Born and raised in Morro do Dendê, the northern zone of Rio de Janeiro, in 2000, Melissa is a photographer and visual artist. Melissa embarked on her photographic journey in 2019, capturing the daily life of the community. She holds technical training in photography from Spectaculu - School of Art and Technology and is currently delving into Formation and Deformation studies at EAV Parque Lage. Melissa has showcased her work in collective exhibitions like "Escrito no Corpo / Engraved into the body" at Carpintaria (RJ) and Tanya Bonakdar (NY), and "Crônicas Cariocas" at the Museum of Art of Rio. Several of her pieces have earned a place in the permanent collection of ICA Miami. Her photographic contributions have been featured in notable publications such as Elle Brazil, Vogue Brazil, and ZUM/IMS magazine. Additionally, Melissa actively participated in the "Paura" exhibition at ERA Gallery in Milan, Italy.