Encouraging a shy student to come out of their shell can be a long journey. Maybe a smile cracks one day, then a short answer spills out here and there. Finally, the dam bursts open and the words start pouring out. This is what ARTogether’s new program is all about.
We are excited to announce the two newest members of the ARTogether family: Angeera Khadka, who will oversee our Artist Support program, and Christine No, who is overseeing the growth of our Advocacy program. Although Angeera and Christine come to us from different backgrounds, they have a similar love for art and compassion for the refugee community. After immigrating from Nepal as a child, Angeera became engaged in an art center’s programming that cut through the alienation she felt from uprooting.
I think about this frequently: the way she embodied the definition of feminism, just not for herself. I think about how, in spite of my grandfather’s escapades amongst the intelligentsia; in spite of the lifelong respect he earned for being an activist for Korean independence during the Japanese occupation, it was my grandmother who ensured that he remained alive to fight another day …
Imagine going to a mall and seeing, between the teenagers and restaurants, art. That is one artist’s vision of the future. Andrea Guskin, artist, educator, curator, and San Leandro resident believes bringing art to commercial spaces is one step in making the Bay Area a more welcoming home to artists. She calls this art invasion the Filling In Spaces project.
It is easy to feel helpless in times of crisis. With most non-essential activities suspended, isolation is growing, and many of us are looking for new ways to reach out and feel connected to the world.
