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Fatima Sanchez (me!)
Fatima Sanchez (me!)
Hi! I'm Fatima, a 3rd year Linguistics major here at UCSC. I'm a John R. Lewis affiliate, but you can often find me in Crown College at the KZSC radio station. I love language, music, curation, and community. I've been interning at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music for about 5 months as the Outreach Coordinator for the 2025 season.
I'm excited to tell you about it!
My mentors are Operations Manager Sam Barrow and Director of Communications and Patron Engagement Steph Sherwood.
The Festival features living composers and celebrates diversity, new artists, innovative music, and all kinds of creative expression. "The mission of Cabrillo Festival is to transform the orchestral experience for artists and audiences by building a vibrant community dedicated to the creation and performance of profound, relevant, and innovative music."
This season is celebrating 50 years of Pride in Santa Cruz, which I'm elated to be a part of the planning in the months leading up to it.
How does this internship apply to your academic journey in the humanities?
How does this internship apply to your academic journey in the humanities?
As a linguistic major, I’m interested in the role language plays in cultural identity and community empowerment. At Cabrillo Fest, I'm learning how to organize language to most effectively reach the people and make our programs/events accessible. I'm often writing copy for social media posts, sending emails, and connecting with people. I've learned to craft messages that resonate with different audiences, from donors and partner organizations to community members and young musicians. This also aligns with my values of uplifting communities through outreach and advocacy. Furthermore, I enjoy curating content, engaging with the public, and working in a creative environment, all of which I get to do through my work with Cabrillo Fest.
Projects
Projects
Youth Ensemble Program Brochure
Youth Ensemble Program Brochure
By working closely with our Youth Ensemble Program, I've gotten to showcase my creative side. I got to help create a brochure and other promotional materials for the program and distribute them.
Youth Ensemble Recruitment
Youth Ensemble Recruitment
A social media post I crafted announcing the 2025 program.
Updated April 14 NewsletterMonthly Newsletters
Monthly Newsletters
I helped write monthly email newsletters to future Youth Ensemble members, maintaining important connections.
Flyering Around Town
First Stop: UCSC Music Center
Tabling at 418 Project's Emerald Ball
Manifesting
Reflections on working with Cabrillo Fest
Reflections on working with Cabrillo Fest
What impact has this internship experience had on you?
Working with the Cabrillo Festival has transformed my understanding of what makes arts organizations truly successful. Behind the scenes, I've witnessed the tremendous effort required to bring a renowned music festival to life. This experience has taught me that excellence isn't just about artistic vision but equally about community engagement, strategic partnerships, and administrative dedication.
I've gained profound appreciation for how the Festival serves as a vital arts initiative in Santa Cruz County, one that thrives specifically because of its deep community connections. Learning about our accessible programming, like the free Family Concert, Open Rehearsals, and Artist Talks, has reinforced my commitment to arts accessibility. Now, especially with the sociopolitical challenges facing arts and marginalized communities, I feel more inspired to advocate for these initiatives and contribute to their sustainability and growth.
As we approach the Festival date, I'm eager to continue building on these insights and developing my professional capabilities.
What were some of your most challenging moments?
Transitioning into the administrative world presented significant initial challenges, as this is my first professional office position after working primarily in service roles. Learning to communicate effectively while balancing professionalism with authentic personality requires conscious effort and adaptation.
My outreach work for the Youth Ensemble Program pushed me well beyond my comfort zone, particularly when delivering presentations. Despite being passionate about music, I found myself needing to quickly master and confidently present musical concepts that were new to me. These presentations required not only musical knowledge but also persuasive communication skills to effectively engage young musicians.
Though intimidating at first, I'm proud that these presentations have been successful, and each one has built my confidence for future public speaking opportunities.
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