Journey

Melissa X. DeAun | Multimodal Storyteller | Educator | Socio-Ecological Justice Researcher

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Melissa X. DeAun traces the frequencies that connect people, place, and story. She works in photography, soundscapes, cartography, and motion-based media. Her narratives are layered, immersive, and alive, rooted in history, lineage, and lived experience. She moves between creative practice and socio-ecological justice research, tracing the resonances that emerge when we attune to one another, our communities, and the landscapes we inhabit. Each project invites reflection, engagement, and a deeper sense of connection to the stories that shape our shared world.

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Full Bio

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Melissa X. DeAun is a visual storyteller and educator in digital and black-and-white film photography. Her work explores the human relational work of connection, producing layered, motion- and color-driven imagery that challenges conventional perspectives and framing. Through her lens, Melissa reveals the raw beauty, resonance, and complexity of each subject and environment, creating narratives that invite reflection and engagement.

As a master’s student in Biological Sciences with Project Dragonfly’s Global Field Program at Miami University, Melissa integrates international fieldwork with her creative practice. Drawing on a background in special education, youth advocacy, and photography, she develops multimodal storytelling rooted in socio-ecological justice, community knowledge, and place-based connection. Her projects combine photography, soundscapes, writing, and mixed media to create immersive narratives that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and inspire engagement with both community and environment.

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Melissa’s work spans fine art portraiture, music photography, education-focused workshops, and community storytelling initiatives, emphasizing relational ethics, autoethnographic presence, and collaborative practice. She is also a KEXP photographer, creative director at Ballard VOX, board member at Youth in Focus, and member-owner of Conor Byrne Cooperative.

Academia

Associate in Arts and Sciences, Photography and Journalism

2008 EvCC

Bachelor of Arts, Special Education and Elementary Education

2023 WGU

Master of Arts in Biology Student in Biological Sciences Project Dragonfly Global Field Program

2027 Miami University Oxford, OH