February 2024

Progress Newsletter

By Cayman Bentley, Program and Communications Associate at PVF

Civic Design Studio, founded by Thomas Wong, a nationally-recognized visual designer, finds innovative design solutions for community-based needs by working with eight Oakland high schools and community colleges that focus on Architecture, Urban Planning, Carpentry, Digital Fabrication, Fashion and Visual Arts. Twin Walls Mural Company, which was founded by San Francisco natives Elaine Chu and Marina Perez-Wong, combines mural arts collaboration and powerful visual narratives to reflect the histories, struggles, dreams, and intentions of different Bay Area communities. Civic Design Studio and Twin Walls Mural Company are frequent collaborators and they are both fiscally sponsored by PVF.

Civic Design Studio Lead Artist Alana Landrum in front of a piece inside the Asian Cultural Center in Oakland.

One of many pieces lining the walls of the Asian Cultural Center in Oakland.

Civic Design Studio recently hosted a Lunar New Year + Black History Month event celebrating Asian and African American solidarity at the Oakland Asian Cultural Arts Center. Artists and performers from the Bay Area and beyond gathered to collaborate and produce art and music celebrating unity amongst Asian Americans and African Americans. In the tapestry of American diversity, Asian Americans and African Americans have long played vital roles, contributing to the nation’s rich history and cultural mosaic. Despite their distinct backgrounds, these two communities share common struggles and face similar obstacles in pursuit of equality and justice.

Both Asian Americans and African Americans have endured a history marked by discrimination, prejudice, and systemic racism. African Americans have faced the brutal legacy of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and ongoing systemic oppression. Asian Americans, too, have grappled with exclusionary policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and discrimination against South Asian communities.



The Lunar New Year + Black History Month event highlights the shared experiences, historical parallels, and the importance of building bridges between these communities through art expression and collaboration. Many of the pieces that were exhibited during the event were created during a weekend in 2021, when Tommy Wong brought together Black, Brown, and Asian artists in Madison Park to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, those who faced hate in Asian communities and those who participated in the many rallies and protests for the Black Lives Matter movement. This gathering of individuals became a collaboration of artistic expression and during this one weekend over 15 pieces showcasing Black and Asian communities were created, showcasing the shared experiences and struggles of both communities. 

During the event, patrons were able to view all of the pieces that lined the walls of the cultural center in augmented reality using the virtual reality app, Black Terminus. Black Terminus was created by Damien McDuffie, a Creative Technologist and Columbia University/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graduate.

Click on the links to view the augmented reality versions of these pieces.

A piece featured during the Lunar New Year/Black History Month event symbolizing Asian and Black Unity. 

Artist and Twin Walls Mural Founder Elaine Chu in front of her piece that is currently exhibited in the Asian Cultural Center in Oakland.

In addition to the Lunar New Year/Black History Month event, Tommy Wong, Elaine Chu, and Mariana Perez-Wong have helped many Bay Area youth of color hone their artistic abilities and have taught the them to channel their creativity. One example of this is many of the paintings, drawings, and sculptures that line the walls of the Mid-Peninsula affordable housing complex in Brooklyn Basin, Oakland. Students from Fremont High and Castlemont High schools were able to learn sculpting, welding, painting, and more while also helping to create a vibrant space for those who inhabit the public housing units. 

One of many pieces lining the walls of the Mid-Pen public housing buildings in Brooklyn Basin celebrating the culture of Oakland.

Civic Design Studio Lead Artist Alana Landrum in front of her piece inside one of the Mid-Pen Public Housing buildings in Brooklyn Basin.

Colorful portraits and artwork line the walls of the Mid-Pen buildings and bring a feeling of warmth and belonging, a feeling not commonly felt in public housing facilities. In a world that often prioritizes academic achievements and structured learning, the importance of providing youth with a creative outlet cannot be overstated. Art, with its myriad forms and expressions, serves as a powerful medium for young minds to unleash their imagination and express themselves in unique ways.

PVF is proud to partner as a fiscal sponsor to support the work of Civic Design Studio and Twin Walls Mural Co. Organizations like these help youth explore how art becomes a vital tool in nurturing their creativity, offering them a platform to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and individuality.

We are proud to present our 2023 report, now available online!