Name: Maya Schindler
Class Year: 2027
Major: Political Science
Minor: Latin American, Iberian and Latina/o Studies
Internship Organization: Scribe Video Center
Internship Title: Summer of Service Intern
Location: Philadelphia, PA
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
Flyering for the North Philadelphia History Festival
Most of my work has been centered around Scribe’s North Philadelphia History Festival – a celebration of the rich culture and history of Black and Puerto Rican communities in the area. Working on the promotions and community outreach team, I have helped develop strategies to generate interest and attendance through social media and relationships with local partners. I have also worked with the artists and cultural workers participating in the festival to ensure that we accurately communicate their visions.
Why did you apply for this internship?
Having worked on oral history projects in DC, I knew that this kind of communal storytelling is a unique way to get to know and support a community. Scribe has been doing this kind of work throughout Philly for decades, so I knew I would be able to engage with diverse networks of artists and cultural workers. With programming ranging from workshops, to interviews, to film screenings, and more, I was excited by the opportunity to figure out what mediums I might want to pursue and how to use them to uplift others.
What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?
Behind the scenes photo at shoot for “My Story, My Block” project for the North Philadelphia History Festival
I did not go into this internship expecting to work on promotion and marketing as much as I have. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I’ve had to use my creativity in new ways creating promotional material and I’ve also seen everything that goes into authentically connecting with the community. By intentionally building relationships with other organizations, we are able to support each other’s work and reach parts of Philly we might not have otherwise. I’ve seen just how interconnected the many arts, culture, and history organizations in the city are. The way they intentionally support one another reflects their goals of connection and the nature of Philly’s communities.
What is most rewarding about your internship?
While on-site taking photos during a “My Story, My Block” (a project for the North Philadelphia History Festival) interview, I saw family members and lifelong friends quietly sneak in to watch the interview with looks of pride and joy on their faces. I could see, and later heard from them, what it meant to be part of the project in some way and see a voice that is so important to them be shared with a wider audience. Scribe does this in so many ways and I’m excited to be a part of it. Through workshops offered, local filmmakers learn valuable skills to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard. Power Politics is an ongoing effort to create an archive of the many community members who have shaped Philly and fought for its people. Being able to contribute to these growing and vibrant archives and seeing what it means to people to be a part of these stories shows the importance of the work Scribe does.