Meet a VC Intern: Bella Kwan

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Learn more about one of our 2023 VC Summer Interns, Bella Kwan, our Development & Communications Intern!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Bella Kwan (she/her/hers) and I am from Lewes, Delaware. I am a rising Senior at Occidental College where I major in Media, Arts, & Culture and minor in Sociology. I’m also a member of the lacrosse team and really enjoy the balance of being a student-athlete. I love photography, R&B music, going to the beach, and finding new food/drink spots with my friends!

 How did you hear about Visual Communications and what drew you to apply?

I first learned about VC in the Fall of 2022 through my college’s internship program, InternLA. InternLA is a donor-funded internship program that encourages Oxy students to gain real-world experience at a range of Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations. I was interested in pursuing an internship centering around media or media arts and social justice. When looking at the list of organizations and exploring their websites, VC immediately caught my eye. I was drawn to VC’s extensive history and current work that uplifts talented media makers within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. I admired their community engagement through organizing screenings, exhibitions, and events that promote AAPI members. I was also drawn to their versatility in creating and presenting stories through various visual mediums, including film, video, and digital media.

What are your duties at VC? Which part(s) do you find most interesting?

As the Development & Communications Intern, I am fortunate enough to gain experience in two departments. On the development side, my tasks include administrative duties, such as recording and cataloging donations, document preparations in support of grant applications, and gratitude practices. On the communications side, my tasks include organizing and creating content for VC’s website and social media to increase exposure and outreach.

During my time at VC, I have found the work surrounding the Archives to be the most interesting. The Archives plays a prominent role in VC’s mission by maintaining various films, videos, and photographs that have documented AAPI social movements and communities in California. My upcoming project involves taking a deeper search into the Archives and sharing them via social media. I am very excited to begin this project and not only educate myself on past AAPI movements and individuals but be able to share them with others as well!

my Favorite drink (iced blueberry matcha latte) from Café Dulcé in Little Tokyo.

How do you describe your experience working at VC so far? Any memorable moments?

My experience as an intern at VC has been exciting and rewarding. As my first internship in Los Angeles, I was nervous on how everything would turn out. From my very first day, the entire VC family welcomed me with open arms. I have had the privilege to work alongside Elaine, on the development side, and Emily, on the communications side. They have been amazing mentors guiding me through my various tasks and duties. They have also taken the time to show me around Little Tokyo and introduce me to some amazing food/drink spots such as Café Dulcé and Rice & Nori!

my birthday celebration in the vc office.

One of my most memorable moments at VC was our staff lunch at Mitsuru Restaurant right near the office. I really enjoyed being able to sit down with everyone and get to know them while also eating delicious food. Another memorable moment is when I came into the office on my 21st birthday. Emily surprised me with my favorite blueberry matcha latte from Café Dulcé and Jason and Elaine got me a birthday cake! Despite only knowing me for two weeks, they still put the effort in to make me feel celebrated which goes to show how special the VC staff culture is.


What song(s) did you add to the “VC Office” playlist?

As a music lover, I decided to create a playlist for the VC office on Spotify. I asked VC staff members what song(s) they would like to be added to the playlist. This was a perfect way to bond with everyone and share/hear new music!

The songs I added to the playlist are Dancing with my Phone by HYBS, Dark Red by Steve Lacy, and Walking in the Rain by Chancellor and Younha.