PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by La-Tia Morris, Youth Initiatives Coordinator at American Museum of Natural History
1:26:03
ยท
145 sec
La-Tia Morris shares her journey from a high school intern to the Youth Initiatives Coordinator at the American Museum of Natural History, highlighting the impact of the museum's youth programs on her personal and professional development.
- Started as a high school intern in the museum's science communication program at age 16
- Gained confidence, public speaking skills, and a deeper understanding of complex topics
- Pursued a bachelor's degree in anthropology inspired by her experiences and mentors at the museum
- Now works as the Youth Initiatives Coordinator at age 22, advocating for NYC youth in museum programs
La-Tia Morris
1:26:03
Thank you.
1:26:05
Good morning, or I don't think it's afternoon yet.
1:26:07
Okay.
1:26:09
My name is Letia Morris, and I'm here today to provide my testimony of my experience at the American Museum of Natural History.
1:26:16
My journey at the museum began when I was in high school, and I completed my first internship by participating in their high school intern program centered on science communication.
1:26:26
The program focused on facilitating conversations with the public in the halls of the museum and discovering ways to relay information to a variety of audiences while ensuring their experience is both dynamic and engaging.
1:26:38
At the time, I was a girl from Far Rockaway who knew next to nothing about anthropology.
1:26:43
While completing the internship, I gained confidence in myself by becoming a public education professional in the museum by the age of 16.
1:26:51
I had the badge, the uniform, everything, and I was using the resources provided to me to research and discuss complex topics like colonialization and cultural differences to visitors across all demographics.
1:27:04
Emotionally, I was able to grasp concepts and perspectives that I normally wouldn't encounter in my usual environment.
1:27:11
At 16, I was able to appreciate that successfully getting any point across to anybody requires a particular set of skills that I was able to develop through this program.
1:27:22
It was extremely empowering being able to bridge the gap between the perspective of the curators and our visitors, strengthening my listening skills and empathy to truly understand the perspective of our visitors.
1:27:33
The program was so viable to me that I spent my summers with my aunt in Co op City to continue coming to the museum even after my family moved to Suffolk County.
1:27:43
Through the programs, I found mentors who inspired me to pursue a bachelor's degree in anthropology.
1:27:49
And while I was attending Stony Brook University, I came back to the museum, this time completing their museum education internship program designed for undergraduate college students.
1:28:00
Now I sit before you at 22 as the museum's youth initiatives coordinator, where I use my ability to understand the perspectives of others, as well as my own experience to advocate for New York City youth in our programs.
1:28:14
At 16, I was inspired.
1:28:16
I saw my future here.
1:28:18
Since then, I have maintained a relationship with the museum for over 6 years, and receiving unwavering support throughout the entire time.
1:28:27
Thank you.