Learn about the newest members of the Girl Museum team:
Hello! My name is Bekkah Watkins and I’m a recent college graduate. I attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a double major in journalism and classical studies and a minor in history. I now live in North Carolina where I am attending Appalachian State University as a master’s student pursuing my degree in museum studies. I also work as an academic coach for undergraduate students.
When I have free time, I enjoy reading YA dystopian novels — think The Hunger Games, Altered, etc. I also work on a personal blog about music and traveling since those are two very important aspects of my life. I frequent concerts of any genre and enjoy traveling to just about anywhere. I just got back from my trip to Kenya! I’m also a huge history nerd so historical stops and museums are a must every few weeks so I can continue my learning even when I’m outside of a classroom.
My dream job would be to work in a history museum as a communications or engagement director. I believe museums and history are for people of any age and that it is extremely important for the public to get to learn from artifacts and primary resources. I want help reach more people from a museum standpoint and get them involved and interested in history. While I was working on my undergraduate degree, I also volunteered as a museum ambassador at the state museum and was lucky enough to give tours to the public. I loved every second of it because I got to share my knowledge of the museum with others; it was a stepping stone toward where I want to be.
My favorite museum is located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. It is an 8-floor museum that is fully interactive. There are 360 degree videos, movement sensored exhibits, and table tops that you can virtually flip through to change time lines. My favorite piece was a circle on the floor that when you stepped into it a light bubble formed around your feet. As you moved closer to other people in the circle, the lines blurred and your bubbles joined each other. Eventually, all the lines left and all the people in the circle were sharing the same bubble. It was the circle of inclusiveness, showing that everyone had things in common and lines didn’t need to separate people. It is a truly amazing museum to visit.
I believe a large issue facing girls today is social media and personal image. Having spent four years in a journalism-centered college and working very closely with social media, I saw what social media could negatively do. Girls see other girls and women on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. and they want to look and act like them. They compare themselves heavily to these other girls and forget that they themselves have something special no matter what they look like or where they come from. Social media can be used for so many wonderful things but it can destroy how a girl feels about herself and that is something that needs to be talked about and focused on because it won’t be going away anytime soon.
-Bekkah Watkins
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.