I honestly felt extremely nervous before I interviewed one of the board members of the Festival. Usually, I do not like to talk in front of people because I sometimes stutter when I speak, especially when I am really anxious about something. I did not know what might occur during the interview process. At the time, I did not know we fellows had to interview the Board members and this added to my anxiety.
I was surprised to find out that I actually knew the person I was assigned to interview: Andrea-Jackson Brooks, who lives across the street from me in the Hill section of New Haven, Connecticut. I always knew she was a board member in New Haven, but I did not know she was a board member of the Arts & Ideas Festival. At first, I felt really awkward around her, because she’s my neighbor, and I had a negative experience with her nieces some time ago. But, when it came down to do the actual interviewing, I felt very calm and it turned out very well!
I assumed Ms. Brooks would rush through the process by answering all my questions feverishly, but she had many interesting things to say about the festival. She said it opens a lot of doors, creates opportunities for unknown artists, and shows off New Haven in a positive way. She believes the festival has been a great experience, giving New Haven the ability to celebrate the arts (dance, theatre, and music).
Ms. Brooks has been to numerous colleges, such as Baltimore Community College and Georgia State. She is involved in several community organizations and tries to help as much as she can in the community. She likes the diversity in New Haven, noting there are various events that happen in New Haven. Ms. Brooks is experienced in living in small towns around the nation, but she would prefer to live in the southern part of America because of the tropical climate and the people’s southern hospitality, particularly, Atlanta.
Overall, I learned a great deal when interviewing my assigned candidate, such as how to put my questions on paper, and practice asking them. At first, I was very skeptical because I am a bashful person, and the kind who tends to over-analyze everything, but at the end of the interview, it felt very good because I got through it successfully.
I think it is very important for me to do this often so I can get the feeling of talking and acting professionally when interacting with people. This experience can help me improve my social skills. I am even thinking about taking public speaking classes to help train my mind to know what it feels like as far as being comfortable around all different types of people.