Falisa Ray’s light is undeniable. Creative, bold, and resilient, she is on a mission to make artistic career paths more attractive and accessible in the African American community.
As the founder and CEO of LisaLisa, LLC, she is a fierce advocate for arts education and passionate about bringing access to this essential learning experience back into schools. As a go-to resource, Ray connects talented, diverse young performers with pivotal opportunities.
Ray’s book, Raising Simba highlights her journey from the Chicago projects to guiding her son Aaron to Broadway, where he landed the lead role as Simba in Disney’s The Lion King. In it she shares tips on developing the right mindset, commitment, and skills for a successful career in arts and entertainment.
She blends her experience and expertise to empower other parents seeking to help their children realize their artistic dreams. Throughout her personal and professional life, she has always emphasized the power of prayer and purpose-driven decisions to make the impossible possible. For her, the key to overcoming adversity, rejection, and disappointment lies in her faith in God.
Her passion for the creative world began at an early age when she fell in love with dancing, music, and fashion. She learned to cut and sew patterns at age eight and later began designing clothes, specializing in evening gowns. Her unique style and keen eye attracted the attention of others who requested she create custom designs for them. In 2010, Ray established her fashion studio, Lisa Ray Fashions, and has designed clothes for a variety of clients, including Grammy Award-winning musician Kirk Whalum.
In addition to her creative endeavors and entrepreneurial pursuits, Ray continues to work as a respiratory therapist. Even in this role, she motivates patients to pursue their artistic dreams. For example, she inspired and helped a woman once named the world’s tiniest sibling by Guinness World Records to design beautiful clothing to fit herself. In 2022, the FACES Foundation presented her with a PHIL Award for outstanding care and treatment for patients with respiratory illnesses. Falisa has been featured on WGN-TV Channel 9 Chicago, Citizen Newspaper, V103 Chicago and the Columbia Chronicle.
