Julia DeVera was first diagnosed with alopecia areata when she was 11 years old. Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune skin disease which causes hair loss. According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, https://NAAF.org, about 700,000 people in the U.S. currently have some form of alopecia areata which has both physical and mental health implications. People of all ages, genders, and racial and ethnic groups are affected by the disease.

In 2024, Julia attended her first National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) conference. She reports, “It changed my life.”  At the conference she was able to connect with a community of people who are fighting the battle for education, acceptance, and health care. Julia says that she learned ways to help others with the disease and felt supported by the alopecia community.

Julia's artwork

Last summer, Julia was trained as an NAAF legislative liaison. Legislative liaisons visit offices of state and federal representatives to educate about alopecia areata and to advocate for better medical treatments and insurance coverage. Julia says she enjoys spreading the word on Capitol Hill and hopes this work will increase awareness and understanding. Through NAAF, Julia has also taken on the role of youth mentor. She wants to help younger students understand that they do not have to be afraid or hide. She tells them, “You don’t need to be fixed, cause you’re not broken.”

Julia is also an artist. She uses her skills and talent to create works that represent the struggles of alopecia areata. She tells us that her artwork is a way of expressing the feelings associated with her disease. In the future, she hopes to develop and expand her artwork to include other diseases. According to Mike Todd, Mountain View School Counselor, “Julia is an awesome promoter of peace through her fierce advocacy for better awareness of mental and physical health.”