The For(e)thought Collective was founded in 2025, upon a deep-seated belief in the power of youth creativity.
Today, the collective comprises of and spotlights a diverse group of youth from across the country. We aim to treat the art we spotlight as plants — living and breathing work that's influenced by its surroundings. We recognize our responsibility as its caretakers, and aim to design an environment that is both collaborative and supportive, filled with cross-disciplinary work. Lastly, we hope to be facilitators for future youth creativity, and be a point of reference for artists to discuss their work.
Want to join our team of volunteer staff? Apply here.
Interested in learning more? Reach out via email at forethoughtcollective@gmail.com.
Our Team
Ryan is a junior at Westmoor High School and the San Mateo County District #5 Youth Arts Fellow. Specializing in graphic and UI/UX design, he loves experimental typography and developing user experiences from the ground-up. When he’s not designing, you might catch him working on local community events or programming.
Nathan is a sophomore at the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX. In his free time, he enjoys practicing trombone, listening to music, and occasionally visiting the YMCA. He has aspirations to learn to sew, become a filmmaker, and improve communication between artists.
Marcel is a multidisciplinary creative based in Southern California. He is the founder of an upcycled clothing brand, creating one-of-a-kind garments from vintage and reclaimed materials with a focus on craftsmanship, sustainability, and storytelling. Alongside design, Marcel is interested in outreach and visual communication, using branding, events, and collaboration to connect creative work with community impact.
Kat is a Senior at Burlingame High School and the San Mateo County District #1 Youth Arts Fellow. In her free time, she loves to paint, play piano, and take nature walks. As an artist, many of her pieces revolve around identity, queer activism and nostalgia.
Audrey Kim is a freshman at Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, CT. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing dark romance novels, fanfiction, and taking art commissions- as an artist and writer, many of her pieces explore the themes of unconventional love, grief, and real-world issues.
Anoushka Swaminathan (they/them) is an 11th grader from the Bay Area and the San Mateo County District #3 Youth Arts Fellow. Their poetry has been published online and in print and recognized by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, and they previously edited for a literary press. They also write, edit, and design for Scots Media and the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit newsletter. Outside of writing, they unfortunately love consuming brainrot and creating strange outfits.
Anoushka Swaminathan (they/them) is an 11th grader from the Bay Area and the San Mateo County District #3 Youth Arts Fellow. Their poetry has been published online and in print and recognized by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, and they previously edited for a literary press. They also write, edit, and design for Scots Media and the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit newsletter. Outside of writing, they unfortunately love consuming brainrot and creating strange outfits.
Gavin Cheng is a junior at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He has a strong interest in creative writing and young adult novels. Outside the classroom, he spends his time dunking basketballs at the gym and fishing.
Jason is a junior at Montgomery High School in New Jersey. He enjoys swimming, reading, and watching movies.