As a Communications and Events Planning intern, the day started at 10 am with the communications meeting, where we talked about the website revamp (worth checking out!) and anything pertaining to last July’s Docs & Dialogue: Ride to Nowhere and September’s Docs & Dialogue: New Visions. After brushing up on my (admittedly very shabby) Photoshop skills, I tended to do work for the D&Ds, including but not limited to: writing email blasts, researching related organizations, emailing said orgs, etc etc. I’ve worked in event production before and theater, so I felt very used to the buzz and frenzy that surrounds a show the closer it looms. But I always enjoy the time outside of the show where I get to sit with talented people and their talented creations. I saw this when students of the summer program displayed what they learned about different social issues in their videos. I also got that useful and optimistic feeling from sinking into EVC archives. I watched Ride to Nowhere (repeatedly), New Visions, Life in the G, The Queer Survival Guide, and parts of much more. If anyone ever gets the chance to watch super old EVC videos and see their connection to the present moment, I truly recommend it.
As my final task, I ended up surfing Instagram and Twitter (already a win) for organizations similar to EVC and exploring the interesting ways they organized their accounts. I appreciated being asked to do that, in addition to reading grant proposals, because it made me believe I had a worthy, notable eye. And I especially appreciate Raino, Brandon, Raelene, Betsy, Ambreen, and everyone else who I didn’t meet (or met very briefly) at EVC for leaving me with a productive (and fun) experience. I hope that EVC can get more future interns, former alumni, and current students together when everyone’s in-person!
Octavia Washington