Lidya Dereje
Lidya Dereje (she/her) is an Atlanta-bred, Ethiopian-American visual storyteller. Her curiosity with photography was first sparked on a childhood trip to Addis Ababa, but later in her studies she felt a push to take this fascination a bit further. As an individual and visual storyteller, she centers on fostering the communities in which she coexists with. Through her work, she explores concepts of identity, nostalgia, and time to honor the range of the diasporic experience.
Contact: lidyadereje@gmail.com
"ድሮ እና ዘንድሮ (Then and Now)"
ድሮ እና ዘንድሮ is an Amharic phrase that translates as "then and now." This image is from a series that reflects my understanding of the past, present, and future. As I grow into the woman I am today, I find myself feeling a deeper sense of longing and closeness towards the women who came before me because, without them, I would not be who I am. I feel immense gratitude for being an extension of my ancestors, but with that comes responsibility. I must carry their stories and experiences while creating my own. I must carry their legacy of love because that is what births resilience, and it is through doing this that I am able to accept what was, what is, and is yet to come.
