Blog 1: Company I’m working for this semester
Hello future! I currently started my third internship! Glad I thought quick last semester and thankfully I found this internship through CUNY Cultural Corps. Im working as a social media marketing intern at a non-profit organization called Ballroom Basix. It’s a dance program for kids helping them learn to dance, practice etiquette, and contributing their social and emotional engagement toward themselves and others. It’s a really cute organization that makes me feel motivated to help any way I can! This internship is online however I did attend an event that made us interns see in real time what this organization is about. This organization started with the founder Dr.Dance started the back in 2008 and believes that harmonizing relation among young people in their schools and communities is important. Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic his contributions affected positively not only to students but to schools staff and parents. Their main contributors are school district and donors. Overall, it’s an impactful organization that I am currently proud to be part of. I’m curious to know what I’ll learn, talk to you soon!
Blog 2: My role within the company
Hi again! Based on my previous blog, I said that I found this internship in social media marketing through Cuny Cultural Corps. I’ll get into how I got into this and what I’ll be doing. My job here is to help my supervisor Rikki with promoting Ballroom Basix through social media and creating interesting ways to gain awareness of this organization. Through Cultural Corps I applied to many applications and landed on this one, where I received a zoom interview with Rikki where she explained the process of working here with her. She then asked about my experience and what software I work on. The interview went well. She was impressed by my work and was glad I had the qualifications for this role. I did have to go through a second interview through zoom but this was for speaking with the founder and was more for confirming that I am selected. Generally I waited a month after the interview for me to receive this job offer. The reason is there are two rounds in the cultural corps of interviews. In the first round Rikki did interview me however i wasnt the first pick unfortunately. Although this felt discouraging, I felt really good about the interview, Rikki, and the position I felt like I would be in good hands with. So throughout the second round I couldn’t stop thinking about this job therefore I reached out to Rikki and insisted that I would be selected for the second round. She replied, confirming and accepting my request, as much as I had other opportunities and offers, they didn’t feel as secure as Ballroom Basix and that’s thanks to my supervisor Rikki and my persistence.
Blog 3: Culture of my workplace.
This blog will be a short one and it is about the culture in my workplace! This job is hybrid but mostly remote. But this doesn’t mean I get to wear my pjs…although I could. Im acting as if this were an in person job so i feel awake and not half asleep. My routine consists of showering and wearing a comfortable but casual outfit, nothing too noisy but still something suitable to wear on camera when speaking with my advisor and the founder. My next step is opening my laptop at 10 am to a google meet that my supervisor set up for me on my new employee email where she send me a list to do and I reply to let her know that i am clocked in.I start looking through emails, BBX social media posts and tend to my tasks. If I’m not doing this I’m on canva or cap cut making edits and social media posts! Meanwhile my camera is off until someone is in the google meet room, usually by Rikki and by 1 or 2 i meet with her and the other interns for a meeting to catch up and work the rest of the shift on what we were working on or having new tasks to start. By the end I send Rikki an EOD email telling her if i finished my tasks or not and telling her how it went. That’s mostly how my days go!
Blog 4: First networking event
I joined my second networking event called Uniqlo Night Party, hosted by Uniqlo. It wasn’t the usual Q&A or breakout rooms; instead, we got creative and drew together in a virtual garden. That activity made it easy to relax and connect with others.I learned that Uniqlo hosts these events every Friday, which is pretty cool if you want something consistent to join. Afterward, I got a follow up email with more details. For anyone unfamiliar, Uniqlo is a Japanese clothing brand known for simple, high-quality everyday wear. It was fun seeing how they mix art, community, and fashion in one space. Overall, I really liked the vibe. It was casual, interactive, and I even connected with someone on LinkedIn afterward. Definitely planning to join again!
Blog 5: What am I learning on this job?
