Life and Work with Deja Criss

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deja Criss.

Deja, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a 21-year-old freelance model and also a licensed Montessori teacher! I began my journey when I was 16. My parents were divorced at a young age and my dad was in the military, so I moved a lot of places and never got a chance to connect with friends. I finally landed in Casper, Wyoming with my mom for high school. Living with my mom came with a few challenges, one of them being her abusive boyfriend. I was determined to get out of that situation. When I was 16, I got my first job at a donut shop I worked from 4 AM to noon and then went to school. I ended up graduating early at 17. Once I graduated high school, I found a job at a toddler center in Casper, Wyoming. That job sparked my passion for working with kids. I saved up for about a year and moved to Colorado. It was in Boulder when I was discovered by a photographer that asked me if I would love to be in his portfolio. After being posted on his Instagram page, I started getting more inquiries and business for modeling. With the last two years, I have done so many big photoshoots for so many different brands in Colorado, I’ve been published, I also am glad to say I am in the best creative community here in Denver. I am so thankful for my journey and how far I’ve came, it’s been a lonely ride. I now am a professional freelance model, and my following is increasing. Many people say followers don’t matter but I think of followers as people that are inspired by you and the more people that are inspired by you, the more people you can get inspired by.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Some of the obstacles for me especially with living on my own has definitely been financial struggles, it’s hard to get through life with not much support, but it’s not impossible.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
One of my favorite books is living dead girl by Elizabeth Scott it’s about a little girl that gets out of a terrible kidnapping situation, in a way I can relate to getting out of a struggle and succeeding.

Image Credit:
@sarackane, @kyliefitts, @nicolecalivaphotography, @jennisummerstuido, @ktldbttr, @earlstanderford

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