Now that I think about it, I don't think I've been in a situation where I feel uncomfortable enough to feel the need to "speak for myself", but I know that self-advocacy is not only about that. Sure, I am sometimes assigned work that it's not always the most entertaining thing to do, but it is what it is. Every time I have a question I ask without hesitating, same thing when I need help with something. I know that if you really want to do quality work you are somehow going to need help, wether it's feedback or asking someone for a hand.
Self-advocacy is something that is immediately noticed in the working environment here at the Women's Museum. It's a really small team consisting mostly of volunteers and interns. We are all learning and we all have questions. But we also help run the museum so of course we have ideas and different ways to contribute to the museum, and everyone is open to hear our ideas. Everyone says what they have to say in a very casual way. There is no competing for who has the best idea, it's all about all coming together and collaborating to create something big. At first I remember feeling awkward when asking for a break or to go to the restroom or questions in general, but then I realized that it's not that big of a deal. I know this all sounds silly, but if you are a High School student you would understand. We are used to ask for permission for everything but in a working space you can do whatever you want as long as 1) you respect others, 2) finish your work and 3) make yourself useful. I definitely see myself working on this type of environment in the future. Something casual, where people have the confidence to speak their minds and the team is close enough to share their thoughts. By far, my internship hasn't made me consider or reconsider the college path I want to take because I don't really have one! I've always been particularly interested on liberal arts and have never considered sciences, not even as a joke. But that changed this year. Junior year made me realize that I can literally do whatever I want, the problem is that I'm not sure what that is. Going from knowing exactly what I want to do to not having a clue anymore was both confusing and alarming, specially during Junior year. Now I know that I can explore a never-ending list of options through out the whole spectrum, not only staying on one side. I just feel like it's waaaaaaaay too much to explore and I'm running out of time. Luckily we are given this opportunity in school. Even though I don't know if I will work in a museum in the future, there is so much more that I've learned here that I know for sure will help me on any job/career or situation.
It has almost become an instinct to know what to do. It all makes sense. You have to be organized an plan things out, make some calls and get things going. In school, if you don't finish an assignment you get an F. If you don't finish something at work, you let people down and that is personally the worst feeling ever. Plus, it's embarrassing. A great example would be last week when I had to finish a couple of school assignments but also had to turn in this art piece for the Del Mar Fair. My priority was the art piece because it would be embarrassing to not turn in a project for a big exhibit at Del Mar Fair, where a lot of people go. Something that I've always known and that I've also noticed during my internship is that you always have to have that spirit for serving others. That is how the world works, you serve other in order to receive service. Even though working at the museum hasn't opened my eyes to see the career that I want to pursue, it has made me realize so many things that will help me on any career/job. And just like Ashley mentioned on the interview, learning does not always take place in school alone. I started my internship project on my second day. As I mentioned on my third post, I am now part of the Art Rocks The Boat exhibit team. This will be an exhibit about the 60's and 70's Women Liberation Movement focusing on the arts. I have been focusing on music and couldn't be more excited to do it. I enjoy organizing events, planing a structure and coming up with ideas and I am glad to know that I am helping with this section of the exhibit, specially since it is all about music.
Last week was all about researching. As I went through my research more and more ideas popped out, which could potentially be part of the exhibit. I started without having a structure or a main idea of what this section of the exhibit was going to look like, but as soon as I started my research there was a clearer path for it. I now have four ideas to discuss with the curator so they can be approved or improved and then move on to the next step: creating the exhibit. Since I already know what I have to work on, I'm not always told what to do next. As soon I'm done with something I automatically move on to another. I feel pretty independent. I even get to unlock the office when I get here, since I'm the first one to arrive. Overall, things have been awesome here and the fact that I'm helping out with a long list of things makes me very happy. Mentor: Ashley Gardner 1. What is your job title? Executive Director What are your main duties and responsibilities? I am responsible for managing and operating all facets of the museum. This includes: marketing, program development, member and donor management, volunteer outreach and management, financial management, board communications and management, facilities management. In other words, everything do to with keeping the museum running and open to the public. 2. How did you end up doing the job that you do? I joined the Board of Directors in 2002 and stepped into the Director's role in 2007 when we lost our current director. 3. Is there anything you wish you'd realized about the world of work when you were my age? That learning does not always take place in school alone. The world itself is the best classroom ever and that every experience, good and bad, can teach us important things. 4. What is the purpose of this organization? To inspire and educate about the experiences, accomplishments and contributions of women. 5. What does it take to be successful in this organization? A sense of humor, a willingness to do anything, to be a team player, to be flexible and to have fun. INTERVIEW CONDUCTED VIA EMAIL
Internship SelfieJournalThe best thing that I've learned so far is that there is always something to do. Projects are being designed, research is being made, ideas pop out and everyone has to keep moving. There is no such thing as wasting time because everything that is being done has a purpose, and as soon as you are done with something you have to move on with the next thing on the list.