Working at Ballroom Basix as a social media marketing intern has been a really eye opening experience for me. I’m learning a lot about how social media connects directly to the business side of things, especially how important it is for organizations to use these platforms to stay relevant and reach their audience. It’s shown me that marketing isn’t just about posting something creative, it’s also about understanding the bigger picture like how those posts can drive engagement, bring in new opportunities, and even play a role in the organization’s growth.
Day to day, I’m not just doing creative work, but also some clerical tasks that keep everything organized like scheduling content, keeping track of analytics, and making sure campaigns run smoothly. Even though these things seem small, I’ve realized they’re just as important because they give me hands-on practice with the behind-the-scenes work that makes marketing successful.
One of the best parts of this internship is having Rikki as a mentor. She doesn’t just assign us tasks and leave us to figure it out she actually takes time to explain the reasoning behind different strategies, gives us feedback, and shares her own experiences working in the field. That kind of guidance has really helped me grow, not just in learning new skills, but also in understanding how the marketing world works in real life. Overall, it feels like I’m getting a mix of both classroom knowledge and real-world application, which I know will help me in my career moving forward.
Blog 6: Second networking Event
I attended my second networking event titled “Share Your Summer Projects and Learn New Tools!” hosted by Bonnie Blake and Amybeth Menendez. Held online, this interactive presentation and workshop brought together GCSF students and alumni to showcase their summer projects and explore new digital tools for storytelling, design, and collaboration. The session included a Q&A and breakout rooms that allowed us to connect with other attendees and exchange ideas in a casual, engaging way. I appreciated the opportunity to share what I had been working on and to see the creativity of others in the community. One of the most valuable lessons I took away was the importance of staying current with digital tools and being open to experimenting with new platforms that enhance creative expression. After the event, we received a follow-up email with helpful resources and a link to revisit the event details. Overall, I found the experience to be informative and encouraging, providing both practical insights and a sense of connection. I was especially inspired by Amybeth Menendez, a creative technologist and educator known for her work in digital media and education. Her approach to blending creativity with emerging tech tools really stood out and gave me ideas for future projects.
Blog 7: Ethics and Image Use at Ballroom Basix
During my internship at Ballroom Basix, I’ve gained insight into how a nonprofit organization handles ethical design practices. The team is very mindful of sourcing images they either use original photography from their own events or royalty-free images from verified resources. They also ensure that any external content used is properly credited or licensed, aligning with the AIGA ethical guidelines. I learned that their logo and branding materials are protected and should not be altered in any way without approval, which has helped me better understand the importance of maintaining brand integrity. While I was not asked to sign a formal non-disclosure agreement, I was verbally reminded to keep internal communications and content drafts private. This includes not sharing unreleased social media posts or strategy details publicly or in class journals. So far, I’ve been careful to follow these expectations while still reflecting on my learning in a general way for this assignment.
Reflections on Copyright, Credit, and Personal Design
Reading the AIGA guidelines and learning about cases like the Fairey Hope Poster has made me rethink how I treat creative work, both mine and others’. In the past, I’ve definitely used stock photos or online images without thinking too deeply about credit—especially for school assignments or quick social media posts. Now, I realize that even in informal projects, giving credit and checking image rights is part of being a responsible designer. The Fairey case, where Shepard Fairey used an AP photo without proper licensing for the Obama “Hope” poster, showed me how serious the consequences of copyright violations can be—even for famous artists. I understand both sides of the argument, but I believe Fairey should have gotten permission from the photographer from the start. This case made me more conscious of making sure I either use my own images or verify usage rights. It’s a shift in mindset that will shape how I approach design moving forward, especially as I work on real-world projects during my internship.
