On Wednesday, February 15th, we participated in the 2nd annual That's Their Dream Career Fair at Apple Valley High School. We had the opportunity to connect with many students who showed interest in the work we do at Memorialize The Movement. At MTM we believe that representation is important, so we were grateful to attend this career fair for a second year and show the students of Apple Valley that there are people who look like them doing preservation work within the Twin Cities.
The MTM team ready for the career fair at Apple Valley High School. Left to Right: Shameela Khan, Alessia Guzman Huaman, Amira McLendon.
MTM team member, Executive Assistant, Alessia Guzman Huaman, is seen here talking to students about what MTM represents and goals MTM has in the realm of social justice.
Impact
Students approached our table with questions about the work we do, comments on the mini murals we had on display, and general curiosities about the organization. It was refreshing to be able to let these students know about who we are because as soon as we began talking about our work, some students would say "oh, I've seen your work before! I want to come to the paint to express!" There was a scavenger worksheet that students could fill out to win prizes which had questions about the organization or business they spoke with. Many students asked questions that went above and beyond the worksheet's requirements and showed great interest in knowing how our daily life looks, paint to express workshops, whether we work in an office (9am-5pm), or do we have team bonding trips, etc.
By seeing these students interested in our work and being in an environment filled with creative, artistic, and enthusiastic youth, it motivates us to attend more events like this to show them that there are people of colour doing this work. We hope that we are setting up the next generation with a good foundation to understand what happened in 2020 and the importance of continuing conversations around police brutality and accountability, representation in preservation work, and empowering youth to be the stewards of their own stories.
We are fortunate to participate in the That's Their Dream Career Fair and represent MTM. In 2023 we look forward to being part of many such opportunities and creating a place for others to learn about our organization.
Amira McLendon, MTM's Artist Liaison, answering questions that students asked about MTM's exhibitions and workshops.
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