For Alicia Casas, the owner and head of Jaguar Baker, her company was born out of necessity. “I was initially inspired to offer vegan treats in the South Bay after living a plant-based lifestyle for four years, in which I mostly went without one of my favorite things to eat – desserts,” Casas recalled. “Transitioning … Read more
“More light!” were Goethe’s last words. Sunnyvale-based zDen aims for the opposite. ZDen is the name of a product invented by Danielle Fujii. It aims to improve people’s sleep by enclosing the upper body, blocking outdoor – and indoor – light sources. The portable sleeping aid can be used for an entire night’s sleep, for … Read more
The founder of Ginger Lab is an unexpected despiser of ginger’s taste. “If ginger is mixed into my food or soups, or just barely touches my sushi, I won’t eat it”, confessed Deb Chang, founder and owner of Santa Clara-based Ginger Lab. “I don’t even like ginger candy or ginger chews and pick out the … Read more
ArtCircle Studio is about more than drawing circles. The name of the Sunnyvale-based art studio stems from a group of friends who recognized and supported its founder, Deepti Nanawati. “Some of our family friends started sending their children to learn drawing from me,” she recalled. For Nanawati, the creative interest has been a longstanding one. … Read more
Santa Clara based chocolatier Charlotte Walter has more in mind than making truffles and bonbons. While some may not see the connection, her goal is to combine chocolate-making with multiculturalism. “I started Charlotte Truffles because I did not see a chocolate shop that truly represented my multicultural background story in a proud and consistent way,” … Read more
In a world where many native cultural forms are dying, Sunnyvale-based Prayukti Arts tries to preserve the artistic heritage of South Asia. “Prayukti Arts is an organization that aims to create a space for South Asian arts, particularly the Bharatanatyam dance form, in the Bay Area,” said Nitya Narasimhan, the organization’s artistic director. Narasimhan founded … Read more
The Greene Scholars, located in Santa Clara, is an African American foundation that devotes itself to education. The organization recently received a $10,000 grant. The Jack and Jill of America Foundation, which awarded the grant, is a public organization that is devoted to health and wellness, education – including STEM and college preparation – and … Read more
Many Americans dream of tying the knot someday. To untie the knot when things get tough is something we never want to happen. But divorce is a very common event. March 6 – 10 marked Divorce With Respect Week (DWRW), an event developed to foster respectful, peaceful and private divorces. During this period, collaborative divorce … Read more
Richard Hawthorne of Santa Clara remembers growing up “playing guitar as a kid.” After studying music at the University of Hawaii, Hawthorne – who often calls himself a “brain health expert,” in humorous reference to the positive effects of music on the brain – came to Santa Clara University and received his MBA. All that … Read more
28-year-old American Ninja Warrior athlete Josh Levin, of Sunnyvale, remembers rock climbing from an early age. “It was very instinctual for me,” said Levin. “When I was maybe 2 or 3 years old, before I was doing a lot of other activities, I was climbing around the house, climbing trees, tabletops, lampposts.” According to Levin, … Read more