The first week of the HERstory internship saw an introduction to many important skills as well as a few unexpected surprises. I was eager to start learning as much as I could, and this was ensured with a trip to Leesburg included on my first day.
This visit was to observe Rachel Williams conduct an oral history of a team member, Ms. Zollinger, from the famous Orlando Rebels softball team. Upon arriving at her house I felt somewhat nervous even though I was not the interviewer. However, these feelings subsided as both myself and Rachel were warmly welcomed into her home. For the next hour, I was enraptured by Ms. Zollinger's stories from the past. She described amazing feats such as a 75-0 record held by the team, their camaraderie, and other unique facets of the time period. Also, during the interview I learned the importance of unspoken cues. While I thought the interviewee seemed very eager and enthusiastic throughout the interview, it was pointed out to me that towards the beginning she asked many clarifying questions about the focus of the interview. This helped me realize the importance in helping different interviewees feel comfortable with the process. They only need to tell what they are comfortable with sharing, and it is important to reiterate that to them during the interview. Even I myself would not know what to expect if I thought someone wanted to know every detail about life rather than about a specific time frame in it. Furthermore, it is essential to build rapport with those you are conducting an oral history with. Though I did not play softball, I still connected with Ms. Zollinger through my experience playing volleyball that featured harsh coaches, tough defeats, and team bonding. At the conclusion of the interview we thanked Ms. Zollinger for her time and returned to the History Center. I then spent the final hour of my first day touring the unique exhibits featured at the Center. I was especially interested in the section focused on African American history and various publications. Touring these areas added to my excitement towards learning more about working at the History Center.
This interest was peaked further during my time spent later in the week. I was informed that the focus of my internship would shift from mainly oral histories, to now including more time in collections and at the off-site. I believe this slight change will allow for a more well-rounded internship experience. My second day served as an example of this multifaceted experience as I was tasked with creating an audio log for an interview. This provided a new element to oral histories that I was previously unfamiliar with. I was exposed to the more technical but necessary side of processing these interviews. The interview that I created time stamps for featured a prominent Orlando journalist. Her stories ranged from heart wrenching tales of covering Hurricane Katrina to more bizarre ones like tracking down a monitor lizard (that was ironically euthanized by the time she located it). This unique interview kept me entertained and alert as I detailed the necessary information. Upon completing this task, I was told that for the next day of my internship I would start work with collections. I remember being excited for this new opportunity. Unfortunately, before this could happen, I tested positive for COVID and my first week was sadly cut short.
Though it was not the ideal end to my first week, I still enjoyed the early lessons I was able to learn at the History Center. I will continue to rest and further recuperate. After getting better I look forward to returning next week and gaining more knowledge through the HERstory internship.