Hello My Name Is Jessica Thompson

Jessica winning our coveted Great Pumpkin trophy on Halloween.

I’m Jessica, the new Manager of Teen and Gallery Programs. Although you might have seen me before in Late Night Creations, I formally joined the Museum in November 2015. As an artist, I thought I’d tell you a little more about myself through one of my favorite forms of art-making: zines!

You can find me in the Center for Creative Connections, where I oversee:

• Teen Workshops and Summer camps
• The Teen Advisory Council and Teen Docent programs
• Booker T. Washington Learning Lab
• Late Night Creations
• and more!

Working with teens is the best part of my job. Teenagers are routinely the most enthusiastic and excited people I come across. Listening to what they’re interested in and thinking about is like getting a glimpse into the future (be advised: the future is bright).

I didn’t know museum education careers existed until I started volunteering in C3 in 2012. Museum education combines all my interests and allows me to give back to my community. If I weren’t working at the DMA, however, I would probably be a window dresser at Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman.

If you enjoyed the zine, check out the upcoming Urban Armor: Zine Making workshop on January 23rd. We’ll be making a zine inspired by Spirit and Matter: Masterpieces from the Keir Collection of Islamic Art. Hope to see you there!

Jessica Thompson
Manager of Teen and Gallery Programs