahmad Khalil, and I am the CEO and Owner of Vex Auto Maryland, a professional car detailing and vehicle protection company serving customers throughout Maryland. I started detailing while I was still in high school, originally as a way to help my family financially and become more independent. Read more>>

Jasmine Jackson

I started coaching by actually starting my personal weight loss journey . I lost 75 pounds during Covid and after that I started helping other women lose weight during my process . I’ve conducted free online classes it was such a fun time for me . I was working in project management and ended up quitting both jobs I had at the time as well. Read more>>

Chris Baldwin

Chris and Holly Baldwin met in college at Georgia Southern University in 2002. They were active in the theatre community and were in a Spanish play called Blood Wedding where Chris was the lead role and Holly was Maiden #6. Read more>>

lawrence moore

Basically I started. My turning all My natural talents in to profit taken on everything I love. As a passion. And turning my life into my own reality. I started developing. Consistent clients. Here in my city. With certain hairstyles. This was going on for 15 years. Within each year I elevated and. I longer was doing kitchen hair styles. Read more>>

Sydney Long

I grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, where I had been drawing and making comics since I was very young all the way into high school. I never really considered any other avenues for careers aside from visual art. It was the skill that I dedicated myself to above all else and had very strong tunnel vision in that sense. Read more>>

Waxbando

I started shooting during the Snowpocalypse in Prince George’s County. We were snowed out of school for two weeks with damn near 28 inches of snow. I was a junior or senior at Oxon Hill High School, and my favorite class was Graphic Design, taught by a legend, Mr. Young. Read more>>

Dominique

I started creating content when I become a nail tech and short after that I got pregnant with my son in 2021. I was tired of doing nails but I want to keep making content, but I didn’t know what to post about. I was always interested in fashion, and I loved the camera ! Read more>>

Cari Harris

My story has been anything but linear. I started my career in finance and analytics, working in environments like Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, where I developed a strong foundation in economics, data, project management, and understanding how organizations operate. Over time, though, I realized that the work I found most meaningful was helping people and organizations take ideas and actually build something from them. Read more>>

Ashley

My story started with my friends – they kept telling me I had an eye for fashion and self-care, and honestly, they wouldn’t let up until I started sharing it! Around that same time, I was navigating my own pixie cut journey and started documenting the styling and maintenance tips I was learning along the way. Read more>>

Samar Brackett

I am a dedicated and driven professional with a strong work ethic and a passion for growth, leadership, and creating opportunities for myself. I have focused on building real-world experience and developing skills that have prepared me for long-term success. I started SB Jet Ski Rentals from the ground up. Read more>>

Guoguo Ji

I was born and raised in Beijing, and drawing had always been a natural part of my childhood. My family kept a drawing board at home for me to scribble on, and I took different art classes growing up—including a period of studying traditional drawing in elementary school, which I found pretty boring at the time. Read more>>

Alex Weinberger

AL99, pronounced “AL Nine-Nine”, is a multi-potentialite artist who is redefining the boundaries of Hip-Hop with a style that transcends convention. His music is not just a sound—it’s an experience. By seamlessly blending his talents as a lyricist, performer, instrumentalist, and producer, AL99 turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Read more>>

Brandon Kanion

My creative journey began as a child, tucked away beneath my grandmother’s paisley-printed, plastic-covered couch. With my sketchbook serving as a pillow, I would fall asleep drawing superheroes and building a world of my own—a necessary escape for a kid who felt like a misfit in this world. Read more>>

Heather Hayden

I started very small. My son Cole was just born and I was trying to find a way to make money while still taking care of him. When he would go to sleep each night, I would go live on Instagram and sell my personal crystals. It took off and I met so many cool people. Read more>>

Deshawn Barnes

I never looked to be a photographer. I started out just doing video in 2022. Everything started with my iPhone XR. Block parties, baby showers, proms — if somebody needed a video, I was willing to pull up and make it happen. My first official gig was for a close friend’s grand opening of a car wash. Read more>>

Nioby Monroe

My journey has really been about turning my creativity into a career and continuously finding new ways to evolve. I started in modeling and content creation because I’ve always loved beauty, fashion, storytelling, and being in front of the camera. What started as a passion gradually became something I realized I could build a business around. Read more>>

Jan Figueroa

My name is Jan Figueroa and I am a photographer for Under Armour’s professional running teams, I started photography as a hobby in college just to capture moments with friends but as a collegiate runner for 6 years, I quickly began to gravitate towards photographing cross country, track, and road races. Read more>>

Jesse Wales

I first became interested in playing music as a youth and met my creative partner and co-founder of Tha Muthafunkaholx Ebon Phoenix at Brandeis University where we both majored in music and history and sociology. Read more>>

Pamela Jenkins

If I could title the past years of my life, I would call it, ‘A Continuous Route To The Manifestation Of Purpose.’ My story, regarding my purpose in life, actually began when I was 25 years old. Read more>>

Patrice Davis

I started Blended Skincare in 2022, but the idea was born when my daughters began experiencing extremely dry skin and eczema. I wanted to explore other options before relying heavily on the steroid based treatments that were prescribed. I began to research ingredients and experiment with different formulas at home, simply trying to create something that would help their skin. Read more>>

