Meet the Team

  • A man with glasses, wearing a white cap, a brown jacket, a white shirt, and a red striped tie, standing on a beach with the ocean and cloudy sky in the background. He is holding his cap with both hands and has a surprised or happy expression.

    Lorenzo dela Cruz | Founder & Lead Photographer

    Lorenzo dela Cruz is a photographer, content creator, and creative director from Sacramento, California. As a recent graduate at the University of California, Berkeley with a BA in Film & Media, Lorenzo has always strived to use art as a medium to represent the human experience. He founded Nopality Magazine as a safe space for young Asian Americans and creatives in general to have a platform for their voice and work, highlighting their work and personal expression.

  • A young woman with pink and purple hair taking a selfie in her colorful, decorated bedroom.

    Gwyneth Gravador | Managing Editor

    Gwyneth is a Houston-based Filipina designer and digital creative with a focus on Art with a minor in Advertising. Her work blends bold visuals with nostalgic and pop culture influences, spanning projects like brand design and digital posters. Outside of her creative practice, she enjoys streaming, gaming, exploring music, and expressing herself through ever-changing hair colors.

  • A young woman in a blue graduation gown and cap with a gold tassel is lying on green grass, smiling and waving. She has a diploma and congratulatory decorations, including a wrapped bouquet and a festive bag with the words 'The Best Is Yet To Come,' in front of a modern glass building.

    Melaina Garcia | Communications Lead

    Based in San Antonio, Texas, Mel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Texas at San Antonio. With a passion for content creation and social media management, she thrives on uplifting others and building meaningful connections. Mel is especially drawn to causes rooted in community empowerment, cultural representation, and equality. Whether she’s behind the scenes or leading a project, she brings clarity, heart, and a contagious positive energy to every space she’s part of.

  • Amethyst Chagolla | Photographer

    Based in San Antonio, Texas, Amethyst is a photographer and student at the University of Texas at San Antonio, studying film and sports management. When she’s not working or pursuing one of her many hobbies, she can be found at concerts, spending time with family, or with her daughter, her cat.

  • James Russell | Photographer

    James Russell is a photographer and visual storyteller based in San Antonio, Texas from Colorado, Springs. Currently completing his Bachelor’s degree in Communications at the University of Texas at San Antonio, James previously earned his Associate’s in Journalism from San Antonio College. With a deep-rooted passion for preserving truth and sharing untold stories, he strives to immerse viewers in each frame—capturing raw moments through the honest eye of the camera. His work is driven by a commitment to authenticity, emotion, and the power of visual narrative.

  • A young woman with glasses and a floral crown sits outdoors, resting her face in her hand, with trees and a person sitting on a bench in the background.

    Julieta Torres | Photographer

    Julieta Torres Aldana is a graduate from the Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, GA where she obtained her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Film, Television and Photography. She currently resides in Houston, TX where she spends her time photographing events and concerts, specifically focusing on the K-pop and cosplay scene. When she's not busy creating, she spends her time listening to music, playing video games or taking her dog on a walk. 

  • A young woman with long dark hair, wearing a black quilted jacket, black gloves, and holding a camera, standing on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, with the bridge's cables and city skyline in the background.

    Leila Miranda | Photographer

    Leila Miranda is a photographer born and raised in Austin, TX. In her free time, she can often be found capturing street scenes along Congress Avenue or Guadalupe Street. She’s also a big live music fan, so if there’s a show going on, there’s a good chance she’s up front snapping shots of the band—or the crowd going wild.

  • A young woman with light skin, reddish-brown hair, and a warm smile standing against a white patterned background.

    Samantha Firmin | Photographer

    Sam is a photographer, art director, and storyteller currently based in Austin and Dallas, TX. A recent graduate from UT Austin with a degree in Advertising, she’s pursuing a career in marketing and directing within the live events and entertainment industries. She loves exploring new creative outlets and is passionate about telling stories that spark meaningful conversations and resonate with audiences.

  • Michelle Sy | Photographer

    Michelle is a Chinese-American photographer and creative from New Jersey, now based in San Francisco. She graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor's in Business Analytics but has always had a passion for the arts, music, and travel. Capturing a special moment is always her goal, whether that's an artist on stage or a beautiful landscape somewhere.

  • A woman with long, wavy red hair and a crown of green leaves and orange flowers on her head, against a dark background.

