The Arc Fellowship for Young Creatives—a 5-month cohort designed for Asian American Christians ages 18-29 who identify as creatives/creators/artists—introduces Fellows to a theological framework and practice of designing creative and prophetic work that changes the world.
To learn more about the Arc Initiative and its various programs, click here.
2026 Fellows
Chrislyn C. Choo
Chrislyn is an Emmy-winning multimedia artist, facilitator, and experience designer who finds joy in weaving stories of shalom. She enjoys surrendering to the creative process, listening for the Spirit’s lead, and tending to the new life that wants to emerge. As the founder of Living Heirlooms Studio, she brings together families and artisans to incarnate the love in our lineages through handcrafted artifacts, rituals, and gatherings.
Rooted in the U.S., China, and Malaysia, Chrislyn feels most at home in the unexpected places where divine presence meets us. She loves sharing tea, qigong, snacks, playlists, and silence.
Phoebe Au-Yeung
Phoebe has long felt called to ministry, though she did not always know what form that calling would take. Along the way, she discovered that creating is part of that calling. Primarily a writer of fiction, she also writes nonfiction and poetry, dabbles in visual art and music, and has recently found a new creative outlet in songwriting as a way to transform grief into healing.
Phoebe dreams of making art through which God can speak and that moves people. In this fellowship, she hopes to grow as an artist, create beauty in community, and explore how being Asian American, Christian, and a creator intersect and shape her work and life.
Home church: City Church, San Francisco
Elise Hatsuko Kaneshiro
Elise is a Japanese and Okinawan artist from Oʻahu whose work spans abstract painting, mixed media and collage, fashion, jewelry, filmmaking, photography, and writing. She believes that creating art is a gift from the LORD that deepens her communion with Him, and seeks to reflect beauty, nature, and joy through her work.
Inspired by both her faith and her surroundings, Elise enjoys exploring how art can tell stories, preserve moments, and invite people to see the LORD’s creation with wonder and hope.
Home church: St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Honolulu
Thang Sian Sing
Singpi is a writer who weaves words to capture the human experience, from everyday moments to complex sociopolitical realities. An eyewitness to the aftermath of Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, he uses his voice to advocate for justice, human dignity, and those whose stories are often unheard. Grounded in his Christian faith, he seeks to uncover the sacred within every story.
As a new immigrant to the U.S., Singpi explores Asian American identity, particularly the Burmese American and Zomi/Chin American experience. At the heart of his calling is a desire to serve as a bridge, fostering dialogue, connection, and empathy across deep divides. Beyond writing, he carries a deep passion for worship music.
Home church: Oakland Burmese Mission Baptist Church (OBMBC), Oakland
Kaylee Ann Dangc
Beyond her creative practice, Kaylee carries a deep conviction for the stories that get buried, particularly her mother’s, which she has been slowly excavating through a long-term creative nonfiction project focused on Iu-Mien immigration history. That same instinct shapes her calling as a Youth Director. She believes that what takes root in a young person’s early years of faith can shape the rest of their life, and she is committed to building spaces where students feel safe enough to bring their real questions, their doubts, and their whole selves.
Caring for memory and caring for the next generation, to Kaylee, are the same sacred work. She refuses to let what matters get lost.
Home church: City Church, San Francisco
2025 Fellows
Vithem Rumthao
Vithem is a creative who finds joy in music, writing, and painting. She feels closest to God when singing or painting canvases adorned with scripture, seeing art as a way to connect deeply with her faith.
Beyond her creative practice, Vithem carries a strong conviction for environmental justice. She is especially concerned about the Earth’s sixth mass extinction, caused by habitat destruction, overexploitation of wildlife, pollution, and climate change. Heartbroken by the loss of creation that humanity was entrusted to protect, she longs to see meaningful change, believing that caring for the natural world is both a responsibility and a sacred calling.
Home church: New Life, Castro Valley
Andrew Yong
Andrew works with graphite and charcoal for figure drawing, oil for still life, and also enjoys sewing as a form of creative expression. Andrew believes art is a way to reflect and capture the beauty of God the original Creator using the mind and the imagination God has given. Each piece is an attempt to encapsulate and share glimpses of God’s creation.
Alongside his art, Andrew holds a deep concern for the adversity faced by Asians and Asian Americans. Living in San Francisco, where Asian communities are often in the majority, it can be easy to forget the animosity that persists. Recent events have brought these realities sharply to the surface, shaping his desire to create and reflect in ways that speak to both beauty and truth.
Home church: Sunset Church, San Francisco
Caitlin Ung
Caitlin is a multidisciplinary creative whose work spans graphic design, prototyping, music, crochet, and explorations in furniture and theater design. Caitlin believes that God is the ultimate Creator, and has made us in His image, and our creativity is a reflection of God’s nature. Through art worship and years of art journaling, Caitlin has deepened her faith journey, finding healing and new ways to encounter God through creative practice.
As a youth leader, she finds joy in designing experiences that help young people meet God in tangible, communal ways. Passionate about the challenges today’s youth face shaped by social media, cultural pressures, and rising anxiety, Caitlin is eager to explore how art and design can foster spaces of belonging, resilience, and faith.
Home church: First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco
Melodie Deisher
Melodie sees creativity as a God given gift to bring joy, share faith, and meet people in meaningful ways. Melodie launched a photography business in 2024, specializing in weddings, families, and portraits, to capture some of life’s most vulnerable, and most joyful moments. For Melodie, these deep emotions are sacred and offer opportunities to reflect God’s presence.
Beyond photography, Melodie is passionate about exploring diversity in the church, particularly how racial and cultural dynamics shape communities of faith. As a young Asian American creative in the Bay Area, she seeks to connect with other believers who create, recognizing that collaboration not only enriches artistic expression, but also builds spaces of encouragement, belonging, and spiritual growth.
Home church: New City Church, Oakland
