Behind-the-scenes note:

“I've covered the creator industry and spoken with Gen Z influencers for a number of stories before, but this was the first time I was able to speak directly with creatives about why they do what they do and how it fulfills them. After I asked each one of them what their favorite part about being a digital creator was, they all mentioned the same thing: It gave them the ability to connect with others in a meaningful way. I think if we all approached our online — and offline! — lives like them, we'd all be better off."

—  Elizabeth Gulino, journalist