Greetings, all. The above picture is a series of mirror selfies I took in the Bond Street office throughout my internship. As the social media intern, it only seemed fitting that I documented my experience as such. Apart from photographing myself on various days of the week, I found time to do some pretty cool work. I'll tell you about the work I did, but first, an introduction!
Hi. Howdy. Yeehaw. I'm Erin, and I'm from Texas. (Though I should note, Joanna did remark at my lack of a Texan accent. I know — a bummer.) I'm a Journalism and Philosophy student at the University of Texas, and found myself up in the chilly northern city of New York for what would have been a 5-month program if our good ol' pal Corona hadn't decided to pay us a visit and send me back down south. Alas!
During my time in the office, I had the privilege of scrounging through Bond Street's myriad of photos and videos they've collected throughout the decades of work to find good ones post on social media. (Roughly 160,000 photos, just to throw a number out there. I don't even have an estimate on the videos.) Nearly every photo sparked a story for Joanna and Michael, and through their stories and photos, I got to take a mental trip around the world without having to pay for a single airline ticket. I learned SO much about massive issues that currently affect women and children around the world that I hadn't even heard about before. I learned about the lack of education for girls in Afghanistan, domestic violence following the earthquake in Haiti, children in poverty in India, and so much more.
Bond Street's theatre projects have addressed each of these issues, in addition to so so many more, and I had the opportunity to create one-minute documentary videos sharing their projects and the context of each issue addressed by the project in hopes of helping others understand the Bond Street team have done.
You know, I've always had an appreciation for theatre as a form of entertainment, as I myself act in a sketch comedy show at my university, but I've never known theatre to be a tool for education and social justice. From listening to Joanna and Michael's stories, I've gained such a profound appreciation for theatre as a method of improving the world. You may not know this, but not everyone speaks the same language across the globe. I know, I know — crazy right?!? The physical theatre that Bond Street has mastered breaks those linguistic barriers right down and creates this amazing mutual understanding between people of different backgrounds; an understanding that couldn't exist with a mere conversation. They're such truly incredible individuals, and what a astounding company they've created. Okay, okay, I'm done being all cheesy and what not. For the time being.
In addition to become much more globally aware, I also got to learn a bit of accordion, a few plate tricks, and being inspired by photos and videos of the Bond Street ensemble performing, I taught myself how to juggle upon returning to Texas.
Although I only got to spend two months in New York working alongside Joanna, Michael, Tim, (the other intern and my now good friend) and through Skype with the oh-so-amazing communication director Casey, I feel so appreciative to have gained so much knowledge (and I mean so much... my brain is just permanently swollen with information now) and to have been able to create social media posts and mini docs for Bond Street.
Welp, folks, that's all of my story. Thanks for reading! And as we say down here in Texas...
Don't let the boot hit ya on the way out!
(okay, yes, that's the first time I've ever said that)
