Working on my Weaknesses - Lessons on Public Speaking with NCAP

Jazzmine Martinez

NCAP Intern - Student Affairs Project for Success Internship Program

Yá’at’ééh my name is Jazzmine Martinez. I am currently a student at Diné College pursing my Bachelors degree in Business Administration. This spring semester of 2018, I was hired under Student Affairs Project for Success Internship Program. Like every job comes an interview and that’s what I had encountered before being selected as a student intern. As part of my interview I was asked, “What are my weaknesses?” I answered “my public speaking and people skills”. I had come to find that my answer had determined my placement for my work site and it was felt that NCAP would be the perfect place to enhance these skills. Indeed it was.

Upon my first day with NCAP I met the program assistant Sheryl, who was very nice and also very busy. Despite her schedule, she set aside time to make me feel welcomed. When she introduced herself, I found out that she started with NCAP as an intern too!  Sheryl let me know about the in's and out's of the Program as well as the current major project we were working on. It just so happened that the time I had joined the NCAP team was during the last week of preparations for the “Celebrating Cultural Arts Teaching: Silversmithing with Wilson Aronilth Jr.” exhibit opening. I have never had the opportunity to be apart of a big event like the exhibit before. It’s a different experience to be the person “behind the scenes”.

As part of my first duties I had to clean the R.C. Gorman Library to make it presentable for the opening night of the exhibit. My supervisor Christine told me if I need to “wear sneakers” and I’m glad I listened to her because I did a lot of walking back and forth from across the campus to the Ned Hatathli Center and Library. And by the end of my first week, I was exhausted. All that work was worth it because the exhibit was an awesome turnout. From observing my NCAP colleagues, I have learned that they are determined and passionate individuals about the cultural arts, which has been inspiring for me.

I don’t have much knowledge of cultural arts but as a freshman in college I took a beginners class for rug weaving taught by Leona Edison. That was an unbelievable experience. It was an eye opener as to how much patience is involved. Weaving my own rug has given me a different perspective anytime I see a woven rug. To actually experience weaving myself taught me how much skills, talent, and hard work one must attain to create a rug. It gave me the upmost respect for Navajo weavers.

3 Generations of Weaving Influences

Now that the Navajo Cultural Arts Exhibit is in full swing, I’m learning about silversmithing. Which seems funny for me because my brother is a silversmith. Prior to the exhibit I wasn’t curious enough to ask my brother about it. Now I want to know more and, as part of my job, I have too! Here is where I am working out the kinks to my people skills. Everyday I practice my public speaking because, as part of the exhibit, I get the opportunity to give tours to visitors. My supervisor, Christine walked me through how to engage with visitors and gave me the backstories to each artisan’s work. She made it look so easy - the stories just rolled off her tongue. My confidence and body language didn't come off as natural the first time around but I have seen progression in myself and I intend to keep it that way.

I’m enjoying my internship with NCAP. I work with a great team and I’m honored to be apart of something that has so much cultural value behind it. I’m positive I will take away many skills that will have major benefits as a student, and in my future profession. I’m looking forward to upcoming events that NCAP has in store and completing the rest of my internship.

PS - The "Celebrating Cultural Arts Teaching: Silversmithing with Wilson" Exhibit just got extended to April 13th!!! Stop by for a tour and an application for our 4th Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Cohort.  Just ask for Jazzmine!