Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Simmons.
Hi Alyssa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am currently a third-year attending Loyola Marymount University where I am double-majoring in Sociology and African American Studies, with a Minor in Screenwriting. Since a very young age, I have always been very passionate about advocating for those who are misrepresented, mistreated, and overlooked. At just five years old, I became the Spokesperson for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Orange County, being the voice of those with this Chronic Illness throughout my community. As I got older, my title augmented and I now serve as the Teen Spokesperson for the foundation. In holding this title, a lot of the community and service work I did was aimed at supporting those from underprivileged and minority communities, those who lack representation, and those seeking someone to advocate for them.
Much of the work we did was to provide patients with materials for their schooling, Spanish translations for patients and their families, and simply sharing knowledge regarding the accessibility patients have to certain resources that they may not be knowledgeable about. This service work ultimately empowered me to get more involved in Legal work, and supporting minorities/POC specifically. In enduring my own adversities of living with a Chronic Illness, I have been able to become a lot more understanding and empathetic of everyone’s different living experiences and difficulties. Being able to relate firsthand to being an African American woman with a disability is what drives my passion for advocacy. Knowing change is better acquired when it is done directly, I have been driven to work in the Legal field, so I can become a part of the system in order to directly and adequately be impactful in making the changes that I want to see.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This journey of life that I have gone about so far certainly has not been a smooth road. There have been various challenges along the way that have aimed to detour me from my path. In having a Chronic Illness, there have been instances where I have lost motivation to continue with certain goals that I have because my health would get in the way of due dates that I had built for myself. Along with causing me to lose motivation, I also have had many moments where I would have to unintentionally shift my goals and focuses due to circumstances that I could not prevent from happening. Losses in the family, shifts in my mental health, global pandemic(s), etc., are all unexpected circumstances that significantly impacted goals that I created for myself and altered the dealines. However, with my motto “It’s temporary” encouraging me that all will work out in the end, I was able to keep myself grounded and motivated to keep pushing, which has allowed me to do exactly that and persevere.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
There are a few different aspects of work that I am involved in that allow me to represent my talents in different forms. Currently, I work at a Law Firm (Johnson Criminal Law Group) as a Law Clerk under Attorney Lauren K. Johnson. I have been working there since May 2022, and have been able to adapt many skills that will help prepare me for my future Career Aspirations of going into the Legal FIeld, potentially as a Criminal Defense or Civil Rights Attorney. Seeing that advocacy has been a passion of mine and stuck with me since the age of five years old when I was advocating for children with Sickle Cell Disease, it is evident that advocacy and philanthropy work is something that I specialize in. This, and the act of giving back to others who are unable to represent themselves in certain regards, is what I would say I am most proud of.
In addition, I also have a creative sense to my identity, which I am currently working on expanding more. I love the arts and have found myself indulging in certain habits that allow me to share that expressive side of me, such as painting, designing, and creative writing. It is my goal to execute my creative vision in form of fashion design by January 2023, dropping my clothing line inspired by my motto in life “It’s temporary”. In addition, I would like to share my passion for creative writing more throughout my community and the world, which is why it is my goal to further my skill in creative writing and publish a creative piece of writing by Summer 2023. As previously mentioned, there are various aspects of work that I am involved in, but as I continue to work on the skills and passions that I obtain, I know I will be able to execute my goals effectively and to the quality that I am capable of, as long as I stay grounded and motivated to do so.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The most important lesson that I have learned due to the COVID-19 Crisis is that time is truly all we have. Seeing how much time flies by and can be lost in such a short matter of seconds has caused me to value the time of every day a lot more. Although there is the notion that “Life is Short”, I believe with the mentality of “every second counts” and all in life is temporary will allow all of us to value the time we have in a day and in life overall to move with intention and ensure that all we do is significant and meaningful to what we wish to be in the world. Although time flies by, life is what you make of it, and valuing every second of time in the day to be intentional about what you choose to execute, will allow you to make your life one that is a story worthy and waiting to be shared in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.areigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssareignn/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzBfuVjRdCaHiEeRdJmZl-Q
