ALESSANDRA MARTINS
Writer |Visual Artist|Cultural producer
From poetry to visual storytelling, bridging literary practice and contemporary visual culture.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou,
About me
I’m Alessandra Martins, an Afro-Brazilian writer, visual artist, and cultural producer. My work is rooted in Afro-Brazilian literature, ancestry, identity, and belonging, and extends into photography, audiovisual work, and other contemporary forms of artistic expression.
I was born in the city of Duque de Caxias, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I began writing at an early age as a way of understanding the world and giving form to lived experience. From my teenage years, while balancing work and study, I developed resilience and a sharp sense of observation that continue to shape my creative practice.
My academic background includes studies in Portuguese Language and Literature at Universidade Estácio de Sá, Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous History and Culture at UNINTER, and Marketing and Branding at the University of São Paulo (USP) all based in Brazil. I have continued my studies in the United States, where I am currently pursuing Liberal Arts at County College of Morris.
I am the author of Voa, Sankofa, Voa! (2021) and O Sol Brilha Para Todos (2023), and my work has been published in anthologies and literary journals, including Cadernos Negros (Quilombhoje).
My artistic practice also extends to audiovisual work. I received an Honorable Mention for the short film Afrodescendant Communities (UNESCO and IberCultura Viva, 2018) and participated in the Black and Indigenous Narratives Laboratory at FLUP in partnership with Rede Globo (2022).
I have lived in different countries and currently reside in the United States, an experience that broadens my perspective on identity, displacement, and belonging.
In 2025, I became a mother, an experience that transformed my relationship with time, care, and creation, and changed my priorities and the way I understand love.
My work moves between word and image as forms of artistic presence.
Contact
Let's talk!