My name is Ashley Heng, and I am a Master’s student in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of San Francisco. Over the past five months, I’ve had the privilege of interning with ARTogether. As someone deeply passionate about Refugee and Immigrant communities, I’ve witnessed firsthand how ARTogether provides inclusive creative spaces through thoughtful programming, cultural celebration, and community engagement. As an intern, I have had the opportunity to support ARTogether’s staff in areas of Public Arts, Public Relations, Development, and more.
One of the first events I participated in was Gather In, a warm gathering held at ARTogether center, designed to welcome people in a safe, creative space. This event is organized so people can come as they are, meet others within the community and express themselves freely. From painting to conversation, to karaoke, it was about fostering love and connection as much as creation.
I also witnessed the impact of the Art Circle for Newcomers workshops, a part of the arts and wellness program, held in collaboration with CERI (Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants) and provides art-based support to the newly arrived Afghan women. These monthly gatherings showed me the power of how a simple, welcoming space, paired with arts, crafts, and food can help refugee women begin to rebuild community, process trauma, and find space for personal growth through creativity.
Meeting and collaborating with local partner organizations such as CERI, displayed the power of organizing to support, elevate and unite diverse communities, and help preserve and create space for storytelling, cultural histories, and connections through art. ARTogether’s work with different communities shows its commitment not just to individual wellness, but to cultural sustainability.
Community outreach was another crucial part of my role. I had the opportunity to sit at ARTogether’s table at Khmer New Year and Lunar New Year festivals. I shared ARTogether’s mission with Oakland’s vibrant community and celebrated through hands-on, culturally relevant art activities. These moments reminded me how vital representation is, and how seeing your heritage reflected in public celebrations can spark pride and a sense of belonging within one’s community.
Throughout my five months internship with ARTogether, I’ve noticed that no matter the event, whether we were hosting, supporting, or attending, we were always cultivating joy, love, and compassion through art and creativity. Whether it was music, painting, storytelling, or simply gathering together, ARTogether consistently created spaces filled with care and belonging. In times like these, when the world often feels unpredictable and heavy, art has the remarkable ability to transcend language, borders, and difference. It brings people together, fosters understanding, and reminds us of our shared humanity. With ARTogether, I saw how creativity can be a powerful force for healing, resilience, connection, and love.
About Ashley –
Ashley Heng is ARTogether’s Spring Intern and a Master’s student in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of San Francisco. She is passionate about community engagement, particularly in supporting refugee and immigrant communities. At ARTogether, she has contributed to public relations, public art initiatives, and development efforts. Her current focus is on exploring how nonprofits like ARTogether foster spaces of welcoming and belonging for immigrant and refugee women.
