The Dominican Studies Institute. Dana Pena Sena Week 2

Hello everyone!!!

I'm glad to say that I’ve officially completed my second week as an intern at the Institute of Dominican Studies. It’s definitely been a fun and interesting week, so I guess I’ll just jump right into it!

On Wednesday, I had the delight of reading Paletero Man in one of Harlem’s most beautiful gardens. The book, which centers on themes of community and diversity, beautifully mirrored the very setting and audience I was reading to. The adorable group of kids sat wide-eyed and full of curiosity, asking me questions I didn’t even think to prepare for. Their energy and enthusiasm reminded me just how important it is to nurture that sense of wonder and passion in young minds.                                                                  

The rest of my week was spent back in the archives. I was tasked with selecting and organizing images from photo collections to upload and scan for a gallery that will be featured on Google Images!!! Honestly, I feel like I’ve gone through more than a hundred pictures to curate the collection but piece by piece, it’s really coming together.

What’s been even more fulfilling than the progress itself is simply looking through the photographs. Over the past two weeks, it feels like I’ve gotten a little sneak peek into the lives of so many people it’s been incredibly interesting. I’ve followed the progression of a woman’s political career and watched, through photos, as her daughters grew up. With each new folder, I’ve seen the decades pass before my eyes. In one photo, taken outside, there are rows and rows of vintage Mustang-like cars the kind your older neighbor keeps hidden away in their garage. In family photos, I’ve seen men rocking afros and bell bottoms, and then, just a few folders later, those same people are wearing tracksuits and shoulder pads. So cool!!!!

                         

This experience has been deeply insightful for my personal development. It’s given me a new perspective on the passage of time and the evolution that comes with it. That’s something that can easily be overlooked by young people like me, but each day in the archives continues to shed light on this timeless lesson.

Logging off,

Dana