My Time at Local Color

Original illustration by Yansy Ngai, inspired by her experience working with Local Color.

It’s hard to believe that it will be close to three months since I started at Local Color (LC). I still remember the night before my first day, when I had been furiously studying Google Maps to see how parking would work. I was scared of driving in Downtown, having heard about the one-way streets, the jaywalkers I’d have to look out for… 

But I’m glad to say that I’m no longer scared. And that goes for a lot of things that extend far beyond driving in Downtown. I started my internship at a loss for what I’d do in the future, having just switched my major from computer science to cognitive science. Now, I have a general idea of the path I want to embark on—and not to sound sappy, but it’s all thanks to the team and the projects I’ve been working on. 

Yansy showing Viva Calle attendees how to create their own bike streamers at Local Color’s ROLL UP! activity tent. Photo by Alex Knowbody.

During my first few weeks, I interviewed a few artists that LC rented studio spaces to, whether that was at 50 BO (Barack Obama Blvd) or DUG (Digital Underground). These interactions gave me better insight into what LC did. I learned about how it paved the way for many of these artists to build rapport with the SJ community, and provided them space to grow and evolve. In between, I helped with community outreach events, my first being the Earth and Arbor Day Celebration in Mountain View, and my last being Viva CalleSJ. Being at these events made me realize I enjoyed working directly with the community, plus it was amazing to see how art and curiosity had transcended language barriers. 

It wasn’t until the second month that I finally settled into a flow of things. By this point, I started to work with Creative Experiences, the program that coordinated activities and workshops with schools, corporations, and other groups. I worked on the back-end, helping them curate their seasonal workshop menus. I also provided gallery support at Color Me Rad, our week-long youth program. I went on side quests, like going to an Art Commission meeting with Erin Salazar, LC’s Executive Director. That was my first time at San Jose City Hall.  

Yansy alongside Local Color Executive Director Erin Salazar at the ROLL UP! activity booth at Viva CalleSJ. Photo by Alex Knowbody.

I’m currently nearing the end of my internship. As I finish up the last of my projects, I can’t help but wish I had more time. LC gave me a glimpse into what part of the “real world” was like, as well as an outlet for real-life application of the skills I learned in class. It helped me explore my interests in social justice and art, and encouraged me to slow down and pick up my sketchbook. Seeing how the organization operates has also given me insight for better running a program I’m part of in college. 

Thanks to LC, I’m no longer scared of the uncertainty that the future brings. That’s because if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that everything can be repurposed into a learning log. The only thing that we can do when we’re faced with obstacles is to keep going, and that is just one of the many things I will keep with me long after my time at Local Color.

Yansy (second from R) poses with the Local Color team at the end of ROLL UP! at Viva CalleSJ. Photo by Alex Knowbody.