Blog 8: Ethics failed in recent advertising
Based in what I researched recently, Burger King has been hit with a class‑action lawsuit for what plaintiffs allege are deceptive advertising practices around their Whopper burgers. The claim is that ads, menu boards, and promotional materials portray burgers and ingredients that look much larger than what customers actually receive up to around 35% bigger in appearance than the real items. Ethically, Burger King is being accused of failing to accurately represent their food; while stylized food photography is normal in the industry, exaggeration beyond “aspirational” visuals crosses a line into misleading. The main ethical failure is omission or distortion: consumers are led to expect a certain size or amount of ingredient that doesn’t match reality. This damages trust, because once people feel misled, they may avoid the brand, leave negative reviews, or even join the lawsuit. For the business, aside from legal risk (possible fines, requirement to change ads, etc.), there’s brand erosion; repeat customers might feel cheated. For consumers, the harm is real: paying for a product that doesn’t look or deliver what was promised, particularly at premium pricing, reduces value and can lead to disappointment, distrust not only in Burger King but fast food ads in general.
Blog 9: Museum Exhibition
The Egyptian exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum honestly feels like stepping into another world. The moment you walk in, there’s this quiet, almost mysterious vibe like the room itself knows it’s full of history. Everywhere you look, there are carvings, statues, and colorful walls that used to belong to people who lived thousands of years ago. It’s kind of wild to think that what we see as “art” today was once just part of their everyday or spiritual lives.
While I was walking around, a few pieces really grabbed my attention. Each one told its own story through color, texture, and design showing how these ancient artists expressed their beliefs and identity in such creative ways.
Assyrian Relief Panel (Winged Deity)
Medium: Carved stone relief
Size: Approximately 7 feet tall
Subject: Representational a winged guardian figure
This giant stone relief immediately caught my attention because of its incredible detail. It shows a winged deity carved into the surface with a careful balance of lines and textures. Even though the stone is a single color, the way it’s carved gives the illusion of depth and movement. You can see patterns in the wings, hair, and clothing that almost feel rhythmic like a visual beat.
The composition feels powerful and symmetrical, which gives the figure an almost divine presence. What really stood out to me was how something so old could feel so modern in design. The clean lines and repetition almost look like something you’d see in a minimalist poster today. I liked this piece because it reminded me that design doesn’t have to be loud to be strong; even in ancient times, simplicity could carry meaning.
Painted Sarcophagus of a Priest
Medium: Painted wood with pigments
Size: About 6.5 feet tall
Subject: Representational a coffin meant to protect the deceased in the afterlife
This sarcophagus was definitely one of the most eye-catching pieces in the whole exhibit. The first thing that stood out to me was the color deep reds, greens, yellows, and blacks all perfectly balanced. The priest’s face looks calm and almost real, surrounded by tiny, detailed hieroglyphs and symbols. You can tell that every inch of it means something.
The way it’s designed pulls your eyes straight down from the headpiece to the bottom, and even though it’s super old, the paint still feels alive. The surface is smooth in some areas but cracked in others, which just reminds you how much time has passed. I really liked this piece because it mixes art and spirituality in such a powerful way. It wasn’t just made to look nice it was meant to protect someone’s soul. That idea made me think about how art carries both emotion and meaning.
Tomb Wall Relief Fragments
Medium: Painted limestone
Size: Each about 12–18 inches wide
Subject: Representational daily life scenes and offerings
These smaller fragments (although their not small) caught my eye because I believe theres more to this scene and thats whats interesting because maybe no one would ever know. The carvings show everyday people carrying offerings and doing daily tasks a nice reminder that life in Egypt wasn’t just about pharaohs and gods. The colors are faded but still warm, and the rough, cracked texture. Even though they’re old and broken, the figures are neatly arranged, almost like a storyboard from the past. I liked these pieces because they show the real, human side of ancient Egypt.
Visiting the Egyptian exhibit made me realize how timeless good design really is. The colors, textures, and layouts used thousands of years ago still feel intentional and meaningful today. Each piece whether it’s a giant relief, a sarcophagus, or a broken fragment communicates through visuals in a way that doesn’t need translation. As someone who studies communication design, I left feeling inspired by how these ancient artists turned their beliefs and experiences into lasting works of art that continue to speak across time.
