From ICU to Global Sprouts: How a Mom is Raising the Next Generation of Cultural Explorers
Editor’s note: After waking up in the ICU, Whitney Duenas Richardson vowed to live with purpose. Years later, as a mother and cultural storyteller, she’s helping families raise globally minded kids, one play-based learning kit at a time.
I’m Whitney Duenas Richardson, a CHamoru and Dutch mom, and founder of Global Sprouts.
My journey started with a car crash. One moment, I was driving to college, the next I woke up in the ICU, trying to understand what had happened.
That experience forced me to face the fact that I had been living on autopilot, with my dreams buried under routine. My inner voice reminded me that my life mattered and I needed to make it count. That awareness set the tone for every decision I’ve made since.
My first love letter to community building
Three years later, I opened Barre by the Bay, a small fitness studio that became my first love letter to community building.
It was a sanctuary where people came together to navigate grief, burnout, breakups, and life’s challenges. When I sold the equipment in 2021 for a 400% profit, I realized the real value was the connections and support systems we create along the way.
Becoming a mother. Losing a home. Finding my voice.
Shortly after, I moved to the Gulf Coast of Florida and learned I was going to be a mom. Soon after, I became a temporary mom to my 14-year-old sister.
Then Hurricane Helene hit, swallowing our home in five feet of water. Every baby book, heirloom, and corner of safety was gone.
Standing in the ruins, I realized that well-being isn’t just about comfort or physical space, it’s about resilience, support, and creating meaningful experiences, even when life feels like it’s falling apart.
Leaning on my community helped me find my inner passion again. I wanted to build something that would teach kids about understanding others, empathy, and culture.
What if kids could travel the world from the living room?
That’s how Global Sprouts was born. I created a cultural education kit that turns playtime into a passport around the world.
Each kit uses stories, crafts, and hands-on activities to help children discover the traditions, languages, and foods of different cultures.
“We need to understand that we’re not the only people on this planet,” I became a mom. That shift opened my eyes to how we teach children about the world, and how often we don’t.
We wanted to parent with purpose
I was born and raised on Guam, a place rich in culture but often too small to find on maps. My husband is from Virginia, and our daughter is growing up in a world that often teaches in silos.
We wanted to parent with purpose and reclaim a story that is too often simplified or skipped.
While I understand that she will only truly experience a fiesta in your auntie’s front yard on a Friday night by moving back to Guam, that isn’t an option. So I created Globee, a character who turns playtime into a passport via Global Sprouts kits.
Turning play into a tool for empathy
Through our kits, children experience culture in a playful, joyful, and meaningful way. Families connect over crafts, recipes, and stories that teach empathy, identity, and pride.
Wellness, to me, is intentional connection and shared experiences. And access should be a right, not a privilege: for every 50 kits we sell, we donate one to a family, classroom, or community that may not have access to global learning resources.
The most transformative journeys start with a story
Global Sprouts is small, but it shows that well-being and cultural understanding can start anywhere, even in your living room.
Experiences that prioritize curiosity, empathy, and connection can shape children into thoughtful, compassionate individuals. Sometimes, the most transformative journeys don’t start with a passport, they start with a story, a child, and a kit that opens the door to the world.
What Wellness Really Means to Me
Small, meaningful moments can create a lifetime of learning, empathy, and joy.
Through my journey, I’ve learned that wellness and balance aren’t about perfection. They’re about resilience, creativity, and connection.
Intentionality is key, whether you’re a parent, a founder, or someone building experiences that matter.
- About the Author
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Whitney Duenas Richardson is the founder and CEO of Global Sprouts, an educational startup delivering hands-on cultural learning experiences for young children. With a background in strategic marketing and customer experience, she has led campaigns for major brands like ADT and Builders FirstSource. A former small business owner and passionate mom, Whitney launched Global Sprouts to help families raise globally minded kids through play, language, and cultural storytelling. She is dedicated to building inclusive, curiosity-driven products that inspire the next generation to appreciate and connect with the world around them.
