Taryn Flaherty ('25), a History and Sociology double major, was an intern at Spiral Q last summer. The mission of Spiral Q is to use the power of art to connect people, actions, values, neighborhoods, organizations, and movements to create change. This internship was supported by the Summer Humanities Internship Program.
Spiral Q is well known for their annual Peoplehood Parade to Clark Park and their large artworks and puppets. I was born and raised in Philly, have always been involved in local community organizing efforts, and I’ve long felt Spiral Q’s presence at protests through their beautiful art. As a student activist today, I have deep respect for art in social justice work. As a result, when I saw Spiral Q listed as a SHIP partner, I was so excited to apply.
Beginning my internship with Spiral Q, I was curious about the ways art moved others as it had moved me. I was inspired by the ways artists, activists, and everyday people practiced their resistance through different mediums of self-expression and existence. Over the summer, there were two other interns from Bryn Mawr and Haverford. Even though we were working on different projects, we were drawn to Spiral Q for similar reasons and our activism on our respective college campuses aligned with each other. It was really rewarding to navigate a new organization and create relationships in thoughtful, meaningful, and tangible ways.
One of the most challenging parts of the internship for me was conducting interviews. Spiral Q was conducting oral interviews with previous partners in an effort to reflect on both Spiral Q’s history of solidarity and to highlight the partners’ histories. Although I’ve conducted oral interviews before, adjusting the style of the interview to fit each interviewee’s needs is always a challenge. While some people like a question-and-answer format, others want more of a conversation and feel uncomfortable with direct questions. Although my interview skills are still a work in progress, I learned a lot from my supervisor, and feel like I have a good understanding on how to improve my skills as an interviewer.
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