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.

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>>

Marcella Jackson

My Story: From Service to Purpose I was born and raised in Baltimore City, Maryland, to the late Pastor Victor B. Jackson Sr. and Lady Darlene M. Jackson. From an early age, my parents instilled in me the values of faith, hard work, education, perseverance, and service to others. Those principles would become the foundation upon which I built my life and career. Read more>>

Dr. Michael H. Forde

My dad is from Saint Lucia, my mom is from Dominica. I was born in Brooklyn, but we moved to North Carolina when I was around five, so that’s really where I grew up. And like a lot of kids from immigrant families, I watched the people around me navigate systems that were not built with them in mind. Healthcare was one of them. Read more>>

Mishawn Conyers

My name is Mishawn Conyers, and before life changed overnight, I was a working mom trying to build a stable future for my son, Zamari. I’ve always been passionate about helping people, creating content, and building something meaningful, but I never imagined my purpose would be shaped through one of the hardest seasons of my life. In 2025, Zamari was diagnosed with autism. Read more>>

BarZenTino

My journey started in Washington, D.C., but I was raised between Baltimore City and Severn, Maryland. Growing up, I was surrounded by hardworking people who taught me resilience, but I also saw firsthand how limited opportunities can shape entire communities. From an early age, I knew I wanted to build something bigger than myself. Music became my first outlet. Read more>>

Mike Keller

Photography has always been a part of my life, but over the years it evolved from simply taking pictures into documenting places and traditions that deserve to be remembered. Read more>>

Erika Dorsey

My journey into financial literacy started from both personal experience and professional exposure. Growing up, financial literacy was not something that was intentionally taught in my home. I watched my parents who were well-educated and had decent jobs still struggle financially, not because they lacked intelligence or work ethic, but because they were never given the tools or knowledge to manage money successfully. Read more>>

Rodney Elliott

My artistic journey has always been about movement and challenging the way we perceive space. It began with a technical foundation—harnessing the precision of 3D modeling and photogrammetry to explore form and structure. Specifically, I use 3D models to generate my own reference images, allowing me to precisely control every aspect of light and composition before I ever pick up a brush or tool. Read more>>

iliana quander

i was born in the bronx (ny) and raised in washington, d.c. i went to college in atlanta, ga and returned to dc after some years. i was in dc for about 5 years before i shifted to ny to learn fashion. Read more>>

Simon Atapan

We always love a great AYCE concept but couldn’t really find the one we like, especially in DC area. Once we did some research, we found that there is no AYCE sushi concept in DC. This made us wanted to create an AYCE sushi place in DC that offers highest quality sushi, ‘MADE BY ORDER’, that’s how we started Sushi Sato. Read more>>

Sierra Morgan

My story started with caregiving, resilience, and learning how to keep showing up even when life looked completely different than I expected. At 24, I became a caregiver for my great-grandmother, Nana, after she had a fall. Read more>>

Farris Ismati

Back in October 2024, I (Farris Ismati) originally came up with the concept of making a Middle Eastern inspired seltzer while I was brainstorming side hustles. I’m a software engineer by trade and have worked at Spotify since October 2021, helping build out Spotify’s ads infrastructure. Read more>>

Keonna Bayone

In 2016, while still living at home with my mom in Louisiana and a senior in high school, I decided to start my hair business. I was working on a budget and couldn’t really afford to hire a graphic designer. Throughout school, I was a big nerd and always into technology. I took multiple computer and typing classes. Read more>>

Alicia Pugh

My journey in childcare started long before I ever imagined owning two successful programs. I began by working alongside my mother as her co-provider. During that time, I learned firsthand what it meant to care for children, support families, manage a program, and build something meaningful within the community. Read more>>

Theo Jones

I got started initially as telemedicine business in late 2018, it was video visits only I was still working inpatient during the day so I needed a flexible business path. Read more>>

Ni’jae Mcrae

I grew up learning to adapt and work through challenges. Along the way, I’ve had to overcome setbacks that taught me resilience, responsibility, and the importance of staying focused on my goals. Recently, I’ve been rebuilding after a difficult period in my life, and it’s motivated me to create a more stable future for myself and my family. Read more>>

