William Lin — Encounters Magazine

WRITTEN BY SOFIA GHASEMI

PHOTO BY SARAH MISKIN

William Lin is a Chinese-American artist and designer who likes to express the practicality that art can possess. He is currently the president of the Gender, Love and Sexuality Spectrum, a community for LGBTQ+ members and allies. Aside from his responsibilities, he also creates graphics for the organization, as well as designs his own business cards, fashion designs, and logos.

William has always had a passion for sketching. “My first memory when I was a kid was myself drawing,” he explains. Having gained inspiration from his mother, a seamstress, William set out to learn the basics of fashion design and soon began creating fashion pieces himself. Drawing inspiration from fashion icons such as Alexander McQueen, William designed his own dresses and has developed numerous sketch designs.

William is a firm believer that art can be both practical and appreciated. He enjoys the nuances of graphic design and the creativity and problem solving that goes with it. “Art can be versatile,” he states, “art can be for appreciation, entertainment, or practicality.” In the future, William wishes to become a creative director for a firm or agency and is determined to find his place in the graphic design world.

During his freshman year at Baruch, William recalled missing a sense of community. He originally planned to transfer to the Fashion Institute of Technology before finding his niche within Baruch after joining G.L.A.S.S. He understood the stigma of being LGBTQ in the workplace and wanted to help foster a safe haven within Baruch where everyone felt welcomed. “I wanted to build a community where everyone is connected. I wanted a sense of family,” he explains. Now a senior, William hopes that G.L.A.S.S. will continue to flourish after he graduates this coming year.

This feature is part of a series of editorials curated by Encounters Magazine that correspond with a theme for the month. This month’s theme is LGBTQ+ History and will feature creators within Baruch that identify with and empower the LGBTQ+ community.