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.
Jania Tianne
As a young child, I loved doing anything artsy: painting, drawing, playing the piano and guitar, listening to music, watching movies, singing, dancing, and acting. Art has been my favorite subject in school since kindergarten. It’s always been something I’ve naturally gravitated to and I don’t know what I’d do without it. Read more>>
Rev. Dawn Bennett
Becoming part of the remedy became a fire in my bones that would not be quenched, short of quitting my job, going to seminary and joining the rostered list of ordained clergy. Post seminary I was ordained to the Ministry of Word & Sacrament which in church-speak authorizes me to hold worship, bless and distribute Eucharist, officiate funerals and marriages as well as baptisms and the like. I consider this the formal aspects of what I do. Read more>>
Leslie Benson
I’ve been a songwriter since the mid-‘90s, when I bought a used “Frankenstrat” Van Halen-inspired electric guitar from the local music shop and wrote my first song, “Xavier.” Even at age 15, I was heavily into gothic rock and related genres, writing heavy melodies with moody, sultry vocals. How could I not, when my inspirations were bands like Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Switchblade Symphony, later evolving into Razed in Black, Skinny Puppy, and VNV Nation? Read more>>
Heather Whitaker
Through our first 4 months of operation, we operated in the coldest weather of the year. We had multiple issues with freezing pipes, water pumps, tank issues and three different generators before we got it right. We soldiered on, with help from dear friends, and kept working day in and day out to make our dream happen. Read more>>
Jim Lutz
I’m the Founder of the Quest Center for Art & Community Development, a music education and youth development center located in Dickson TN. And I’m excited for the opportunity to share an update to our 2021 Nashville Voyager story. In the interest of space and time, some background details are abridged. Read more>>
Carmen Reese Foster
While I was an Assistant Professor of Practice at UT College of Social Work, I noticed a need for Black social work students to have connection with one another and mentorship from professionals who looked like them. Read more>>
Tyler Hardwick
Our studio, Conscious Effort Creative, started in 2018 with myself and Ryan Barber as a recording and rehearsal space. We have recorded a handful of albums, EP’s, and other productions since then, but there was much less music happening around us in the wake of COVID: bands broke up; people moved away; our local music venue closed. Read more>>
Mohan Knemani
Hi, I am mohan khemani born in India & raised in Santiago (chile) move to Nashville in 2011! I am foodie, I always have & had this passion to cook authentic Punjab food for friends & family & I believe it’s the best way to share our culture & food with local s in Nashville! Read more>>
mia iaderosa
So I was born and raised in Youngstown, a very small town in Northeast Ohio. My parents divorced when I was young and my childhood was very chaotic. Nonetheless, I truly have amazing family. I have been singing my entire life, and loved performing from a young age. Read more>>
Rebecca Lynch
Although I had raised poultry for a number of years, in 2020 when Covid was on the horizon, I did not have any. The possibility of food scarcity combined with my dog boarding business on hold due to the lockdown, convinced me to invest in some chicken chicks. Read more>>
Dr .Mike Van Horn
I didn’t start out thinking I’d one day be called an entrepreneur—especially not one running a global ministry foundation. Like many homes, Mom was our spiritual leader. I grew up in church because my mom made sure we were there. Read more>>
Dylan Bond
Growing up in a single family home i wanted to be the first to complete college, while attending college at University of Tennessee-Martin. My mother got diagnosed with multi sclerosis, causing me to have to go home to help. I got a job at a local plumbing company and learned the trade. Read more>>
Kristin Ellington-Stiles
My story—and the foundation of winsome dust collective—begins in a chapter marked by violence, coercive control, silence and the erosion of who I once was. In truth, I’m not even certain where my story truly begins, because the woman I was inside my abusive marriage is not the woman I am today—nor is she the person I choose to be anymore. Read more>>
Kendal Beard
Back in 2016, my family packed up our cozy English life and set our sights on Nashville—a leap across the pond and straight into the unknown. When we learned it would cost more to ship our belongings than to simply begin again, we looked at each other, shrugged, and thought, Well… why not? So we sold, donated, and gifted away everything. Read more>>
Megan Willis
Our story began in 2020, during the COVID pandemic. My job had laid off all non-essential employees, which unfortunately included my position in Human Resources. My husband was able to keep his job, but we were on completely conflicting schedules. We had recently moved to a seedy part of a new town after being affected by the General Motors strike the previous year. Read more>>
Vicki Bechet
Vicki Ross (Loose) Bechet, a fourth-generation member of GFWC, was President of the GFWC of Tennessee from 2020-2022. Her theme was “GFWC Volunteers – Be the Light, Light a Fire, Get Fired Up.” Her emblem was a dragon. The TRTL Project (Together, Replenishing Tennessee Libraries) was her President’s Special Project. Read more>>
Sherri Davenport
I am a published mixed media artist who also loves music and a unique industrial vintage style . I was able to combine my love of both by creating my vintage style art guitars . I use repourposed electric guitars and design the guitar around vintage metal items , glass beads , tiles ,crystals and unique found items. Read more>>
Dave Krysl
I worked in hospitality to pay my way through college. After graduating, I toured full time in a band for 3 years; and through traveling all over the world, I fell in love with food and beverage. Read more>>
Daniel McCollum
My story really starts with service. I joined the Marine Corps as an infantryman and completed two deployments. Those years taught me discipline, resilience, and how to operate under pressure—skills that have shaped everything I’ve done since. After the military, I continued serving my community through more than a decade in law enforcement, including work with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Read more>>
Melinda Bishop- Hoots
I went to beauty school at Jon nave at 22. Started assisting my sister Mitzi Bishop at Bishops salon.when I was 23. Decided to get out on my own and ventured out to several different salon before starting my own business! I was scared to death about starting but prayed about and took a leap of faith!! Read more>>
Mackenzie Reed
After graduating college, I jumped straight into Public Relations, quickly realizing that my passion wasn’t rooted in writing, it was in marketing. One day, I randomly came across MP Consulting on Instagram, sent a DM asking if they were hiring, and the rest is history. Read more>>
Diane Kolopanas
Diane Kolopanas is the founder and owner of 30A Farmers Market, LLC, established in 2013, and the founder of Music City Farmers Market and Events, Nashville. Under her leadership, 30A Farmers Market operates thriving farmers’ markets in the Rosemary Beach Community, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, Palm Plaza, in Niceville, Florida. Read more>>
LeWayne Bullard
After graduating from Oakland High School in Murfreesboro I went off and joined the Navy. After struggling to figure out what I wanted to do and picking the wrong job out of MEPS, I was blessed with the opportunity to switch from being an ET (Electronics Tech) to being an IT (information Systems Tech) in A school. Read more>>
Dominique Paul
Then the pandemic hit. During lockdown I was forced to face the reality of what life in Los Angeles had become. Frankly, I was burnt out. I had only been to Nashville once–in 2016, the weekend Prince died–and I remembered driving to Franklin during the Main Street Festival, standing in the square and thinking, How odd. I feel like I’m going to live here one day. In 2020, when I prayed about leaving LA, that memory came back to me like a sign. So, I packed up and moved to Franklin. Read more>>
The Band JAREN
We are The Band JAREN! Our core is made up of two sisters, Jaren and Jade LaGore, and we are backed by an all female girl band. We, as sisters, grew up in Flushing, MI and could read music before we could read English. By the age of 5, we were playing our first instrument – classical piano. By the age of 6, Jaren was also playing guitar and Jade was playing violin. Read more>>