Alexander D’Agostino

I grew up in Syracuse New York and moved to Baltimore in 2005 to study painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art and have been here ever since. I was heavily involved in performance events in the city like Transmodern Festival, Akimbo Dance Fest, Light City, LabBodies Performance events. Read more>>

Tanesha Davis

I’ve always appreciated how a small part can make a significant contribution towards something greater. I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures. But it’s also about freezing moments in time. I really took a dive into photography after my grandmother on my mother’s side passed away and even though we were extremely close, I didn’t have any pictures of her and I together as an adult. Read more>>

Ashley Ball

I’ve been a maker and artist my whole life, but when it came to planning my future, I thought I should make a sensible decision and sideline art as a hobby and go into STEM. After graduating with a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, I found myself searching for jobs and having an absolutely horrible time of it. Read more>>

Mark Reed

Since 2012, Shining Star Photo Booth has been perfecting the art of capturing smiles and creating unforgettable memories for weddings and events across Baltimore and Northern Maryland. Founded by Mark Reed, a veteran of the events industry with extensive experience executing corporate photo activations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, our full-time dedication means we bring unparalleled expertise and passion to every celebration. Read more>>

Camellia Bollino Doyle

For almost two decades, I had been doing research to evaluate and improve federal healthcare programs. My experiences gave me the opportunity to help evolve various healthcare systems using diverse perspectives of consumers and stakeholders. It has been impactful work, but for years I have felt an emptiness, an inauthenticity in my professional identity. Read more>>

Barbara Oliveira

Hi, I’m Barbara, a documentary wedding photographer based in Maryland and serving couples throughout Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and destinations worldwide. Originally from Brazil and raised in Portugal, I’ve always felt most at home exploring. Along the way, I met my husband, Darrion, in Prague back in 2008. One of those rare stories that sounds made up when you tell it. Read more>>

Eric Shin

My mom and dad immigrated from Seoul to Atlanta in the 70s and built their life around their Korean restaurant. That kitchen was my classroom. I spent years watching them work, learning the flavors, the techniques, the care that went into every dish. I learned what it meant to feed people well and the power food has to bring people together. Read more>>

Peyton Parks

I got started in videography and marketing my senior year of highschool and just ran with it! I ran my highschool baseballs social media after an arm injury and found my new love. After that I began working at The Velo Farm helping with social media work and coaching baseball. Read more>>

Dr. Phillip Morgan

In 2016, I bet it all on myself. I walked into my bank, withdrew every last penny from my savings account—not a safety net left—and said, “This is it.” That money bought four walls, a leaky roof, and the bare minimum: a used rack, a bench, some rusty plates. But here’s the thing—I didn’t stop there. I put out the call. Read more>>

Emily Arakken

My story with cake honestly started way before I ever thought of it as a career. I was twelve years old, and my mom was taking Wilton cake decorating classes. She’d come home with all this equipment, piping tips, turntables, fondant tools, and I just couldn’t resist getting my hands on it. Read more>>

Ann Grice

Hello I’m Ann Marie Grice I’m a native of Philadelphia Pennsylvania who has a very large family based in Baltimore. I’m a returning citizen who has become an author of an elevating journal. My journey is to help people understand the importance of using coping skills other than anger and crime. Read more>>

Mark Thistel

Taken from our website, which we wrote and it’s accurate: It all began in 1991… Mark Thistel (then 25) and Robyne Lyles (then 23) decided to add “business partnership” to their four-month old “life partnership.” They incorporated themselves as “Freedom Services Association,” with a mission to provide transportation, home maintenance, and sundry independence services to an ever-aging population. Ah, youth! Read more>>

Susan Centineo

I’m a Real Estate agent and have been for quite a while. In 2007 – 2009 when the market crashed, I had some time to pursue other interests. I decided to use my spare time to flex my creative muscle in the area of photography. Read more>>

