Week 4 - Atlanta History Center - Julia Martinez

Hello everyone! 
I hope this blog post finds you well. My last week at the Atlanta History Center was bittersweet. After finally becoming adjusted to my long commute to my internship location, I was very sad to end it because I enjoyed working with my supervisor. My route consisted of a car, bus, and train to get to my internship location. It took about two hours each way, I was able to knock out a lot of podcast episodes and read a little bit. 
The Atlanta History Center is spread between two campuses, Buckhead and Midtown. I interned in Buckhead and visited the Midtown campus (Margaret Mitchell House, author of  Gone with the Wind) on my last day. I spent my last week working on the Hidden Midtown: Out and About walking tour. This free walking tour will be launched in October and everyone will be able to learn about the rich LGBTQIA+ history of Midtown. Throughout my research online and in the Kenan Research Center, I learned the comprehensive LGBTQ+ history of Midtown and the participating establishments. I found images of the historical LGBTQ+ nightclub, Backstreet, in the archives. The photos and posters were in cold storage so I had to wait 24 hours to access them from when I pulled them. It was very interesting to explore old images and learn the importance of archiving these materials. I scanned the photos and added them to the walking tour for the user’s reference to how the club used to look like. As I worked on the walking tour, I reflected back on my YAP experience and remembered when we learned about the importance of technology and how crucial it is for the future of museums. I also believe that this project aligns with some of the core values we learned at YAP, this walking tour will be an accessible tool for the community to learn about Midtown. I appreciate how the Atlanta History Center wants to reach different demographics and strive for a more diverse visitorship. During my last day, my supervisor and I took photos in front of the stops with a sign and they will be used on the walking tour app to direct visitors.
Furthermore, I enjoyed interning at the Atlanta History Center this summer on behalf of the Smithsonian Latino Center Young Ambassador Program. My supervisor was amazing! I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her this summer. She introduced me to a lot of people in the office. She took me behind the scenes of how to build exhibitions and opened my perspective about public history. She taught me the importance of partnerships and community collaboration to maximize the best resources possible. After working with her, I aspire to become a historian, focusing on Latin American history. I hope to intern in a museum again in the future and I wish everyone a great school year. I miss everyone dearly and I love you all!!
Love,
Julia Martinez
Midtown rainbow crosswalk
My supervisor Dr. Calinda Lee 
Polaroid photos from the cold storage


























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