WriteGirl In The Archives

Although my time with the Discovery Fellowship was a little bit different than anticipated, I still earned an irreplaceable experience that I will be able to take with me moving forward in life. Prior to getting to work with everyone at The Autry, I saw archives just like many others do: dusty, “old” objects that represent a part of life so different than mine. Now, I perceive the concept of archives differently, as I can acknowledge that they aren’t just old and dusty, but an accumulation of everything that makes up my life and my future history. Moving forward in the professional world, I can already see myself analyzing my work differently. As an aspiring broadcast journalist and writer, knowing how to be a good archivist will help me be able to get more out of my stories. Even recently, when I interview people, I find myself analyzing the person beyond their verbal answers, finding a story within the stuff that makes up the individual. With these skills and archival tools, I know I will be able to advance forward as a storyteller.

“I would want these journal pages to be archived by feeling because I think it would be interesting to see the various ways I expressed emotions and responded to them at differ- ent stages. I am a young girl growing up in the 2000’s, and my viewpoints may give some perspective into this world.” —Sofia

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