Photo Courtesy of Lucy McDonald.
Hi! I’m Lucy. I grew up in the middle of the countryside, near the border between Wales and England. When I was little I loved running about, building fires and making dams, but it wasn’t long before I caught the big city bug. I moved to London for university, and I’ve been here ever since, apart from a cheeky year abroad in northern Mexico.
Loving reading and spotting the politics between the lines, I studied English Literature at university. Since then I’ve taken on all sorts of jobs. I’ve taught English as a foreign language; welcomed students from all over the world to London; run my own illustration business, and a team in a super fast-growing startup company.
When I’m free, I love to explore. You’ll often find me walking through the city streets and parks, looking for new discoveries, always wearing headphones and a podcast in my ears. If there’s the chance to stop for a hot drink and a tasty cake, all the better! When I get to travel, I like to do the same. I walk as much as possible, hoping to discover food spots, the best markets, artists studios and hidden gems.
I have just started a Masters in Public History. My dream job would be to work with museums, institutions and communities, to help them record and share their stories.
In London there is an incredible array of fantastic museums, but my favourite museum memory is the Exploratorium in San Francisco. I went along with no idea what to expect, and spent the following two hours frantically running from exhibit to exhibit, trying to see as much as possible before it closed for the day. I found my sense of wonder there, and loved the chance to experiment, to experience and to discover – I felt like a child again! I wish it were a little closer, so I could visit again.
For me, one of the biggest issues facing girls is the illusion of progress. It can be easy to think we’re always moving towards a better world for girls and women, but in reality the rights that those that came before us fought for are always at risk. They always need to be defended. Secondly, technological progress is very exciting, but we need to make sure the voices and needs of girls are involved in its development, otherwise they will be ignored. We need to build a world where progress works for everyone – and that’s a very difficult thing to do!
-Lucy McDonald
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.