Finally made it to Indy!
Hi everyone. I am Lillian Choy, Assistant Public Programs Manager at the Homestead Museum, located near Los Angeles. Like Ken, I had the opportunity to be on this year’s program committee, and am looking forward to an invigorating, thought-provoking time in Indianapolis. In thinking about the theme, “Making History a 21st Century Enterprise,” my hope is that we, as public/state/local historians, will continue to challenge ourselves and each other to remain relevant and innovative to the communities and audiences we serve, in light of changing times and tastes.
On the surface, this challenge could mean honing our “Web 2.0” tools and keeping up with the plethora of social networking sites, which have certainly been popular. Digging a bit deeper, though, it could be manifested in thinking radically about each of our institutions and about how we can engage our communities in active and productive dialogues—not simply to teach about past events and figures, but to cultivate an understanding of the significance of history in our lives and the potential that we all possess to be shapers of the future.
In what ways are we, as history professionals, “making history a 21st-century enterprise?” Please share your thoughts!
