Esther Y. Kang was born in Detroit, MI, and has resided in the midwest, west coast, and Texas. She attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received a B.F.A. in photography and new media.
Prior to MICA, Esther worked in arts management, first with The Art Institute of Chicago, and later with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Afterwards, Esther served as Program Manager at the Durfee Foundation, a philanthropic organization in Los Angeles. During her tenure at the foundation, Esther was also Founding Chair of a mentorship program for millennials working in L.A.’s social sector, and Advisor to Art Center College of Design where she was Adjunct Faculty.
Her interests include behavioral economics, teen popular culture, and online/offline civic engagement. When she is not obsessing over these topics, she is hiking new trails, watching legal drama TV series, or trying hole-in-the-wall eateries.
Thesis: How might we guarantee the inclusion of immigrant-owned micro-businesses in community development?