Behind the Cover: 2025 IMAGE Magazine
With this year’s Image Magazine theme, I reflected on my experience back when I was an intern. What comes up for me are feelings of: optimism, aspiration, belonging, and gratitude. The summer of my internship happened during a pivotal period in my life. I had just graduated college and landed a dream job in DC. I found friendship amongst fellow interns who all rooted for each other. I also moved far away from home and made a space of my own to call home. In this illustration, I captured a snapshot of what my desk looked like at the time: filled with things that were important to me. An open journal, some plants, and a photo of my intern cohort during convention. Through this illustration, I hope to highlight the collective experiences that former and current OCA interns share, as well as celebrate the spirit of the internship.
About the Artist
Cindy Anh Thư Nguyễn is an artist, educator, and daughter of immigrants based in Austin, Texas. Cindy’s work centers around creating brave spaces for community well-being, environmental health, and youth leadership. Her work often informs her art practice, as she illustrates alternate worlds where extinct animals have futures, landscapes are healing, and diasporic memories become sites of joy and remembrance. Cindy was part of the OCA intern cohort of 2018. You can find her work on Instagram at @cindyinthewild.