Musings with Omar Eaton-Martínez

Omar Eaton-Martínez is the Intern & Fellows Program Manager at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH). His role is instrumental for the promotion of intern/fellow programs at the post-secondary and high school levels. Omar has an interest in diversity and inclusion; his work at NMAH involves building an inclusive American narrative, sitting on the Diversity Advisory Council, and participating in the Office of Fellowships & Internships Diversity Working Group. As such, he developed a briefing paper on diversity and inclusion to the Director John Gray.

Omar assisting a prospective intern at the 2015 NAACP Convention Diversity Career Fair.

Jada Wright-Greene from Heritage Salon interviewed Omar about his time as a museum professional as well as the exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) that features his family - Omar’s father was among the first cohort of Puerto Ricans recruited by NASA to work as an engineer. Omar also talks about the challenges facing young museum professionals, the outreach efforts for further engagement with African American males in museum professions, and the importance of developing institution-wide priorities.

Read the full interview here.