About

Hello, I'm Ashley Kang (she/her)! I use design, code, and knowledge sharing to explore questions about connecting people and information in more accessible and secure ways. A fun fact is that I created my own undergraduate degree, the ultimate design challenge.

These days, I'm:

Seeking a software or UX engineering role with an accessibility or security specialization
Scheming with Color Coded Collective on community-centered technology projects
Working on a M.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity

Notable projects (with details and process images below):

Elsewhere:

Credits: Designed and developed by yours truly, layout help from SuperHi, typeset with Fugaz One and Work Sans from Google Fonts, compressed with Squoosh and Optimizilla

p5.js Showcase

Purpose: How might we showcase a p5.js project to increase access to the open source JavaScript library and inspire others to contribute to the Processing community in many different ways?

Solution: p5js.org/showcase — A Google Summer of Code 2019 project to create a new 6-part section on the p5.js documentation website that showcases creative and inclusive uses of p5.js and encourages project nominations; officially released in February 2020 with p5.js version 1.0 and expanded in summer 2020

Contribution:

Researched community showcase examples and 60+ creators working with p5.js, organized research into types of p5.js contributions, and established a form-based process for creators to nominate a project of their own or by others
Designed wireframes, created a prototype, and implemented using HTML, CSS, and templating and internationalization with Node.js, Grunt, Handlebars, YAML, and Assemble
Curated 6 projects and interviewed their creators about their process of using p5.js to explore art and design concepts and mediums, p5.js libraries and other technologies, or ways of learning and teaching
Advocated for an accessibility review leading to a site-wide audit by accessibility specialists Sina Bahram and Claire Kearney-Volpe and refactored code with mentor Kate Hollenbach and p5.js creator Lauren McCarthy
Featured in Processing's p5.js version 1.0 release, blog, contributor documentation, p5.js 1.0 Contributors Zine, and p5.js 1.0 Release Party

Image: An early iteration of the p5.js Showcase homepage, featuring the headline "Showcase" and an introduction to the project

CLEAN Carwash LA

Purpose: How might we update the CLEAN Carwash LA website to better present who they are as an organization today and support their fundraising efforts?

Solution: cleancarwash.org — A complete website redesign for CLEAN Carwash LA (Color Coded’s first community partner) to strengthen reach to 20+ car washes across LA, 5 foundation funders, and community donors

Contribution:

Co-led with Color Coded's internal team a kick-off workshop to ideate the website redesign with CLEAN's staff and subsequent sessions to develop the website style guide, content strategy, and documentation
Led the redesign of the 3-part About Us section and implemented using HTML, CSS, and CMS (Squarespace)
Co-facilitated a website maintenance training to support CLEAN's strategy around their main fundraising event

Image: An early prototype of the new CLEAN Carwash website's "About" section using a CMS (WordPress), featuring a header image of CLEAN's community, their mission statement, and information about how to support their mission

Locales

Purpose: How might we connect conscious consumers in Los Angeles with small local businesses (like freelancers and co-ops) that don’t necessarily have an online presence?

Solution: locales.la — A digital platform that highlights small businesses and encourages locals to recommend a business to be featured (Color Coded's first internal project); launched in November 2016 and revisiting in summer 2020

Contribution:

Advocated for accessibility, internationalization, style guide, and intentional form design in the internal team's process
Began implementing a bilingual (English/Spanish) "Recommend a Business" form in React

Image: Whiteboard wireframes of the form to "Recommend a Business" for Locales, featuring desktop and mobile views

Etc.

Currently:

Continuing my herbalism education with Mika "Essence" Miller and Hood Herbalism

Previously:

Completed a Women in Security and Privacy training in social engineering with Rachel Tobac and a WeAreHackerz training on threat modeling with James Bore
As the first Web Developer Fellow under CSUF Extension and International Programs’ marketing and communications team, regularly updated CMS-based websites, email campaigns, and print/digital design assets to follow enrollment demands of 30+ programs and reach 168K+ students for 3 academic years
Learned OWASP Top 10 secure coding practices in a Web Security course
Co-wrote and presented a research paper on IoT security for a Network Security course
As an ITP Camp 2019 Instigator, co-organized a technology zine workshop with Shira Feldman and a digital security training with David Huerta

Someday:

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