Chermetra Keys is more than a photographer and visual artist. She uses the beauty captured through the lens of her camera to change the world around her. Through her photography, she has healed her own heart and lead her movement of beautiful and impactful images. In a world where few are told their dreams can actually come true, it’s a sheer act of resistance and radical self-love to create using oneself as the ultimate canvas.

Looking back, Keys says she’s learned more about seeing the bigger picture than she ever could have known years ago. Like many women, she suffered from imposter syndrome, forever wondering if she was really “good enough” or “pretty enough," and unable to see her worth as an advantage. “I was way too dependent on wanting a man’s love before realizing that love starts from within.” Growing up, Chermetra didn’t have the confidence or understanding of who she was meant to become and was often criticized for not being your standard “beauty.”