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As an interdisciplinary artist - photo essayist, visual artist, writer and filmmaker - Elissa is motivated to tell stories that explore cross-cultural understanding and human rights through innovative yet accessible narrative and documentary films as well as photo and video essays. Her work in Africa and the Middle East contributes to her point of view, specifically the danger of the single-story narrative.




At age 16 she volunteered for SIDA/AIDS Moncton, canvassing high schools to participate in the AIDS Walk. With homophobia and a stigma with AIDS deeply ingrained in the culture no school agreed except her own, Moncton High School. 19 students including Elissa completed the AIDS Walk. While enrolled at Dalhousie University, Elissa joined Students for a Free Tibet and participated in marches and peaceful vigils.

Her first experience in a large-scale peace march was the February 15, 2003 anti-war protest. The day was a coordinated day of global protest and is still held, to this day, as one of the largest protest events in human history. The day was a significant marker in understanding the power of interconnectedness, a unified voice, and grassroots mobilization.
As a youth mentor for over 9 years, she has volunteered with various organizations working with at-risk and special needs children. She has had the honour of being an in-class volunteer for vulnerable children in both Vancouver and South Central Los Angeles classrooms.
As the founder of Caleb’s Hope, Elissa worked with refugee women and children in Atiak region of Northern Uganda – widows, former child soldiers, sex slaves, PLWHA, and child headed households. With the ongoing assistance of local leaders and experts, they developed the Atiak Women’s Business Group; a women’s social enterprise group focused on sustainable economic independence and child welfare and education. AWBG currently focuses on farming as their sustainable industry of choice with many having dreams to expand their farming productions while others use funds to complete school or plan to use profits as start-up capital for other business endeavors.
Unfortunately the deeply flawed and oppressive colonial structure of most foreign aid in Africa has systematically led to an inevitable unhealthy co-dependency between western charities and their developing nation recipients, despite the best of intentions. Because of this reality, Caleb’s Hope could no longer, in good conscience, continue programs in Atiak. All programs were completed, fulfilling the NGOs promise in Atiak in 2014.
"If we within the aid and humanitarian industry don't talk about where we're failing, how can we improve? Rooted in Euro-colonial patriarchal ideology, the system is broken and always has been. It's impossible for empathy to truly exist and flourish if you're clinging to 'our' idea of 'right'. How can you say you are in service to those in need if you're not even willing to listen? And yes, that means take some criticism too. It would behove everyone to have a little more humility; with mouths shut and ears open. Academic credentials and lengthy resumes don't make anyone infallible nor all-knowing. Your way isn't the only way - or even the right way. We are to serve intelligently from a place of compassionate mindfulness with awareness and insight, not blindly from ego motivated by pity. It's time to de-colonise the system." - Holly Elissa
Move Together Foundation emerged in 2018 with a meditation and dog-assisted therapy pilot program in Vancouver, Canada to address the urgent mental health needs of vulnerable children. Learn more about Move Together here.

Femmes Mondiales, an ecofeminist-driven human rights NGO and social enterprise incubator for women founded by Elissa, is gearing up for to launch December 2020.
Femmes Mondiales addresses male violence against women through mental health services, green economy, and justice for victims. Sign up to be notified on the launch here.