Tyson Holmes

My journey started with a genuine passion for barbering and wanting to turn something I enjoyed into a career and eventually a business. In the beginning, I was focused mainly on improving my craft—learning how to give better haircuts, becoming more consistent, and building relationships with every client who sat in my chair. Read more>>

Dr. Shavona L. Whitehead

My story is one of faith, transformation, perseverance, and an unwavering “yes” to God. I am Dr. Shavona L. Whitehead, affectionately known as Dr. Von, an ordained preacher, senior pastor, certified life, empowerment and confidence coach, mentor, author, nonprofit founder, and spiritual midwife. Read more>>

Abigail Kuehl

I’ve been a hairstylist for over 20 years, and before starting ANTIDOTE Hair Care, I owned a salon. I was using some of the best professional products in the industry, but I kept seeing my clients struggle with the same issues, dry and irritated scalps, hair breakage, and sensitivities to all the fragrance found in haircare products. Read more>>

Andrew James

My journey with Charles Village Chess really started with my own love for chess and the community that comes with it. As I became more involved in the Baltimore chess scene—as a player, coach, and tournament director—I started to see how much demand there was for a consistent, welcoming place where people could simply come together and play. Read more>>

Dani Singer

Dani Singer, CEO of Fit2Go Personal Training, started the company to provide premier Baltimore in-home personal training designed specifically for fitness for busy professionals. We bring customized fitness and nutrition coaching directly to our clients’ homes, making healthy living convenient and sustainable for anyone with a demanding schedule. Read more>>

Gersha PORTER

I immigrated to Baltimore from Guyana, South America when I was just four years old. My family of five arrived with hope and determination, but not much everye. We lived with my grandparents at first—three generations under one roof, sharing space, sharing meals, and sharing the dream of stability. Eventually, we moved out and began renting. Read more>>

Danny Dekay

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Zhanna (Zee) Thompson

The foundation: My journey through arts, creativity and ultimately, jewelry making , began as a child. I was blessed to have inspiration from family at a young age – from my grandmothers, to aunties, uncles, cousins and even my grandfather, who was an artist of many avenues. Read more>>

Marlo Goode

My story really began with a love for creativity. After high school, I started in cosmetology, which introduced me to the world of beauty, fashion, and transformation. I eventually moved to New York to study fashion, and that experience opened my eyes to how powerful fashion could be as a form of self-expression, storytelling, and business. Read more>>

Tamara Jones

I’ve spent more than twenty years in information technology. I’ve worked across the spectrum of it, and today I’m a cybersecurity manager. My career has been built around standards, verification, and proving that something is what it claims to be. Skincare came later, and it came personally. Read more>>

Lisa Mathews

I’m 66, and I’ve been self-employed most of my adult life. For a few years that meant voiceovers — I was the voice of Pandora jewelry’s “Those unforgettable moments’ and Giant Foods’ “Fresh Ideas”. But the joy has always been singing. It’s what I always wanted to do. As a little girt, all my Barbies were in famous bands or wannabes in the audience. Read more>>

Carter Phillips

I’ve always considered myself to be someone with a creative mind. Throughout school I changed what I wanted to do quite a few times, but it was always something within the arts. I’m now a senior in college and I’ve been trying to set myself up for a good career once I graduate. Read more>>

Garry Cohen

We’ve been together nearly 40 years and wine has always been our beverage of choice. About 25 years ago, during a visit to the Finger Lakes wine region, we were inspired while enjoying a glass of wine and decided to create a winery. Read more>>

Chanele Ramos

In 2022 I learned about Thai BL (Boys’ Love) Tv series from my oldest daughter. There was a show in particular called Kinnporsche that she wanted me to watch. I kept saying no until December 2022 I finally gave it a chance, and it blew my mind. Read more>>

The Fisher Girls

We began our musical journey in elementary school and church. Now professional gospel recording artists, we have built a successful career highlighted by a feature in Ebony Magazine, Grammy consideration, and the inclusion of our song ‘Narrow Way’ in the Fruit Bearing Studios film The Company You Keep. Read more>>

Tyrik McClellan

My life working in fashion began with my first retail position and going to a high school with a uniform. Given we has uniforms my friends and I began finding ways to really make our uniforms stand out daily. Also reflecting on how much my time at Lincoln University changed my whole view on clothing and culture. Read more>>

Cliodhna Prendergast

My parents owned and ran a small country house hotel by the sea in Connemara , in the west of Ireland. I grew up there and loved spending time in the kitchen. I was the pastry chef for many years. I studied Arts in university in Cork and then went straight back to cooking. Read more>>

DeAndre Daniels

I wouldn’t see my Mother for another 45 day’s after that because I had to stay with my Grandparents on the fear I could get sick from my Parent’s. I see why I am so close to my Grandparents. My Grandmother said my Grandfather cried like a baby when I was in the hospital. She said that I meant the world to him, first grandchild and a boy he was very proud. Read more>>

Freddie Irby

Clueless to all things running, I began my running journey in earnest in 2010 by slow-jogging around Washington, DC in Reebok Classics and cotton sweatpants. However, by years end I completed my first marathon (Marine Corps Marathon) and was surprised to learn how much I had taken to the sport. Read more>>