Ella Floyd is the Communications Coordinator at CARITAS, a nonprofit based in Richmond, Virginia, working to create safe spaces to heal and rebuild from houselessness and substance use disorders. Originally from Southwest Virginia, Floyd brings a strong storytelling sensibility shaped by her Appalachian roots and background in the arts. She earned her BFA in Photography + Film from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts in 2024.
At CARITAS, Floyd assists in communications strategies that amplify recovery-based initiatives across the Commonwealth, including content development, brand/social media management, and multimedia storytelling. With a commitment to representing Virginia culture and substance use recovery with nuance and dignity, her work highlights the voices and lived experiences of individuals navigating housing and addiction challenges.
Her creative practice, focused on identity, regional narratives, and media representation, continues to inform her communications approach, bridging visual storytelling with advocacy. Outside of work, she finds renewal near rivers, waterfalls, and any place that offers slowness and reflection.
MY BACKGROUND EXPLORES THE INDUSTRIAL AND CREATIVE SIDE OF VISUAL CULTURAL AND COMMUNICATION THROUGH PERSONAL WORK AND COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER LOCAL ARTISTS. I AIM TO CAPTURE AND EXPLORE THE COMPLEXITIES OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND BEHAVIOR, AS WELL AS THE EFFECTS THEIR PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS TAKE ON THEM. WITH IMAGES OFTEN FEATURING MUNDANE, RURAL BACKGROUNDS, THE VIEWER BECOMES ISOLATED ALONG WITH THE SUBJECT, FURTHER DEVELOPING THE UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT OF SMALL TOWN AMERICA. USING SOFT FOCUS AND DREAMLIKE COLORING, MY WORK OFTEN TOUCHES ON FEELINGS OF NOSTALGIA, LOSS, AND UNEASE.
IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLORE CULTURAL PHENOMENA AND TRADITIONS ROOTED IN ADOLESCENCE IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, IMAGERY OFTEN APPROACHES THE VIEWER WITH A DECEIVING FEELING OF CHILD-LIKE INNOCENCE OR MUNDANITY. HARBORING A SENSE OF STILLNESS AND DEPTH, MY WORK OFTEN EVOKES AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE IN THE VIEWER. USING PHOTOGRAPHY AS MY PRIMARY MEDIUM, I VIEW THIS EXPRESSION AS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL RESPONSE TO MY POSITION AS A WHITE WOMAN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, BORN AND RAISED UNDER THE RIGID EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH AND APPALACHIA, A PLACE ATTRIBUTED TO HARSH POLITICAL LEGISLATION AND DISPARITIES IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS WE MAY SEE IN MORE DENSELY POPULATED AREAS. THROUGH MY PRACTICE, I USE EXPANDED PHOTOGRAPHIC PRACTICES TO DEPICT A COMBINATION OF PERSONAL LIFE EXPERIENCE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND STORYTELLING.
Photo by Shawn Terry