Bringing Light into Dark Places
When alumna Emily Lemos packed her car and moved to Los Angeles after graduating from Jessup in 2019, she carried a suitcase, a notebook of story ideas and a prayer: that God would use her creativity to make a difference. What she didn’t know at the time was how the challenges she faced would shape her to be the storyteller she is today.
Lemos didn’t always imagine herself working in film. In fact, her early career path pointed toward law enforcement. But a traumatic head injury during her years as a competitive soccer player changed everything. While the setback ended one dream, it opened the door to another: theater and film.
“Storytelling became my calling,” Lemos recalled. “It’s a way to bring people together, to spark change and to remind us that even in hardship, there’s hope.”
In January 2020, Lemos was diagnosed with Lyme disease — a long-awaited answer after years of unexplained illness and multiple surgeries growing up. Though daunting, the diagnosis brought clarity and fueled her determination to pursue her calling.
“Having a name for it meant I could finally focus on healing,” Lemos said. “But it also deepened my faith. I learned to lean on God in a whole new way.”
Just weeks later, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Determined to remain in Los Angeles, Lemos worked full-time while writing in the evenings. Out of that season came the seed of an idea that would grow into her passion project: Zia House, a television series about human trafficking. Unlike traditional depictions, Lemos’s vision focused on the unseen realities including the humanity of the survivors and the light that can break through even the darkest circumstances.
Her persistence eventually paid off. A nannying job for a family in the film industry opened unexpected doors leading to directors and producers mentoring her, welcoming her onto sets and encouraging her to continue writing. She soon gained eligibility with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) through a project she worked on with the Lifetime network and began carving her place in the industry.
Late nights at her desk turned into draft after draft, until Zia House became more than just an idea. It became the cornerstone of Zia Haus Productions, Lemos’s own production company.
Alongside filmmaking, she also discovered another passion: surfing. For her, the ocean became a place of restoration. “Surfing taught me patience, resilience and presence,” she shares. “Those qualities are at the heart of my storytelling.”
Her creative work now blends surf photography, filmmaking, and content creation — all tied to a larger mission: helping others find joy, healing and confidence through the ocean. Lemos works with the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, the same organization Jessup University sends its veteran students for a weekend of ocean therapy designed to target anxiety and depression issues associated with their military experience.
Although some may say the entertainment industry is in flux, with strikes and changing distribution models reshaping the landscape, Lemos sees opportunity. Instead, these challenges have become opportunities to refine her craft, build meaningful relationships and trust God’s timing.
With filming for Zia House planned for 2026 and hopes of a strong festival circuit in 2027, Lemos’s journey is just beginning. She is actively seeking partners and collaborators who share her vision of storytelling that heals, empowers and inspires.
Through it all, she is quick to acknowledge her foundation — her family, her faith, and Jessup University, the place that first nurtured her talents.
“I wouldn’t be here without my parents’ unwavering support and encouragement,” she says. “And I’m grateful for the foundation I received at Jessup. It taught me to pursue excellence with purpose, to use my gifts faithfully and to never stop growing.”