    Odawni Villahermosa | Photographer

    Odawni Villahermosa is a photographer currently based in San Diego, California. Born and raised in the Philippines and having lived in Japan, her perspective is shaped by a tapestry of cultural experiences. Her work is driven by a deep curiosity for people and their stories, capturing them with artistry, intention, and a spirit of creative exploration. 

  • Close-up of a person with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a striped turtleneck shirt, smiling softly in front of a plain background.

    Vi-Anh Nguyen | Graphic Designer & Writer

    Vi-Anh is a digital artist and programmer currently based in Texas. After getting her Master's in Computer Science, she strives to combine her love of art with her passion for code to create something more colorful for the digital world. When she's not working digitally, she enjoys reading comics and playing video games to explore what she can incorporate in her own storytelling.

  • Black and white portrait of a young woman with shoulder-length hair, a nose piercing, wearing a black t-shirt and a thin necklace, looking slightly to the right.

    Martha Morales | Graphic Designer

    She’s a true typography nerd based in Austin, Texas who is known to say “make it pop” ironically (and then actually make it pop).

  • A woman with curly dark hair and glasses smiling and sitting on a blanket under a large tree in a park, holding a cup with a red straw.

    Alexis Carrillo | Graphic Designer

    From the deserts of Tucson, Arizona, Alexis is a graphic designer who is interested in illustration and editorial designs. As a recent graduate and student employee at the University of Arizona with a BA in Design Arts & Practices in Print, she's learned how to use a variety of digital art mediums that help audiences understand the stories and cultures being shared. Her future goals reflect this and she hopes to implement these lessons through her designs in magazines and social media.

  • A young woman with black and blue hair smiling and posing outdoors at night, with pink flowers and other people in the background.

    Jae Santos | Graphic Designer

    Jae is a Filipino digital artist and graphic designer based in McAllen, Texas. They graduated with an Advertising & Public Relations Bachelor's degree with a Graphic Design minor. Jae has worked with multiple startups, growing small businesses, and managed & designed for social media accounts of the vibrant city of McAllen! Their work is driven by their passion to enhance the ideas of inspiring creatives and bring their vision to life.

  • A young woman with long black wavy hair and a septum piercing, wearing a black shirt, looking slightly downward with a neutral expression.

    Lucero Leon | Graphic Designer

    Lucero Leon graduated with a BA in Graphic Design from Texas A&M–Corpus Christi and loves creating handheld pieces that make a difference—think brochures, t-shirts, and flyers for organizations and causes she cares about. Designing for people doing good work makes her own work feel more meaningful and personal. When she’s off the computer, she’s usually listening to music, grabbing food with friends, going to karaoke, or spending time with her family and pets (who are basically coworkers at this point).

  • A young woman with long dark hair, wearing a white sleeveless top, leaning against a beige pillar outdoors, with modern buildings in the background.

    Lisa Yang | Content Producer & Writer

    Based in Texas, Lisa has her bachelors in Biochemistry from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Professional yapper and food eater, Lisa has a lot of opinions about things that concern the young (and likely) Asian community of the San Antonio-Austin area. Living in Texas for over 15 years, Lisa has seen lots of change and growth that she will explore with her reviews.

  • Person with tattoos wearing a cap, making a peace sign near their face, in a dimly lit bar or restaurant with wooden walls, bottles of alcohol on shelves, mounted deer heads, and warm orange lighting.

    Jonathan "V" Villanueva | Writer

    Howdy y'all! My name's Jon, but I go by V! I'm a San Antonio based up-and-coming journalist with a creative writing background. I always do my best to bring a unique storytelling perspective to event coverage and features! Nice to meet you!

  • A person with short, wavy dark hair, wearing earrings and a white sleeveless top with a bow at the neckline, standing against a textured white wall.

    Vi-Linh Nguyen | Writer

    Vi-Linh Nguyen is a Vietnamese American web developer and digital artist currently based in Texas, who likes to write stories on the side. As a recent alumni of DePaul University's Computer Science graduate program, her goal has always been to make a more creative digital experience lanscape through art and code and storytelling. When her eyes aren't glued to a computer Vi-Linh can be found upcycling or making up stories for the characters in her head to live in.

  • Smiling woman sitting outdoors with mountains, trees, and a bright blue sky in the background.

    Veronica Campos | Content Producer & Writer

    Hi! I’m Veronica Campos, a Texas State graduate with a degree in Electronic Media. I spent three amazing years living in South Korea, where my love for music and culture grew. These days, I work behind the scenes at K-pop concerts and live events. When I’m not working, you can usually find me at a concert, wandering around an art museum, just listening to music or reading a book.