About Her 

Charissa Soriano is a Filipina freelance documentary photographer, visual storyteller, and artist based in Seattle, WA. Originally from Manila, she has spent the past several years navigating life between two cultures—a journey that deeply informs her work. Her personal projects often explore themes of immigration and identity, making pictures of quiet, intimate moments that aim to reveal what’s often unseen. 
 

As her creative process continues to evolve, Charissa seeks to use photography as a trauma-informed tool for healing and resilience-building. She is passionate about expanding access to the arts and centering the voices of underrepresented communities by collaborating with care and curiosity. 
 

Charissa holds a Master of Communication in Communities and Networks from the University of Washington, equipping her with a deep understanding of audience engagement and narrative strategy. Her expertise in visual storytelling and social media allows her to craft images that not only resonate with diverse communities but also challenge viewers to broaden their perspectives. 
 

Her work has been featured by The Seattle Times, where her story on international students pursuing H-1B visas became one of Education Lab’s top-performing stories of 2023. She has also contributed to The Seattle Globalist (now defunct) and worked with organizations such as the International Organization for Migration – UN Migration, International Community Health Services (ICHS), the City of Burien, among others. Her photography has been exhibited at events including Have You Eaten and local art walks throughout Seattle.