Who is Alyshia Merchant?
I’m a mother to a 17-year daughter, a whole-hearted lupus advocate and a Real Estate Agent.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Roanoke.
After high school, what was the next chapter in your life?
I jumped straight into the work world. I didn’t have the best high school experience, so I wanted to get as far away from school as possible. I began working for Delta Airlines at the age of 18, which opened up a lot of doors of opportunity for me.
What was your journey to becoming a successful Roanoke realtor?
I was diagnosed with Lupus at 23. Within a matter of months, I had lost most of my hair, had skin rashes all over my body and was carrying about 40 pounds of fluid from kidney malfunctioning. In 2014, I went into acute kidney failure and the only option to shut down my immune system was to start six months of chemotherapy treatments. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was a tremendous help on my path to recovery.
How did you become the Vice Chair of Roanoke’s Fair Housing Board?
When I was venturing out and learning about the different grant programs, I was also looking into how to use my voice in this field since advocacy is the core of who I am. Because I’m a disabled, minority woman, fair housing was simply a no- brainer for me. When I went on the city’s website, I saw there was an opening, and one of the requirements was that you have board or committee experience. Because I had served many years on the committee for PatientsLikeMe and the AllOfUs Research Program, I was qualified to apply. Shortly after, I was accepted by City Council and sworn in in 2021. A few years later, I became the Vice Chair. My hope is to make our board more visible by bringing awareness to who we are, and what we do and provide more education to the community as to what their rights are in the housing industry. We are currently working to expand our footprint and make huge progress in 2025 surrounding Fair Housing in the Roanoke Valley.
You are a strong lupus survivor. How has that journey been?
It’s been tough. Every single day I’m exhausted, and there’s always something that reminds me that I have lupus, whether it’s a headache, or joint pain, nausea, or external fatigue to the point where I can’t get out of bed. However, being that I have lived with lupus for nearly 12 years, I’ve learned the importance of listening to my body when it whispers before it starts to yell. On days when I don’t feel my best, my transaction coordinator will step in to assist me with showings or my workload. I make sure to get lymphatic drainage massages weekly to keep fluid from accumulating throughout my body and to promote relaxation. Work-life balance is so important for anyone, but it’s especially important to someone living with a chronic disease. It’s my top priority, because if I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be able to take care of my clients.
What is something you think that everyone should experience?
I believe that everyone should experience the American Dream of homeownership no matter what their circumstances are. I have helped people from all walks of life achieve this: people on disability, people on housing assistance, I’ve even worked alongside Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing to help people purchase homes through their housing programs. It warms my heart to see people accomplishing something that they never dreamed was possible
Which people have had the biggest impact on your life, both personally and professionally?
My family and friends. I come from a very close, loving family that wholeheartedly supports each other. They step in whenever I need them to, whether it’s helping me set up for a homebuyer class, or helping me decorate for lupus awareness events. My friends are absolutely amazing. All of my friends have been with me since elementary school and we love each other dearly. I have a really good support system within my family and friends and I’m so grateful because not everyone is that fortunate.
Outside of your occupation, what do your hobbies consist of?
Traveling and spending time with family, primarily. I love watching good movies, so if I’m not on an island somewhere, I’m usually on my mom’s couch watching good movies with her. It’s another form of my self-care.
If you could go back and give your younger self some life advice, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self, “Hang in there. One day, you’re going to look back and say, ‘If I hadn’t gone through that, I would never have gotten to this.’
