Exposing Hope grew out of the personal journey and learnings of our founder, Alissa Everett.
After serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal for two years, and several years working as an investment banker, Alissa commenced a career as a photojournalist.
She worked extensively in conflict zones around the world, including nine months in Iraq, and multiple trips to Gaza, Afghanistan and Darfur during their most eruptive periods. Her work gave her firsthand experience of the human impact of conflict. In response to observing the gap between what was actually happening and what being reported, she shifted her focus to covering humanitarian issues.
Beginning in Darfur in 2007, she decided to go beyond solely covering stories, seeking ways to directly assist the subjects of her work, and Exposing Hope was formed.
With a team of volunteers to help her, Alissa has held eight photography exhibitions across the U.S. and many presentations raising awareness of important issues of human rights abuses with schools, religious institutions, and groups of compassionate donors. She also sells her images to philanthropists and photography collectors to raise additional funds to support organizations she had personally vetted on the ground.
We remain small, lean and focused on making a difference through long term relationships with local grassroots organizations supporting them in their efforts to effect change locally.