Empowering Youth Through Art: Baron Zhang and Empower Youth Art
Art gives young people a way to express themselves, share their experiences, and connect with others. For Baron Zhang, it also became a way to create opportunities for other students.
Baron founded Empower Youth Art to give K–12 students in San Francisco a chance to showcase their creativity through art contests and public exhibitions. In the past year, the organization has partnered with 15+ public schools and community after-school programs, welcomed 300+ students to its art workshops, and received submissions from 500+ students across three art contests in San Francisco.
APACC is proud to see this work making a difference for our own students. On December 7, 2025, one of the children in APACC’s After School Program won third place in the Cultural Art Celebrations Art Contest. This achievement gave us the opportunity to celebrate our student’s creativity and recognize the talent growing within our own community.
Next month, Empower Youth Art will launch its first annual art contest, “One City, Many Stories.” The theme celebrates the people, cultures, neighborhoods, and traditions that make San Francisco unique. The exhibition will highlight diverse youth voices, with a special focus on communities and perspectives that have historically been underrepresented.
At APACC, we believe every young person deserves opportunities to learn, grow, and discover their talents. Our partnership with Empower Youth Art reflects this commitment by giving students more ways to express themselves, build confidence, and get involved in their community.
Baron’s work shows how one person’s idea can create opportunities for others. We are proud to support initiatives that encourage young people to share their stories and celebrate the diversity that makes San Francisco special.
Learn more about Empower Youth Art: www.empoweryouthart.org
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