My Beam Experience: Katherine
Our Project Production enterprise - and the team of Fellows who work with us - has recently transitioned from our shop in Red Hook to our shop on Governors Island. As the program adjusts to its new setting, we thought there’s no better time to introduce you to one of the Fellows. The Fellows program is an in-depth training program within our Project Production enterprise for youth who have previously participated in our Apprenticeship, Project Leaders, or at Beam Camp City. Fellows are currently working with Beam staff on this spring’s Beam Project NYC (BPNYC). As one of Beam’s annual Big Projects, the 2022-2023 Beam Project NYC, Baobab: The Tree of Life, is designed by artist Tijay Mohammed and will be installed at a local community park in the Bronx. Stay tuned for more info about the installation later this spring.
Fall 2022 Fellows
Katherine, from the Fall 2022 Fellows program, wrote her own blog talking about her experience as Fellow and her journey through Beam. Katherine felt more comfortable writing in Spanish, so you will find the Spanish version and a translated version of her blog below.
Hola mi nombre es Katherine, me enteré de este programa por medio del colegio GED. Ahora mismo estoy participando en un proyecto de cinco meses, el programa se llama Project Fellows.
En este programa me esta ayudando mucho a salir de mi zona de confort ya que he aprendido varias habilidades que no conocía, he aprendido a utilizar máquinas, aunque he tenido miedo al principio pero los profesores me ayudaron a no tener miedo a utilizar las máquinas. También me ayudado a socializar más con personas de distintas nacionalidades y cultura, y mas a conocer del idioma inglés.
Este programa me a impacto de una manera impresionante porque me han enseñado a que todas las cosas que se crean tienen que seguir un proceso muy largo antes de que salga al público, También, la manera como trabajan con nosotros, tratan de que todos los que estemos en el grupo participen de manera igualitaria.
Los cambios que he tenido desde que empecé en el programa fue mi manera de pensar a tener una mente más abierta, y a no tener miedo a socializar con pesonas de diferentes nacionalidades.
En este programa he tenido varias experiencias, una de ellas fue hacer un mini proyecto en un grupo de cuatro personas que hablaban francés y un poco de inglés, era muy difícil comunicarme con ellos porque no les entendía lo que decían, a cada momento tenia que llamar a la profesora para que me tradujera.
Hi! My name is Katherine. I found out about this program through my GED school. Right now, I am participating on a project for five months as a Project Fellow. This program is really helping me get out of my comfort zone as I am learning new skills and abilities that I didn’t know before. I have learned to use different machines and tools, although I was scared at first. From the beginning, the project production team helped me feel less scared and more confident when using machines. This program has also helped me be more social. I have been able to meet new people from different nationalities and cultures, while also learning more of the English language.
This program has impacted me in an impressive way, because it has taught me that creating something has its own process that has to be followed and sometimes it takes a long process before creating and displaying an art piece for the public. Also, the way we work together makes sure everyone participates and has an equal role.
The biggest change I have seen in myself because of this program has been in my way of thinking. I have a more open mind now and am comfortable being more social, especially with other people of different nationalities. I have had many experiences here and one of them was making a mini project in a group of four, where everyone spoke French and little English. We all needed constant translation and were able to work together.
