I always begin this question with a historical account of my life.
The short and snappy version, is this: I was born and raised in El Paso, TX.

It’s that tiny little city that sits in the crevice between Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Driving to Juarez (Mexico) is quicker than going over the Brooklyn bridge– it’s that close.

Growing up in a city like this has its challenges. You can’t escape it. Not to suggest that allllll of El Paso goes through this but a good chunk of us did. It’s going through school and having teachers tell you that you’re not going to go anywhere. It’s being surrounded by poverty. Not being able to pay for lunch. Coming home to a dark house because we couldn’t pay our electricity bill. It’s not being able to pay that electricity bill because you have to support three kids, pay rent, pay for gas and you make minimum wage. It’s having people in your life being shot to death because they had some involvement in drugs. This is life in El Paso.

Because this happens in El Paso, a lot of beautiful things also happen. There are pockets of artists all over the city. Creativity seems to be crawling all over the streets. There is an urge to do more, to fix problems, to change the world and to help people see.

I have had more conversations in El Paso about changing the world than any other place I’ve stepped foot on. Unfortunately, most of these ideas end up dead by the time one has finished a conversation. Passion for change is harvested in every El Pasoan’s heart, but it remains still, passive and unheard just like the city itself. I’m positive this is a consequence of waking up to a city that gives you little to no support to help the individual grow. There is a lot of El Paso pride in the city. Go El Paso! You’re the best! But rarely have I seen the city own up to its greatness and support the individual, the kid with the ideas.

The few of us who did escape, left because we wanted to pursue those dreams. Some left for school. Some left because they wanted to start businesses. Some left to become artists. Whatever the reason, we left in search of something greater.