FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2026
City of Oakland Honors ARTogether Founder Leva Zand with Official Proclamation Recognizing Community Leadership
OAKLAND, CA — The City of Oakland has issued a formal proclamation honoring Leva Zand, founder and outgoing Executive Director of ARTogether, in recognition of her nine years of leadership on behalf of immigrant, refugee, and diasporic communities across the Bay Area.
Presented during ARTogether’s “Built Together, Growing Together” celebration on June 26, the proclamation recognizes both Zand’s leadership and the organization’s role in advancing “the values of cultural equity, artistic access, and community-centered healing that make Oakland a more welcoming and vibrant city.”
Founded in Oakland in 2017 in response to rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies, ARTogether has grown into a vital cultural institution serving refugee, immigrant, and diasporic communities throughout the Bay Area. Through community art nights, youth arts education in Oakland public schools, artist residencies, gallery exhibitions, public art murals, and Healing Art Circles, the organization harnesses the power of art as a tool for wellness and community-building, creating spaces where people can connect, heal, imagine, and build.
“Art bridges gaps across borders, languages, and cultures,” said Zand. “Our programs bring immigrant, refugee, and diasporic community members to connect, heal, imagine, and build a future rooted in shared humanity and hope.”
The proclamation also recognizes Zand’s more than 22 years of experience in refugee services, human rights, and social justice. Before founding ARTogether, she held leadership roles with organizations including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the Eurasia Foundation, and the Nonviolence Initiative for Democracy. It further honors her as a bridge-builder who has cultivated partnerships across sectors while serving as a trusted advisor to cultural organizations throughout the region.
As Zand steps down after nine years as Executive Director, ARTogether begins its next chapter under new Co-Executive Director leadership, continuing its mission to support immigrant, refugee, and diasporic communities through the arts.
“What Leva built here is not just an organization, it is a home,” said Sarah McClean, Co-Executive Director of ARTogether. “We carry her vision forward with gratitude and with purpose.”
The City of Oakland’s proclamation concludes by honoring Zand “for her extraordinary service to Oakland’s refugee and immigrant communities, for her vision in founding ARTogether, and for the lasting legacy of belonging she has built.”
About ARTogether
ARTogether is a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, CA, committed to supporting immigrant and refugee communities through the arts. Through programs including the Mentorship Hub & Artist Residency, youth arts integration in Oakland public schools, and community gathering spaces at 1200 Harrison Street, ARTogether amplifies diverse and diasporic voices and fosters a sense of belonging through art. Learn more at ARTogether.org.
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