Humanities & Art

All things, STEM and humanities, answer the three questions of life: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? The humanities clearly answers these; the humanities impact people by telling stories about ourselves and each other. My art and writing are not just hobbies to me, but another platform for ideas.

Founder and CEO of Ugly Cat, Nonprofit Organization

The first two bags that I designed for Ugly Cat.

What is Ugly Cat?

Ugly Cat is a not-for-profit, student-initiated business turning student artwork into wearable swag to support humanities departments in North Carolina high schools. Based in the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) in Durham, NC, we believe that the humanities are an ongoing and living expression of human culture, supported by both makers and audiences. Through grassroots organizing, designing, and advocacy, Ugly Cat chooses tell these stories of students, by the students.

In my life, I have been doing art for a long time and continue to do so at my school’s art studio. My school is a STEM school, which means that everybody emphasizes STEM education and accomplishments. However, when budget cuts happen, the axe tends to fall on the humanities and visual arts department. That impacts students like me.

Thus, I wondered if arts can save the arts. Can we turn art into something that engages students and impacts their love for the humanities? One solution is using our own work to support what we love. In May 2024, I sold my first painting. It wasn’t a big painting but a very small one of an ugly cat. If my art can have monetary value, why don’t we go one step further by making art accessible and favorable so that we can give back to the humanities department? That’s where the idea for Ugly Cat was born.

Current Progress

In its first four days, the Ugly Cat Instagram was able to accrue 250+ followers, reaching over 11 high schools and 3 colleges in North Carolina and out-of-state. The response (DMs, emails, messages, applications) has been overwhelmingly positive as we have open applications for the executive board among the student body and hold interest meetings about the organization’s business model, structure, purpose, missions, value, and goals.

Scholastic Art & Writing

My first art medium was not oil painting, but after a few months of painting and finding my style, I found it to be my preferred and go-to medium. From then, I painted food, family, and American life; my painting “Carolina BBQ” focuses on small businesses, and it won a Gold Key in the 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing competition. I have been doing this competition since 2022 and have 9 total awards, ranging from Gold and Silver Keys to Honorable Mentions.

Congressional Art Competition

Representative Valerie Foushee and I at the 2023 Congressional Art Competition.

Like journalism, I’ve used art to address social issues around me. During the pandemic, my illustrations focused on social justice movements like #StopAsianHate, as it was a prevalent topic in my AAPI community. Many small businesses closed down after the pandemic in my hometown, so I made an illustration to honor those Chapel Hill businesses. This piece won 1st place in the 2023 Congressional Art Competition in our district and is currently on exhibition at the US Capitol, representing my town on a national stage. During the summer, I was invited to attend an award ceremony and reception at the US Capitol, where I met US House of Representative congresswomen Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Valerie Foushee (NC-04).

I attended the award ceremony and reception at the US Capitol in June 2024, where I saw my artwork hanging in the Cannon Tunnel.

In the 2024 Congressional Art Competition, my oil painting, “Carolina BBQ,” won 2nd place and is currently hanging in Rep. Foushee’s office in Washington, D.C. This piece also focuses on small businesses and restaurants, highlighting how the famous barbeque of NC can persist through tough times like the pandemic.

Celebrating Arts Anthology

Another national art competition I’ve been submitting to for the past two years is the Celebrating Arts competition. So far, my artworks have been published in every seasonal anthology;
I am a 5x Celebrating Art Contest High Merit Winner and Published Artist.

Model UN

I started doing Model UN in sixth grade and since then, I’ve never stopped; I turned from a shy, quiet girl into a confident speaker and leader of action. Upon coming to NCSSM, I sought to revitalize Model UN at NCSSM as president, seeking to spread to my classmates the same positive outlook on life that Model UN taught me. This year, all weekly meetings, payments, and conferences were student-led and -organized and have grown to 90+ members.