Elysia Hernandez is an undergrad at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. As a Nuyorican, born and raised in Bushwick, witnessing firsthand the effects of gentrification within her own community, she is inspired to use photography and film as a tool to preserve the stories, cultures, and identities of communities facing displacement and change. Her interests lie in production, documentary storytelling, marketing, and photography.

Much of her perspective as a filmmaker has been shaped by her experience as a member of the Puerto Rican National Karate Team. In 2025, she won gold medals at the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay, and the Pan American Karate Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. Her achievements have been recognized by Telemundo, PANAM Sports, and the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee. In 2025, she was acknowledged as Athlete of the Year by the Comité Olympico for her outstanding accomplishments. Representing Puerto Rico while traveling throughout the Americas and parts of Europe helped broaden her global cultural perspective. She now seeks to bring that same sense of pride, identity, and representation to her work in film, using storytelling to preserve and celebrate the communities that have shaped her.

Currently, she is a Redbull Student Ambassador where she has learned to not only represent a brand but an identity. She brings discipline, leadership, and global perspective into her work. This website acts as a portfolio and representation of her work.

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