The Change-Makers: stories that inspire

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.

Shirelle Stroud

My passion for working with young people began at an early age, but it was God who gave me the vision to create Young Ladies Aspiring Greatness (YLAG). I saw a need in our community for a place where young girls could build self-esteem, develop self-respect, discover their potential, and learn the importance of giving back. Read more>>

Megan Hood

I’ve been a lover of music from childhood, and can’t remember a time of my life that I didn’t love to sing. I did musical theater, show choir, church bands—anything I could get my hands on! I started writing as Wreck Like Me in 2019 and haven’t stopped. It’s become my version of journaling—I process my feelings through writing and rewriting. Read more>>

Matthew taylor

I’ve been doing art for as long as I can remember, starting with graffiti and transferring in to tattooing when I got in to my first apprenticeship at a shop in New Mexico where im originally from at 16. I have tried some other career paths throughout the years but tattooing has been the one constant passion. Read more>>

Chris Soto

“This has been my dream for so many years. As you can imagine I love art. I’m passionate about art of all kinds. But what I love most are the reactions I see when people create things they love. When they discover a new medium they never tried and become fascinated. Read more>>

Michael Suglio

The idea of the Short. Sweet. Film Fest. started in the Fall of 2011. The creators Michael Suglio and Alex Pavloff were at a concert where the whole audience was also musicians. Suglio and Pavloff then formed an idea of having a film festival geared towards local, student, and up-coming filmmakers who would be the primary attendees. The Short. Sweet. Film Fest. Read more>>

Aaron Burkett

My story is probably a little different from what you’d expect from someone who owns an automotive detailing chemical company. I’m a United States Army veteran and spent more than two decades working in emergency medical services as an EMT and paramedic. For much of my adult life, my career revolved around helping people through some of the worst moments of their lives. Read more>>

Joe Clark

Always having loved people and finding myself interested in their stories and what ties it all together, I started a podcast called ‘Chats with Clark’ during January 2021, the second semester of my senior year of college. Initially, the podcast started very locally, before expanding via Zoom. Read more>>

Dr. Calvin Haygood Jr.

My story is one of faith, resilience, transformation, and the relentless pursuit of purpose. If there is one thing life has taught me, it is that our journeys are rarely linear, and sometimes the very experiences that threaten to break us become the foundation upon which we build our greatest contributions to the world. I am Dr. Calvin L. Read more>>

Siobhan McNear

Siobhan is a storytelling vocalist and genre-blending powerhouse whose artistry reflects a lifelong devotion to music. A graduate of the prestigious School for Creative and Performing Arts and Berklee College of Music, she launched her career in Los Angeles, where she was handpicked by legendary producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins to join the girl group Purple Reign, subsequently signing with Universal Motown. Read more>>

Grace Trombly

I graduated cosmetology school in 2022 and have been working behind the chair ever since! I always knew I’d end up in a creative career but didn’t really discover my passion for doing hair until a bit later but it is by far the best decision I’ve ever made! Read more>>

Jibril Thomas

My upbringing with music was shaky. I found music at an early age (about 8-9 years old), and I gradually picked up on the symbolism in each song. Love songs weren’t about significant others, it was displayed as loving LIFE in itself. The most grooviest songs held meaning and importance unimaginable to a normal listening ear. Read more>>

Keith Queener

I started music in the 8th grade with my best friend Noelle Sinclair. We made music in her basement for fun and the more and more we made the more serious it got. Read more>>

Anna Wise

I began working in the wedding industry in 2018 while working under another wedding planner. I started just helping on the weekends but loved it. I ended up working with her for 4 years before moving to northeast Ohio. Read more>>

Brandy Spears

My journey began when I turned my personal trials and a 150-pound fitness transformation into a powerful mission to help women step boldly into their purpose. Read more>>

Lake Yoga Lake Cycle

Our yoga community has been part of Concord Township, Ohio, for eight years, spending the last four growing under the Lake Yoga name. What began as a yoga studio has evolved into a thoughtfully curated wellness destination serving Northeast Ohio. Lake Yoga is built around the belief that yoga isn’t one-size-fits-all. Read more>>

Monica Snow

Preservation Dayton, Inc. (PDI) is the region’s leading advocate for historic preservation, advocacy, and education. Founded in 1983 PDI shows how historic preservation tells our stories, creates caring communities, sustains the environment, and spurs the economy. Read more>>

Nia Holland

My name is Nia C. Holland, and I am a domestic violence survivor, advocate, community leader, mother, and the Founder and CEO of Rise & Rebuild Foundation, LLC. My story is one of survival, heartbreak, resilience, and the determination to create change for individuals and families affected by domestic violence. Read more>>

Kamron Bender

My journey with music started in early childhood. I grew up surrounded by great music, thanks to both of my parents, especially at church, where I would watch the band play. I never imagined I would become a music producer, but looking back, music was always in me. When I was three years old [1999], my dad bought a computer program called Hip Hop eJay. Read more>>

Rob Grant III

I went to Catholic school all the way through, which gave me structure and discipline. But performing was always the thing that lit me up. So when it came time for college, the choice was easy: I went to the University of Akron to study Theatre Arts. That’s where the kid who used to entertain the family started learning the actual craft. Read more>>

Anita Katyal

I am Anita Katyal and my story begins in New Delhi, where it feels like every cuisine in India shares the same street. I was born into a Bihari family, and my mother was my first inspiration in the kitchen. When I married into a Punjabi Family, my mother-in-law became my first real teacher. Read more>>

DJ Reese

My first paid DJ gig was in 2007, and I have been chasing that feeling ever since. There is a moment when a room stops being a crowd of strangers and starts moving together, and I wanted to understand how to create that on purpose. That curiosity took me into radio. Read more>>

