Meet Graciela Corona

We had the good fortune of connecting with Graciela Corona and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Graciela, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Since middle and high school, I have had a passion for all things aesthetic. Growing up in the Tumblr and Instagram era inspired me to look for beauty in the ordinary, whether it be cafes, sunsets, or people in cities. I could only reblog so much of other people’s art until I wanted to create my own. I was able to start with taking iPhone photos, but I wanted more. I signed up for digital photography in high school and have never stopped shooting since then. I was able to take more photography classes in college as well and even learned to develop my own film. Once I realized the passion I had could also help me pay for school, I started to do freelance photography. Now as a graduate student at USC, my photography freelance business has helped me so much financially and creatively.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am very proud of being a first-generation college student who is also a DACA recipient. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from San Jose State University in four years and it is all due to my work ethic as an immigrant with dreams that feel bigger than the sky. I have not lived in Mexico since 2000 and I have also never been able to go back. My dream is to be able to go back and shoot photography there endlessly. I am also now a second-year graduate student in Marriage and Family Therapy and I am an MFT trainee at USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative. This experience has been an 18o as I received therapy in middle school but did not get to have a therapist who had a shared background. My goal after I graduate is to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with bilingual families in Los Angeles and to apply to a PhD program in social welfare. I want to be able to do research to support creating policies that create better health outcomes for the Latinx Community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Tacos Gueros tacos in Norwalk

Pizza at Prince Street Pizza in the Arts District

Coffee at Maru Coffee in the Arts District

Pastries Dulce Cafe at USC Village

Walk Echo Park and Los Feliz

Dinner with a view at Broken Shaker or Cara Cara

Croissants at Bottega Louie

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to the Latinx, Undocumented, and first-generation student community. These are identities that are not only important to me in who I am, but they are the same folks who keep me inspired to keep doing the work and to keep working toward my ultimate goal of obtaining a PhD. There is much beauty, depth, and complexity in these communities that are a huge part of my work ethic and creative energy.

Website: https://gracielacoronaphotography.squarespace.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracielacoronafotografia?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graciela-p-corona/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.corona.1/

Other: https://www.instagram.com/gracielaacoronaa/ 

Image Credits
ME! 🙂