A Note On Alyssa
Written by Alyssa’s BFF, Gwyneth Bailey
Where to begin with my sweet, sweet Alyssums? The stars had to align perfectly for us to meet and I am so, so grateful we did. In Alyssa, I have found my platonic life partner, my inspiration, and my peace. Alyssa is the best friend that I could have ever hoped for.
I love everything about Alyssa. Alyssa is a Gemini sun, with a Cancer moon and Sagittarius rising. Alyssa is half Pacific Islander and half white, but they’re allergic to literally everything so they can’t even enjoy pineapple. Alyssa lives in a bigger body and advocates for fat representation, fat joy, and fat expression. Alyssa is sex positive and advocates for sex worker’s rights. Alyssa has an almost 17 year old Yorkie named Cosmo who they love dearly. Their favorite color is purple and they go absolutely feral for stickers. They have the worst case of ADHD I have ever seen, but I could (and do) listen to them talk all day long. If Alyssa’s watching TV, it’s probably RuPaul’s Drag Race, and if they’re listening to music, it’s probably RuPaul or the Black Eyed Peas. (They have a good taste in music, I promise. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to roast them.) They have spent countless hours and hundreds of dollars on the Sims. Alyssa loves their mom and has a crazy amount of long distance friends. I don’t believe that a single person that’s met them could dislike them. They brighten every room they enter, they are kind to everyone, and their laugh is contagious.
Alyssa is like a rubber band, pulled back and shot at the sky. They know who they are and have always known their trajectory — have always known they wanted to major in Advertising. And they did! Alyssa graduated from the University of Texas in 2020 with a B.S. in Advertising and a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies. They are currently studying to become a Sex Educator under Dr. Nadine Thornhill, and is the Volunteer Communications Chair for the Girls Advocacy League. Alyssa works hard and passionately for the people they represent and does it all while living with a chronic illness.
Anyone lucky enough to meet or work with Alyssa would have to be blind and dumb to not realize what a rare and precious person they are. I am so confident in their vision for Shimoji Studios that I’d be willing to bet everything I have on their success. I may be biased, but I truly believe Alyssa and Shimoji Studios represent the future of advertising: authentic, joyful, and powerful.