Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1407173
Tell us about your job, and why you chose your career field. I have been an arts educator for 15 years. I chose this career field to make an impact and share my passion for the arts with future generations. I've stayed in education for my students; their work and their accomplishments are a testament of my life's work. Our children are our business. They are our present, our future and, for educators, our work should always be for them. We are their role models. We are their support system away from home, and they become a reflection of us. I have always loved being involved in the arts. While pursuing my undergrad, I saw an opportunity to share my expertise and work with students during an internship. I knew instantly that being an educator was my calling. After one trip to Macon, it was enough to convince me that Macon is where I needed to be. As an art educator, I have made it my personal mission to not only create Macon artists, but Macon leaders through art education. My work has always reflected the needs CINDY L. QUAN HONG, 39 Art Educator and Teacher of the Year at Springdale Elementary of my students or community. My work goes deeper than the surface colors; it is a representation of who we are as a society. More importantly, my work grows with my students as they learn to critically think outside the box and model positivity. Tell us about your activities in the community, especially what you're most excited about. I am part of a bigger community of educators in Bibb County. Post pandemic, we've learned that the work we are doing goes beyond the eight- hour workday and transcends beyond brick-and-mortar infrastructure. I love creating opportunities for my students to interact with others in our community. This has propelled me to work with galleries such as the 567 Center for Renewal, Triangle Arts, the Museum of Arts and Sciences and stARTup Studios. I am most excited about creating parallel opportunities for students and art educators across Georgia in my most recent appointment with the Georgia Art Educators Association as president- elect to District Five. 2020 was a bittersweet year for me as an educator. Students and teachers alike had to navigate entirely new platforms to learn, conduct, instruct and receive instructions. I am honored to be part of a system of educators that saw the need to overcome, owned their position, created solutions and did what needed to be done. What is your vision for our community? My vision for our community is to see continued growth in a cohesive way that really brings together communities and people from all walks of life. We need to celebrate the small wins; celebrate the appreciation, the inclusion and embrace unity. What needs to change to encourage continued progress in our city? There are so many passionate organizations all working toward a common goal. We need to be a united front, and be true movement changers and leaders through unity. We need to appreciate all areas of success and not 36 maconmagazine.com | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021