I’m Alyssia DeAnne Zepeda—a 22-year-old creative, photographer, and proud HBCU student dedicated to using my gifts to amplify underrepresented voices. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, I’ve carried the weight of expectations and systemic barriers while discovering my strength in the very things meant to break me.

 

My artistic journey is rooted in advocacy. Through education, storytelling, and policy work, I strive to challenge inequity, empower communities, and reimagine what healing looks like—especially for young Black and Brown people. I believe that a free-spirited, confident Black woman is one of the most powerful forces in the world—and I stand boldly in that truth.

 

During my teenage years, I battled debilitating anxiety and depression, with  a desire for perfection shaped by survival. Choosing peace over pressure became my turning point. Photography became a refuge and my revolution—a medium through which I tell my story and those of others, offering both beauty and truth in the face of struggle.

 

Today, I use my platform not only to document life through a creative lens, but also to advocate for mental health, educational equity, and cultural preservation. My work explores the intersection of trauma and triumph, transforming pain into purpose and self-doubt into self-determination. Every frame I capture is a call to action: to see, to feel, to fight, and to love.

 

As I grow as an artist, a scholar, and an advocate, I remain committed to uplifting the voices of the unheard, making room for healing, and using every tool—from policy to photography—to shape a better future.