Bradley Fiscus

I have always be a fan of glass art. I grew up attending a rural Indiana church with beautiful stained glass windows. I was also very interested in how things are made. As the youngest of 4 children, I was a part of each of my older siblings activities. My oldest brother really enjoyed oil painting and was quite good. Read more>>

Keara Williams

My journey began with a simple passion for helping children believe in themselves. After earning my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, I worked as a Pre-K Teacher’s Assistant, where I saw firsthand how much children’s confidence, self-esteem, and words about themselves influenced their learning and overall development. That experience inspired me to combine my love for youth development, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Read more>>

AK Conover

My story is just a story of determination and stubbornness. My origins start as just a kid from Newark, NJ with a vision. In the halls of Weequahic High School and having friends who rap and being inspired by Roc a fella records, G-Unit, Dipset ect., at 15 16 years old I always knew it could be done. Read more>>

Jaysha Hardemon

Here’s your story with your cosmetology teaching career naturally woven into the ending: My journey into entrepreneurship began with a simple passion: helping women feel beautiful, confident, and empowered. From a young age, I was inspired by beauty—not just the outward transformation, but the confidence that comes from feeling your best. Read more>>

LaTisha Jones

Absolutely! The fashion piece is a huge part of your story and deserves more shine. Here’s a more balanced version that highlights the boutique, your community work, and naturally builds to the North Avenue project. Styled4You Boutique started from my love for helping women feel confident. I’m a registered nurse by profession, but I’ve always had a passion for fashion and serving people. Read more>>

Sir Anthony Chestnut

My name is Sir Anthony Chestnut, also known as @wowinkboy or inkboy the don. I hail from Poughkeepsie, New York, but have resided in Baltimore since 1997. I am the proud father of an incredible daughter named Sydny Chestnut. Throughout my life, I have been an artist, most renowned for my tattoo work. Read more>>

Leilah Gray

My lash journey began in 2018, right after I graduated from high school. I enrolled in college because education was my priority, but I also knew I wanted to create another source of income doing something I genuinely enjoyed. Read more>>

Delphine Kelly

I would like to share the journey that led me to my current role. My career in education began in the 1990s as a second-grade teacher at a Catholic elementary school. When that school closed, I initially planned to join the Prince George’s County Public Schools system with my colleagues. However, a parent approached me with a request to homeschool her son. Read more>>

Patricia Reynolds

back in year 2020 my son Will had an idea that i should make something to sell since Im so get at it . Read more>>

Spencer Scott

I started working in a tattoo shop at 16 years old, moving from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to do so, cleaning the shop lead to learning to tattoo some years later. I started actively tattooing at 20y.o. Read more>>

Shirelle Thorne

I am ‘The Minister of Fun’, so my hope is that when people encounter me, they leave with a smile. One of the ways I accomplish that is through ‘GameSpirations’, my traveling game show. Initially the name was ‘Gospel Games and Giggles’, but I figured the name would limit my audience, so I changed it to ‘Games and Giveaways with Shirelle’. Read more>>

XK Scenario

The both of us, Kaleab Elias and Alex Menick, met back at J.E.B Stuart High-School in Northern Virginia. (Currently named Justice High-School.) We were introduced by a mutual friend also coincidentally named Alex. Read more>>

Chef Kayla J. Vaughn

I’m Chef Kayla J. Vaughn, I was born and raise in Baltimore Maryland. I grew up an only child to an amazing mother, who raised me with the help of my aunt and grandmother. I grew up watching the food network religiously with my grandmother, which is what truly planted the seed for my love of food and creation. Read more>>

Eli The Drummer

To start, I would say I’ve always had a passion for music, and drums were always something that caught my attention. My parents have told me stories of when I was a toddler and how I would go into the cabinet and get the pots and pans and bang on them with wooden spoons. I believe that’s where my love for drums started. Read More>>

Greer Callender, M.Ed.

My journey to founding Dyslexia Success Academy started in my own home, with my own children. I was homeschooling my oldest son, and by 5th grade, something was clearly wrong. He was discouraged with reading and writing. He was working incredibly hard — harder than any of his peers — and still falling behind in reading. I felt completely defeated. Read More>>