Country Day junior Arjin Claire and alumna Sahej Claire, ’18, have partnered with two Sacramento nonprofits, Art for Abhi and Improve Your Tomorrow, to raise funds and awareness for young men of color in colleges and universities. 

Art for Abhi and Improve Your Tomorrow created a virtual art event, also called an opportunity drawing, for fundraising. The website was designed by Arjin and Sahej. For the event, Country Day students and local artists donated their art, which was sold through a ticket-based system to raise funds. Donations and the drawing can be accessed through this website.

Contributions in any form of art, such as poetry or paintings, are used for the drawing. Country Day art students and numerous professional and non-professional artists donate their collections of art for the cause. 

Teachers Andy Cunningham and Head of the High School Brooke Wells both donated their own art; Cunningham made a painting and Wells wrote a poem.

 All donations for Art for Abhi and Improve Your Tomorrow go “to the organization as a whole, not a single person,” Arjin said. Money from the donations is used for any equipment or resources needed for the organization.

Regarding arts and crafts, Art for Abhi and Improve Your Tomorrow accept submissions of every skill level.

“If I get a piece of art that’s donated I’ll be happy,” Arjin said.

Many donations of the art submitted “connect with people, so figurative work and landscapes are a sweet spot.”  Cunningham said.

— By Jonah David