YULIIA KOZYRKOVA
I tell stories that travel — through people, through time
Photographer | Visual Storyteller | Public Speaker
work that speaks without words
From war zones to art school — this is the story behind the lens.
I’m Yuliia Kozyrkova — a Ukrainian-born photographer, visual storyteller, and public speaker.
Photography first came into my life as a way to make sense of survival. I carried my phone and camera through evacuations, displacement, and years of rebuilding. It helped me see moments of beauty where I didn’t expect to find them — and reminded me I still had a voice.
In 2022, after being displaced by war, I arrived in the U.S. with nothing but my family, my photos, and a desire to keep creating. Since then, I’ve used my camera not only to document but to connect — capturing moments that speak to resilience, identity, and the quiet strength of everyday people.
I’ve worked closely with nonprofits and community groups to tell real stories: of refugee families, immigrant women, and underrepresented youth. Every image is a love letter to survival — and to the idea that even in chaos, there is beauty worth remembering.
My journey has also led me to stages — where I share my story to empower others who feel unseen, unheard, or unsure of their own path.
I’ve spoken at youth conferences and global leadership summits hosted by organizations like Bridges2030and TEEEM, sharing my experience as a forcibly displaced artist and first-generation creative rebuilding a life through storytelling.
Topics I speak on include:
• Art as survival
• Creativity in times of crisis
• Starting over as a displaced young woman
• Storytelling for change
