Reflections of Interpreter-Intern
Historical interpreter and intern extraordinaire, Joseph Chierchio, shares his unique perspective as one of Historic Richmond Town’s historical interpreters, and most recently, a Development & Marketing Intern in this heartfelt testimonial that takes you behind the scenes of some of the the challenges and triumphs of running a non-profit living history village and the magic that can result when it all comes together.
“We all come together for the same purpose: to keep this place alive and let others experience [the] wonder, magic, curiosity, awe, or tranquility that exists nowhere else in New York City.”
Joe Chierchio with two young visitors at the historic Guyon Tavern.
I’ve always been in love with history, from the time I was a child, standing in front of the Liberty Bell, to my teenage years traveling to Gettysburg, Morristown, and Hyde Park, and now in my adulthood, learning more than I could ever imagine, with no end in sight, and still retaining the wonder that was with me in the beginning.
Historic Richmond Town is a place where that wonder never goes away. I never expected so much history to be in one spot, and to be shown in so many ways, right outside my door. Yet here I was, standing in buildings that witnessed revolutions, atrocities, and change, and being able to pass this knowledge on was something I had only previously dreamed of doing. But now here I was, a Historical Interpreter.
I applied to be an intern in Development and Marketing out of love for this place, to see what kept it alive for over 60 years, and to better understand things I had most likely never considered or taken for granted. This internship has been, without a doubt, one of the most fulfilling, educational, and proudest experiences I have ever had. Being a part of efforts such as the our Annual Appeal initiative, the drafting of social media posts and newsletters, and learning the use of the many tools and programs used every day to sustain our programming and restoration efforts, was certainly no easy task, but it taught me what it takes to run not just a museum, but any non-profit or organization.
Every meeting or seminar I attended not only added to the fullness of the internship but made me feel even further ingrained into Historic Richmond Town, as an organization and a community, as we all came together for the same purpose: to keep this place alive and let others experience that feeling—be it wonder, magic, curiosity, awe, or tranquility—that exists nowhere else in New York City.
Being both an interpreter and an intern has allowed me to see exactly how the organization runs, and being able to see the culmination of work I had participated in gave me a sense of pride unlike any other. Seeing people attend events that had been promoted by my efforts, from the initial pitch for the program to taking part in it a few months later as an interpreter, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing these things come full circle.
This internship has given me so much more than I expected, and it is an experience I’m not just grateful for, but consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to pursue. If anyone else has the chance to do it, I would tell them to accept right away. Speaking from experience, it’s an opportunity to keep the wonder alive, and that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
-Joseph Chierchio