Marcus Hayward is a former Army Sergeant, physical-therapy assistant, and adaptive athlete who got his start in CrossFit while on deployment in 2007. He's competed at other CrossFit competitions like Wodapalooza and The Working Wounded Games, but this year he'll compete in the CrossFit Open for the first time. JUNK got the chance to ask him a few questions about his personal fitness journey and share the excitement on his road to the Open.

Emma Cary might be a young competitor on the way to the CrossFit Open, but that doesn't mean she is any less determined. She faces each challenge with a full heart, and there's no telling what she'll do in the future, considering how much she has already accomplished. We got a chance to talk with Emma about her fitness journey and goals.

The Wright family is a shining example of the saying, the family that trains together, stays together, they're a fit family whose involvement in CrossFit training and competitions has created a common interest that's brought them closer together. JUNK got the opportunity to ask them some in-depth questions on their personal CrossFit journeys and get some insight on what it means to compete as a family.

Dacia Idom is an artist and social activist that uses her poetry and photography to get people feeling, thinking, and to drive her subject matter home to instill a lasting impression long after the viewer has walked away. And her subject matter of choice? Telling the stories of Black Americans and shedding light on the injustices committed against them.