A New Day Shall Come

My greatest fear, still, is not becoming one of the curators I’ve read about and have met.

Moreover, five months in, and several swipes of my MTA card later I’m understanding day by day that I will more than likely never be one of those curators, and that’s completely fine by me. Coming to New York, after I said I wouldn’t, gave me a better sense of what I expected of myself post-undergraduate because I simply disregarded the plan I had made a year prior.

Written on a piece of paper, there was list of graduate schools I would apply to – but I didn’t.

Instead, I skipped my scheduled GRE exam and would figure things out before it got too late. And just like that, the description and application for this very fellowship landed in my email.

I say that to say, I’m more than thankful for having been chosen as one of two inaugural curatorial fellows for the Louis Armstrong House museum, which was made possible by the Fund II Foundation. This fellowship, like most things, will end at some point and I have to make my next move career move, whether it be another fellowship or finally going to graduate school.

However, I’m appreciative of having this buffer period to sharpen up my skills.

Rest assured, as an emerging museum professional, I’ve placed myself in a suitable position to learn about the intricacies of museums and museum studies. After interning at other museums, I’ve acquired skills from working in small and large institutions have been transferable and essential to curatorial practice. Whether it be my ability to write and communicate, my passion for researching, solving problems, strategizing and executing –– I’m still learning daily.

These things, amongst others, will continuously increase my interest in museum studies because museums—and museum professionals—can create social change. And of course, going into the new year, I told myself that I would continue to put forth the effort I’ve been giving these past few years about curating, policy and politics of museums around the world.

Museums are apart of me, but it’s my mission to also make those same spaces apart of communities that look like me. So, let this me a testament for those who might’ve walked into this year unsure to stay true to who you are, but never forget why you started.