We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anne-Bénédicte Houang. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anne-Bénédicte below.

Anne-Bénédicte, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I have done is called The Power of Hope. It was created in collaboration with one of my Burmese refugee students, her siblings and Exposure + Photo, while I was teaching at the Chris Hope Learning Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the time, I had left a corporate path to follow my family and chose to engage in humanitarian and artistic work—a risk that would ultimately shape who I am today, but also a risk I could take because I had financial backup.

I still remember the first day I drove into the neighborhood, stepping out of my car and walking up the narrow stairs that led to the school’s small, crowded rooms. The weight of the moment hit me: I cannot do this. But before doubt could take over, the headmaster looked at me and simply said, “If you don’t try, you will never know.” That sentence stayed with me. I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and never looked back.

What began as a teaching role and a mentorship with Exposure + Photo turned into something far more profound. Working with these children—listening to their stories, witnessing their resilience—I began to understand the true power of hope. Hope is not just an abstract concept; it is a force that keeps people moving forward, even in the most uncertain circumstances. They showed me gratitude, love, and what it means to be connected beyond borders, language, and circumstance.

This project didn’t just shape my work—it defined my purpose. It set me on the path I walk today, using photography to amplify voices and create spaces for people to be seen and heard. While my passion still lies in community storytelling, I am currently taking a mental break and working on a personal project titled The Road Home, which explores the concepts of zeitgeist, memory, and personal agency.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a photographer and visual storyteller, I am deeply interested in people, places, and memory. My work is shaped by my multicultural background and a decade spent living and traveling in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. I am drawn to the ways people interact with their culture, beliefs, and environment, and I strive to create work that sparks meaningful conversations about the complexities of our world—emphasizing the transformative power of hope and the potential for collective growth.

Throughout my travels, my camera has been a bridge to the world, allowing me to embrace spontaneous moments and forge deep connections. It is the people and places I encountered along the way that pulled me into photography and storytelling; they are the heart of my journey, shaping not only my artistic practice but also my perspective on life itself.

Last year, I took part in Artist INC, a program offered by Mid-America Arts Alliance and Fresh Arts in Houston. Artist INC empowers artists of all disciplines with the tools, resources, and entrepreneurial skills needed to sustain their artistic practice. This experience was pivotal—it gave me the confidence and skills to formally launch Together Collaborative, LLC, my creative venture dedicated to the art of seeing and storytelling.

At Together Collaborative, our mantra is: “Together, We Make Our Stories Come Alive.” Through our website, you can explore my portfolio, reach out for creative workshops tailored for community and non-profit organizations, or learn about community storytelling projects—often funded by grants—where we create spaces to come together, share our stories, and amplify underrepresented voices through creative workshops and storytelling circles.

What sets my work apart is my deep commitment to visual storytelling as a tool for connection, empathy, and change. Whether through photography workshops or community-driven projects, my goal is to create work that not only documents but also resonates—work that sparks conversation, fosters understanding, and brings people together.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Looking back, I wish I had known earlier about the many resources available to support artists in Houston—especially those offering training, funding, community, and residency opportunities.
One of the most valuable programs I discovered is Artist INC Houston, offered by Mid-America Arts Alliance and Fresh Arts. This eight-week seminar was a game-changer for me, equipping me with entrepreneurial tools that helped me launch Together Collaborative. Fresh Arts also provides workshops, networking events, and an artist resource hub with grants and professional development opportunities.

For photographers, Houston Center for Photography (HCP) is an invaluable institution, offering exhibitions, critique groups, and workshops on both technical and conceptual aspects of photography. Their fellowships and juried shows are great opportunities for emerging photographers.

The City of Houston, through Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), provides grants like the Support for Artists and Creative Individuals (SACI) Grant, which I was fortunate to receive in 2020. These grants help fund creative projects and community-driven initiatives.

I also wish I had explored residencies earlier. Programs like the Lawndale Artist Studio Program and Galveston Artist Residency offer studio space, mentorship, and exhibitions—giving artists time and support to deepen their practice.

Houston has a strong network of exhibition and collaborative spaces as well. Art League Houston, DiverseWorks, Hardy & Nance Studios, and BOX 13 ArtSpace provide opportunities for artists to showcase and experiment with their work. Project Row Houses fosters socially driven art, while Sawyer Yards offers studio spaces that encourage community building and visibility.

Had I known about these resources earlier, I would have navigated certain challenges with more clarity and confidence, and I would be further ahead on my artist path. For emerging artists, I highly recommend tapping into these networks—finding a community, seeking out funding, and applying for residencies can make all the difference in sustaining a creative practice.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For most artists, making a decent living is extremely difficult—that alone is resilience on steroids. People enjoy seeing art in public spaces, decorating their offices and homes with it… art is everywhere, bringing joy and meaning to the world. The private sector should join foundations and philanthropists in supporting the arts and the artists who create them.

I come from the corporate world, and my resilience story is rooted in the decision to leave behind a stable path and immerse myself in humanitarian and artistic work, with photography as my main medium. I stepped into an unfamiliar world—one that was emotionally and logistically challenging—but in doing so, I discovered that art could be a tool for empowerment, connection, and transformation.

Resilience isn’t just about pushing forward in the moment; it is about committing to the long haul. Despite the unknowns, I stayed the course and launched Together Collaborative, a venture dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices. Conceptualizing, funding, and organizing meaningful storytelling projects has been more challenging than I first imagined, but it’s a challenge I fully embrace.

My resilience is in my ability to embrace uncertainty, adapt, and stay true to my vision, no matter how unconventional the road may be. This journey—rooted in self-discovery and an unwavering belief in the power of stories—defines my resilience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.togethercollaborative.com
• Instagram: @annehouang | @TogetherCollaborative
• Facebook: annehouang | TogetherCollaborative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annehouang/

Image Credits

– Image name AnneHouangFeatureCanvasRebel: Credit to Laura Burlton

– Image name ParticipatoryStorytellingProject_EmbraceMyStory-1 | ParticipatoryStorytellingProject_EmbraceMyStory-2: Credit to Marloes Stigborg-Janssen

– Image name ParticipatoryStorytellingProject_EmbraceMyStory-3 | ThePowerOfHope-1, 2, and 3 | Thaipusam_Trance-1 and 2: Credit Anne Houang