The nature versus nurture debate amuses me. People are very complex—what forms us is a dynamic paradox found in a mixture of these two camps. In this issue, FORM, we look at what shapes us and our city. Is it nature or nurture? Here in Silicon Valley, many will proclaim that it is the innovative ethos that shapes our community. And looking at the people we highlight in this issue, it appears to be a valid perspective. From a toymaker to a radio broadcaster, reclaimed wood furniture to the remodeling of our convention center and urban core, each one of these stories exemplify the influences on us as individuals and communities. Whether innate or through personal experience, these influences help us form our own future.