We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Navarro Maza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think there are situations when risk taking allows us to push boundaries and dream up new concepts, and then, of course, there are situations where the possible negative outcomes outweigh the possible positive ones. That being said, I think taking a risk on a new idea that you believe in is almost always worth it. If we didn’t take risks and push our creativity and possibilities to new limits, life would be pretty boring, and we’d never grow or learn. However, once you’ve committed to executing something, whether it’s a risky idea or not, you should work hard to make sure the follow-through is as full-proof as possible. And if things don’t work out, the silver lining is that failure often leads to lessons learned and future successes. Beyond this, risk taking also needs to be measured against your resources. If you’re using a majority of your resources to take a risk, make sure you’re okay with the consequences if things go badly. In this way, sometimes it’s “safer” to take risks on projects with smaller budgets. Finally, if you’re collaborating with a partner, make sure they’re on board to take a risk too. Be transparent about your desire to experiment and try something new, and only move forward if they’re willing to take a risk with you. In my work, I’m lucky that I work at an institution that welcomes experimentation and creativity. We’ve tried many new projects, and whether we succeed or fail, we learn more each time.

Let’s talk shop. Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This year posed so many new challenges for us, and it really changed the entire nature of my job. My work relies heavily on public engagement and in-person conversations and experiences, and it was really difficult for me to lose that. At first, I was pretty hesitant to pivot towards virtual programming, but over the past few months, I’ve started to appreciate the benefits of connecting online. By offering our programs virtually, many people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to come to the museum were now able to participate and connect with us. We even had participants from out of state attending our virtual programs, which was never an option for us before. In just a few months, I’ve gone from reluctantly putting together a virtual panel to planning a full-blown virtual festival with performances, workshops, and demonstrations. It’s really exciting, and I have to say, for the first time since quarantine started, I’m loving my job again.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I think I’d choose a different area of Miami to explore each day of the week. We’d spend a day in Coconut Grove which would have to include a stop at Monty’s and some time on or near the water. On another day, we’d take a tour through Wynwood and Little Haiti and grab some lunch or dinner at Fooq’s in Overtown followed by some music at Lagniappe. We would definitely need at least one day on Miami Beach, and if we’re lucky, maybe we can catch a show at The Fillmore. The following day we can start by checking out Simpson Park and taking a walk down my favorite street, South Miami Avenue (hopefully the flamboyants will be in full bloom). Then we could take the bridge to Key Biscyane and have another day on the water. I think to finish off our trip, we’ll take a croqueta-tasting tour of Miami and hit up all the greats in Kendall and Westchester with a grand finale at my favorite restaurant, Cafe Pastis in South Miami.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my dad, George Navarro. He is one of the most resilient people I know, and he, like many of us, has had a difficult 2020. I want to send him a shoutout because he continues to teach me to move through life with strength and positivity. Even though he encourages me whenever I need it, he does so much more by setting an example for me to follow.

Website: www.historymiami.org

Image Credits
Photo by Yamila Images.

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