The Made Possible in Lehigh Valley initiative seeks to share the stories of the people and companies in our region, and let them explain why Lehigh Valley is a special place where you can create a life, a business, or a career, on your terms.

We’ve been telling those stories through the Made Possible in Lehigh Valley Instagram account. Below are just a few of those posts from the past month. Follow it on Instagram @lvmadepossible, and be sure to use the hashtag #lvmadepossible. And if you’ve got a story you’d like to see highlighted there, let us know!

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Jade grew up nearby in Berks County and went to @KutztownU… Through a college internship, she ended up exploring Lehigh Valley. “I liked the city vibe here. It satisfies that craving to be a city girl, but at the same time I can drive a half hour and be in the country. It’s the best of both worlds,” Jade explained. ?? “When I was young, I said that I wanted to grow up to be an artist. My 10-year-old self would be very happy to know that I am working in an art museum.” ? ? She uses her creative talents to tell the museum’s stories and give potential visitors, particularly those from outside Lehigh Valley, a real sense of what they will experience when they come to the museum. ? Jade made it happen. Lehigh Valley made it possible. LVmadepossible.com/stories

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Jan 3, 2020 at 8:28am PST

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The perfect s’more is Made Possible in Lehigh Valley. Link in bio: @Forbes story on the new @marshmellomusic @stuffedpuffs @factoryllc being built in Lehigh Valley #lvmadepossible #lehighvalley #jobs #manufacturing #food #smores #marshmello #treatyoself

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Jan 23, 2020 at 12:30pm PST

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“I’m really thankful that I found the Allentown Art Museum because it’s a great place for art and design and to continue those conversations in that part of my career that I was doing in New York City. I feel like I can really connect and contribute here, to the community and to education. I’m passionate about connecting people to the arts in general, removing those barriers of appreciation to the art.” ??? “There is so much culture and so many opportunities to connect with culture in the arts here, but also you’re close enough to New York City and Philadelphia. I just think it’s the best of all worlds here, really. You have the farmland. You have the culture and the arts, and it’s a really great place to raise a family.” Amanda, Arts in Education Manager at @Atownartmuseum Read more of Amanda’s story at ?lvmadepossible.com/stories? #lvmadepossible #lehighvalley #iglehighvalley #discoverlehighvalley #art #artmuseum #allentown #downtownallentown #atownartmuseum #artlovers #findyourpossible #allentownpa #artlife

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Jan 16, 2020 at 12:17pm PST

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As an international student looking for a college where she could earn her electrical engineering degree, Ekom wanted something that wasn’t too large, but not too small either. So she chose @LehighU in Bethlehem. ? ? After graduation, she accepted a position at @LutronElectronics in Coopersburg. “Sometimes it’s easy to think that you are in a startup company because of the way we interact and the visibility you get to the product development cycle, but we are a growing and very established company with a lot of resources.” ? Why she decided to live in Bethlehem: “I wanted a place where I had access to the city, but far enough that I didn’t have to deal with the issues of the city. I love the Bethlehem feel, the small town, but big city-type atmosphere. I walk down Main Street and run into familiar faces all the time. There are also a lot of activities to do in this area from hiking to painting, and I get to enjoy it all,” Ekom added. ? Ekom made it happen. Lehigh Valley made it possible. Read more at ?lvmadepossible.com/stories?

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Jan 22, 2020 at 6:59am PST

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Krishan Thakker, Corporate Counsel for @Lutron Electronics, had previously lived in London, Washington D.C., and New York City, and he's found that the lifestyle made possible in Lehigh Valley suits him just fine. He found his career path based on an interest in business law and was approached by Lutron for its corporate counsel position. The diversity and variety of legal work involved in a fast-paced tech company interested Krishan, but required moving to a place that he had driven through only once or twice before. He and his wife like the East Coast setting, midway between his family in the U.K. and her family in California, and Krishan’s work at Lutron has introduced him to people from all over the world who add their cultural perspectives and viewpoints to the family-owned company, including employee-run groups like the Soccer Club, Chess Club (which Krishan co-founded) and Cricket Club. ???? “It’s a very open community,” he said. “Don’t be shy. There are all sorts of people of different age groups and other demographics here. You just have to go out and find them.” Krishan made it happen. Lehigh Valley made it possible. Read more at LVmadepossible.com/stories #lvmadepossible #lehighvalley #lutron #careers #findyourpossible #iglehighvalley #discoverlehighvalley #lutronelectronics #law #legal #legalcareers #smarthome #tech

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Jan 30, 2020 at 6:45am PST

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Santo has owned and managed stores in Allentown since 1999, but he’s a relatively new resident of the Lehigh Valley. It’s been five years since he and his family moved to Allentown’s West End neighborhood. He is the founder of @assembly88, a men’s fashion store in the heart of #downtownallentown. His favorite part about running the business is getting to meet the customers and interact with people, and success to him means being a sustainable part of the community. “When choosing the products we carry, I really want to make sure everything in here is something that I would want to buy myself. The other important part is their backstories, whether it’s how they run their companies or how they make their product. Is it sustainable? What kind of company are they? Do they give back like Patagonia with the park system or their initiatives around workforce benefits, being environmentally conscious, things like that.” Santo made it happen. Lehigh Valley made it possible. Read more about Santo’s story at ?lvmadepossible.com/stories?

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Jan 10, 2020 at 7:34am PST