I am now part of the Art Rocks the Boat exhibit team, which will be an exhibit about the women liberation movement and second wave of feminism during the 60's and 70's focusing on the arts. I will be helping with the musical arts. This week I came up with a couple of ides for this section and researched all about the women with major musical influence during this movement. I found this online Women's Liberation Movement archive which is more focused on the 80's and 90's. Still, the website contains a great variety of pictures including old news paper articles, flyers announcing concerts and events, vintage pictures and plenty of other things that represent the result of the movement during the 60's and 70's. These pictures have great potential and should definitely be part of the exhibit. I talked to my mentor and she liked the idea. I'm thinking of creating a collage to show the aftermath of the movement. I still need to talk to more people about this since it is not confirmed to be part of the exhibit, but I believe it is a potential option. Overall, I feel very independent. I know what I have to do and by when it has to get done. As soon as I'm done with something I know what I have to do next. I really happy with my internship and it feels great to be welcomed by such a hard-working team. The one-hour journey every morning is definitely worth it. I can perfectly describe my first day with two words: interesting and exhausting. But before I begin describing my whole adventure I will first talk about how I felt before starting my internship at the Women's Museum of California. I got my internship confirmed exactly a week and a half before internships actually started. I was told about the Women's Museum and thought it was a great option for me to consider, except that it wasn't an option anymore, it was a must since I only had less than two weeks to get an internship. I was interviewed by Ashley Gardner (now my mentor). As she went through my resume, she would somehow connect everything I've done with with an exhibit or event that has happened in the museum. I knew I could aport a lot to the museum but, most importantly, I knew I was going to be given the opportunity to help and contribute. I was expecting Ashley to say something like "Congratulations! You got your internship", instead she said "see you on Monday 11th at 10:00 am" and that was more than enough to get me excited.
I was so happy that I had finally gotten my internship that I didn't even think about the fact that it was going to take a one hour and a half journey everyday through bus and Trolley to get to my internship. That didn't seem like a problem. It actually seemed like and exciting idea since I could transport myself wherever I wanted to. On my first day, my mom drove me to the museum (because she is that nice and it was my first day). She dropped me off and luckily she didn't leave right away because the museum was closed! I waited a couple of minutes in the car, then I saw Ashley arrive, park and then leave. I was confused. Very confused. I called my adviser Rah-Ben, who then called Lisa Davis who would contact Ashley, since the number on her card was the museum's number and no one was there. Lisa couldn't reach Ashley so I only had one option left: wait. I waited at Vons (which, by the way, is the nicest Vons I've ever been to) and after a couple of minutes I went back and fortunately found Ashley's car. She apologized because she'd completely forgotten. But I understand because with only one day at the museum I realized how busy she always is! There is always something to do. For the rest of the day I organized archives and went through the Volunteer Projects to see which one I would like to help with. At 5, I left the museum and walked toward the bus stop, waited 20 minutes for the bus to arrive and got inside the bus. I tapped my Youth Compass Card (which the school had provided me so I didn't have to pay for transportation), but it did't work. Maybe it wasn't activated. The bus driver said I needed to pay but I only had three dollars and needed 5 dollars to also use the trolley and the other bus. He started raising his voice and said he was not going to move until I payed. I had to ask for two dollars and finally payed. I was very embarrassed because maybe the bus driver thought that I didn't want to pay. After arriving to Old Town Transit Center, taking the green line trolley, then changing to the blue line at 12th and Imperial Transit Center, then taking the bus at H Street Transit Center I finally arrived to Southwestern College, where my aunt picked me up 30 minutes late. It wasn't a problem because I had a book to read. I was waiting but then this kid came to me and said some things, which I will not mention, and then skated away and called me a something, which I will not mention either. It was an exhausting First Day yet, as I said before, interesting. For the rest of the ride home I just thought about how I already wanted to write my experience on my blog, and here I am. |
Sofia AnnI am constantly growing and learning and changing. You will notice it on my writing. ArchivesCategories |