Samuel Gilmore

My name is Samuel Gilmore, professionally known as King PaySos. I’m a Brooklyn-born artist, entrepreneur, military veteran, and founder of Blacc Market Enterprises. My story begins long before music or business. I was born into a community heavily affected by the crack epidemic. At just two years old, I was separated from my parents because of their struggles with addiction. Read more>>

Dexter Bailey

Sure, my journey has been rooted in education, leadership, entrepreneurship, and a desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I began building my career in education, where I discovered that my passion extended beyond teaching lessons, it was about helping people recognize their potential and creating opportunities for them to succeed. Read more>>

Christopher Gulley (Fury)

Starting my journey at Ohio Media School (OMS) I was quickly discovered to have a unique voice for podcasting and radio. I was asked by many cohorts to either voice their projects or come on their podcast due to my passion and knowledge for comics and all around nerd culture. This led to me joining the Circle of Nerds podcast crew ran by Tommy D. Read more>>

Dhruv & Rathi Sandilya

Dhruv born and raised in NJ has been learning bollywood dance since he was 10 yrs old. Additionally, he has been teaching bollywood dance since he was 14. Dhruv has taught for many schools in NJ, danced for 3 years on RU SAPA, and founded Daksha Dance Troupe. Read more>>

SALIM KHAN

My Life Story – Salim Khan Hello, my name is Salim Khan, and I am 30 years old. I am a seafarer by profession, and working in the Merchant Navy has been my dream since the beginning. I completed my 12th standard with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, followed by my graduation. Read more>>

Sebastian Fenton

Well I grew up in the Nashville, Tennessee area. My mother, a visual artist named Robin, exposed me to many forms of art (Ballet, Opera, Museums), and after soaking up as much as I could, I decided to start taking dance classes at 8 years old. Read more>>

Cheryl Meyer

My entrepreneurial journey began long before Be Kurvy became the brand it is today. I have been doing hair since I was nine years old, so beauty and creativity have always been part of my life. I believe God placed those gifts and that vision inside of me early, even before I fully understood where they would lead. Read more>>

Timmisha peery

I grew up in a small town, and honestly, life has taken me in quite a few different directions. I’ve been married, divorced, remarried, raised three children, and eventually made my way to Ohio. I spent several years working in healthcare before deciding to make a career change and go into education. But writing has always been something I’ve loved. Read more>>

Elizabeth Wyan

I am a Reiki Master and Board Certified Reflexologist with a lifelong passion for caring for others. My journey in the medical community began at just 16 years old, when I became an EMT for my local life squad in Maine. Read more>>

Donte Feaster

I started rapping at the age of 10, freestyling with other kids in the neighborhood, getting a name through the rap battles and ciphers I would do, eventually getting a record deal in 2000 with Hilltop Entertainment, a label that was coming up also which is where I got a lot of my knowledge on the music industry. Read more>>

Voni (stylistvoni)

I started styling people at 18/19 years old when I started getting out more when I was going to Kent State, which is known as the fashion school. I created my styling page when I was 22 years old finally ready to start getting clients and wanting to see progress after styling my friends. Read more>>

Zhane Dawlingz

Zhané Dawlingz is a dynamic entertainer, performer, pageant titleholder, fashion creative, and theatrical artist who has been captivating audiences throughout Columbus, Ohio’s nightclub and entertainment scene for 14 years. Known for blending theatricality, fashion, pageantry, and pop culture, Zhané has built a career rooted in creativity, versatility, and a genuine love for entertaining. Read more>>

Elijah Rushin

I started writing music at eight years old. I started producing music at nine years old. My mother told me when I was able to start crawling as a baby. I was crawling to the cabinets to the pots and pans and I would beat on the pots and pans to create rhythm. Read more>>

Andrea Duvall

Absolutely! I graduated from Fairfield Career Center in 2010 with both my degree and cosmetology license. I initially started my career doing hair, but while working for Benefit Cosmetics and attending The Ohio State University, I discovered my passion for esthetics. In 2015, I decided I wanted to take a leap of faith and start my own business, working independently. Read more>>

Nakita Hatch

Our story really began during the COVID lockdowns in 2020. David was working in sales at the time, but because his job involved travelling and meeting customers, he found himself on furlough with a lot of unexpected time on his hands. David has always had a creative side. Read more>>

Wesley Sigler

DinkLife started as a fun way for my wife Chanda and me to share the places, attractions, and experiences we enjoy together. We’ve always loved traveling, amusement parks, unusual roadside attractions, local history, and finding places that are just a little different from the ordinary. What began as simply documenting our adventures gradually turned into something much bigger. Read more>>

Noella Mbulapey

My story began in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where I was born. Education was important to me, and I graduated near the top of my high school class during a difficult time for my family and my country. When I moved to the United States, I carried big dreams, but I had to learn what it meant to start over. Read more>>

Katie Walter

Many years ago I was gifted with a film camera. From there I started taking photos of my daughter, family and just landscapes. I loved capturing the beauty of everything around me. Read more>>

Australia Lawrence

My story has never followed a straight line, and I think that has ultimately been one of my greatest advantages. I spent many years working in healthcare and healthcare technology, including large-scale clinical systems and implementation work. Read more>>

A Jay Pullen

I usually tell people that my career started long before I ever had a job title. I didn’t wake up one day and decide to work in community health or youth advocacy — I grew into it. I was the person people called when they needed help, guidance, or someone who could see past the surface and understand what was really going on. Read more>>

Sarah Mitschke

Started in high-school making chainmail armor. Because I had the chains I started making chainmail jewelry. Started an Etsy shop. Moved to color wire. Then Because I had the new wire I started wire wrapping. I was able to open a physical storefront that was originally a medieval themed gift shop with dragons and fairies. Read more>>