1. What type of creative do you identify as?
I identify as a multidisciplinary artist and social impact strategist. I move between film, photography, writing, and creative direction—but at the heart of it, I’m a storyteller. I see my creative work as a method to deliver stories that are often overlooked, and as a way to close equity gaps in whose narratives get told and how. Everything I create is rooted in memory, and imagining new futures for our communities.

2. Can you share the journey that led you to become a filmmaker and storyteller?
I was raised in Ethiopia and in the U.S. as an immigrant. Growing up, I witnessed the power of oral history and visual traditions as tools to preserve culture, protect truth, and honor resilience. Later, my academic and organizing work in human rights deepened my desire to tell stories that could shift narratives and influence policy. Filmmaking became a medium that allowed me to connect both—advocacy and art—into one voice.

3. How do your Ethiopian roots influence your storytelling and filmmaking approach?
My Ethiopian roots are everything to me. The textures, colors, sounds, rituals—they inform the way I see the world and hold space for beauty and resistance. In my work, I try to preserve cultural nuance while also addressing systemic harm and collective healing. There’s a spiritual thread that runs through everything I create, which is directly tied to my upbringing.

4. What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on so far?
I don’t have a favorite because each project is close to me and touches on different themes that matter deeply—whether that’s womanhood, displacement, justice, or joy. Every story has its own life, and I try to honor that fully.

5. What advice would you give to young girls who dream of working in the creative industry?
Your stories matter. Your voice is not too loud, too soft, too complicated—it’s just right. There is no one way to be an artist. Protect your imagination. Make your own rules. And find or create communities that will remind you that you belong, even when the world tries to forget or tell you that you should be a certain way. 

6. What do you hope your audience takes away from your work?
I hope people leave my work feeling seen and stretched. I want them to feel the beauty, the grief, the questions—and to carry that reflection into their own lives. My work doesn’t offer easy answers, but it does offer intimacy, and a mirror.

7. What’s something your audience doesn’t know about you that you wish they did?
That I’m still learning. Still experimenting. Still dreaming. So much of what people see is polished, but behind it is a woman trying to remain soft, grounded, and radically herself in a world that often demands performance.

8. How do you stay grounded and connected to your purpose while working in so many different creative spaces?
I return to ritual—music, prayer, walking, family. I remind myself that this work is not about perfection, but about purpose. My community keeps me grounded. And when I feel lost, I return to the why: to make visible what’s been erased, and to honor those who came before me. I feel blessed with good people in my life who hold my hand through it. 

9. How does modeling tie into your efforts for social impact? Or, how do you approach modeling as someone focused on creating systemic change?
Modeling for me isn’t just about image—it’s about telling my story and expressing who I am. I bring intention into every collaboration, using modeling as another form of storytelling. When done with care, it becomes a powerful way to reflect identity, challenge norms, and create space for authenticity.

10. What’s your affiliation with Seeds of Africa?
Seeds of Africa is close to my heart. In January, I had the opportunity to lead a workshop with the students at their school in Adama, Ethiopia, which was such a special experience. It’s been a beautiful journey to help uplift their impact and advocate for community-driven education. I’m also currently fundraising for their school uniform fund to help ensure every student has what they need to feel confident and thrive.

Support at: https://seedsofafrica.kindful.com/ 

Connect with Herrana!

Instagram : @herranathegreat_

Model: Herrana Addisu

Photography by: Cheril Sanchez

Hair Artist: Kayra Theodore @misstheodore

Makeup Artist: Joslyn Spurlock

Stylist: Asia Simms

Designer: Marleigh Noelle (Brown Dress, Maroon Top), Black Dress: Solaire

Produced by: Her Studio New York

Interviewed by: Stephanie Rommelt

Space: 343 Grand