Position + About Company

www.theartestfoundation.org

I had an interview for one of the internships I applied to and got accepted at the Artest Foundation as a social media graphic designer. I start next week (02.20.2022)and I’m excited to get back into the work-life, doing something I would like to continue after graduating from college. It is an online/ in-person internship, meaning that most of the time it will be via zoom (like for designing purposes) and then in-person for events planned by the organization. I’m pretty familiar with my company’s background with it being a branch off of my last job, which was at the Boys & Girls Clubhouse. But only this time at the job I am going to be graphic designing social media advertisements for their upcoming events.

The Artest Foundation was founded by Ron Artest Sr., father of three sons and one daughter. Ron had struggled with mental illness for a while and it has passed down to one of his kids; Ron Artest son aka Metta world Peace who is a famous NBA player, both were unaware of their mental health conditions. Leading to the launching of The Artest Foundation looks to all levels of the playing field, by providing free access to mental health programs, available for everyone no matter their economic status. While others might prefer programs to talk with experts for help, Metta World Peace used basketball to help him stay on track and not let his illness affect his future. The foundation also wants to provide a safe-space with free access for kids 12-to 18 years old to have fun and play in their open gyms, learn skills, and STEM activities and be able to practice and play on teams with former NCAA basketball coaches. Also provides them the opportunity to earn scholarships to basketball camps and potentially join a league to play in AAU teams.

My Artwork

Art is anything the artist wants it to be and doesn’t have a specific look or style. I’ve always been an artsy type of person, anything that involved paper with crayons and I would be the happiest person ever. Never really thought of being an artist when I was younger, just knew it was something I was really good at. Until high school when I received an award from the metropolitan museum for classwork I did in art class. I saw it as classwork to get a ‘good grade’ but my teacher saw something else. That’s when I knew I really had talent, everything I knew was self-taught or from something I watched online for references. In my second year in college two of my professors put my artwork in the gallery. Me looking at the assignment as just “getting a good grade” was more than that to my teachers. Over the past 4 years, City Tech has built up my confidence in my artwork and made me realize that everyone’s perspective on art is different and to believe in the artwork I do and not just look at it as a grade.

www.instagram.com/nkayatheartist/