Student Panel: Art, Storytelling, and Starting Young

Art, Storytelling, and Starting Young

Combining the ideas of pop/girl culture and publications, this panel of young NYU female creatives will talk about their experiences as artists working today.  They will discuss the impact of publishing, drive, motivation, idolization, and how being so young in a huge industry impacts our perception of what success means and our own self-worth. Sharing their diverse and oftentimes similar stories, they hope to unpack the mysteries and the successes of their experiences.

Presented by The Institute of African American Affairs (IAAA) & Center for Black Visual Culture (CBVC) nyuiaaa.org and Department of Photography & Imaging, Tisch School of the Arts.

Student Panel

Maya Aristimuño is a first-year student at Gallatin and founder of a global creative advertising agency called MARISTI LLC, which is dedicated to pushing inclusivity in content creation, inspired by her multicultural ethnicity. Her company provides leadership opportunities and experience to youth artists, including previous clients/publications such as Parsons School of Design, Vogue Italy, Cynthia Rowley, Milk, Marriott Hotels, etc. Maya also helped conceptualize and lead graphic design for the "Success Story" ad campaign that covers NYU's Entrepreneurial Institute entire building. Follow Maya on Instagram @maristi

Ashley Pena is an image-maker from Maryland whose work focuses on portraiture through documentation and storytelling. She is currently a sophomore in the Department of Photography & Imaging department at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts. Follow Ashley on Instagram @ashleyypenaa

Denise Stephanie (moderator) is a first-year student in the Department of Photography & Imaging, freelance photographer, and multidisciplinary artist, who takes her inspiration from the intimacies of her West Indian heritage. Her work has graced the cover of Marie Claire and has been featured in Vogue.com, Refinery29, and Barneys New York. Follow Denise on Instagram @thedenisestephanie

Sophia Wilson is a junior in the Department of Photography & Imaging who has worked with Tia Adeola, Nike, Teen Vogue, among others. Follow Sophia on Instagram @phiawilson