Alison Wright

Alison Wright (1961–2022) was a New York–based social documentary photographer and writer whose work celebrated the resilience and dignity of people around the globe. Trained in photojournalism at Syracuse University and holding an MA in visual anthropology from UC Berkeley—where she studied Himalayan cultures—Wright devoted her career to documenting endangered communities, post‑conflict recovery, and human‑rights issues, with a special focus on women and children.

Her images—published in National Geographic, Outside, Smithsonian, and The New York Times—combine immersive storytelling with artistic rigor. A two‑time Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award winner and recipient of the Dorothea Lange Award in Documentary Photography, she was named a 2013 National Geographic Traveler of the Year. In addition to her editorial and commercial assignments, Wright authored nine books, including Learning to Breathe: One Woman’s Journey of Spirit and Survival, which recounts her spiritual and physical recovery after a near‑fatal bus accident in Laos.

Driven by a commitment to give back, she founded the Faces of Hope Fund to support education and healthcare for women and children in crisis. Wright’s fearless empathy and keen eye for shared humanity forged a body of work that continues to inspire compassion and action. She passed away in March 2022, leaving behind a legacy of advocacy through art and an enduring reminder of photography’s power to connect us all.