Meet Zoe Lashley, who entered her senior year at City College with a better understanding of the future that she is creating for herself after a summer building practical skills and exploring her artistic passion.
Through the Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program hosted by Arts for Learning Maryland, Lashley spent seven weeks immersed in Baltimore’s creative economy, gaining hands-on professional experience in fashion design while preparing for the college application process.
"I had the pleasure of working with Yelé this summer, where I helped assist my boss with every single thing," Lashley said. “…learning how to take measurements, how to create pieces of clothing myself.”
Art has been a big part of Lashley’s educational journey. She credits her foundation in City Schools, from standard art classes that provide a peaceful, therapeutic outlet to specialized photography courses at Roland Park Elementary/Middle School with helping her develop creative tools she uses every day.
Lashley’s artwork extends beyond textiles. Earlier this year, she displayed a piece at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in honor of Black History Month. She created a piece honoring Martin Luther King Jr., incorporating words from his famous speeches like “I have a dream” and “freedom.”
Beyond fueling creativity in workspaces and the studio, the Arts for Learning internship provided structured support to help students navigate post-secondary planning. Internship participants met with writing coaches and guidance counselors for support and preparation for their upcoming senior year.
"Arts for Learning has helped prep me for college," Lashley noted. "I've had access to cool people, like writing coaches, to help with my college essay, or to help with my FAFSA application… They have a lot of opportunities and resources to help."
The program also introduced students to Baltimore's broader cultural landscape. Interns visited local creative hubs like the Motor House, interacting with seasoned working artists. They also participated in nature walks designed to explore the connection between art and mental health.
"I would definitely say apply, even if you're not sure about it—it doesn't hurt to apply," Lashley advised. "I think that it's very helpful in getting you prepared for senior year. Senior year can be very stressful... However, even for me, I feel like it was definitely worth it in the end to make such a strong commitment over the summer."
She added that the program opens doors to unexpected disciplines, whether in visual arts, fashion, or music production. "BAI allows you to have that platform and it puts you in the right places in order to learn, which is really cool."
The future is bright for Lashley, who plans on combining her lifelong creative background with a scientific career. Lashley is hoping to attend Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and is working hard to try and make that dream a reality. "Personally, I love art with all my heart, but I think I want to focus on environmental science. I'm very passionate about the environment," Lashley said. "I'm really interested in oceanography, marine biology, and aquatic ecology—anything with the environment I love. However, I have been an artist for a very long time... So, I feel like even after high school, I still want to pursue art, maybe just not as my main thing to do. But yeah, I still want to have art on the side because it'll always be a part of my life."
You can see more of Zoe Lashely’s art on Instagram.
Created by City Schools with assistance from AI.