I make art with the goal of shifting perspective, lending voice, prompting discourse, and bringing beauty into the world. I avoided art creation as a lifestyle and career for a long time, focusing instead on developing an understanding of global environmental and social challenges. My art impulse was always there, below the surface, coming out in doodles sometimes, but until my master's degree at Yale I didn't see how it could be compatible with my goal of working in a "serious way" on "serious problems". Some incredibly brilliant, bold, out-of-the-boxes classmates and a creative academic environment finally proved to me that art could play an important and valuable in opening eyes, changing hearts and minds, and uniting individuals, across communities, nations, and the world. Once I started to bring art into my studies and then my post-grad jobs, I couldn't stop. I've conducted art workshops in Lebanon with Syrian and Lebanese Youth, and in Texas with unaccompanied migrant minors from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. I've led creative programming and illustrated for organizations including the World Bank, the Red Cross, and the White House, as well as publications of all kinds.
