Martha Almy '86

Martha Almy attended GUS from 4th through 8th grade, graduating in 1986. She reentered the GUS orbit recently with a visit to campus, but GUS has never left her heart. While planning a trip back east to spend time with family and some lifelong GUS friends, Martha found time to share with current GUS students. She talked about her career path, and the need to represent diverse perspectives in media and museum storytelling. A lively and spirited  “Q & A” session ensued with a group of 7th and 8th graders. 

Here’s some more Q & A with Martha. We hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as we have! We are delighted to connect and celebrate the community of individuals represented among our alumni body.

Current Occupation

I am the founder and principal of Half Sister Studio, LLC. HSS is an interdisciplinary collective that creates story-driven experiences for curious human beings. We work with museums, cultural institutions and purpose-driven brands, connecting diverse audiences to stories in ways that are relevant and meaningful. 

A polymath clan of big, bright talent, we have expertise in content strategy and development, user experience, built environment, filmmaking, static and interactive design. Our process is inclusive and non-assumptive. We create accessible experiences for all people, regardless of ability, gender, age, race or orientation. To create sensory-diverse results we engage with relevant audiences and communities during all phases of our process. These opportunities make us better designers. They make us better people.

How did it feel to be back at GUS?

It’s always such a pleasure to be back at GUS, to see what’s changed (and what’s stayed the same). It’s nostalgic, for sure, but also great to see how the community, its energy and intentions have remained consistent throughout the years. It’s also fun to see the campus evolving.

Who are the teachers you remember fondly when you were a student? 

There were so many great teachers that I remember fondly: Merelyn Smith, Linda Beauregard, Ruth Conway but for me personally, Penny Randolph will always stand out as one of the most impactful teachers I’ve ever had. She really saw me like no teacher had. She supported me. She challenged me.

Any favorite projects or field trips as a GUS student?

SOLO! My memory is a little fuzzy, but I remember we had an overnight in New Hampshire at Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities that was so much fun…and I learned how to save my friends from a bear attack.

In your personal opinion, why is a GUS education helpful or important in today’s world?

In my mind, the GUS education gives students the opportunity to grow as individuals, while establishing the importance of their participation in the larger community. In today’s world, where there is so much focus put on serving and seeing oneself, that message of serving and participating in community feels doubly important. I believe that stepping outside of ourselves to connect with our community builds compassion and empathy - two things that the world really needs right now.

Any advice or words of wisdom to the 7th and 8th grade students you met with?

Life is precious. It happens fast. Don’t be afraid. Pursue the things that genuinely interest you, that you feel really connected to in body, mind, and spirit. Treat all people with respect in your pursuits, make good connections, and build strong, intentional relationships. Be as good as your word and always follow through on it.

Your work focuses on “cultural projects that examine counter, marginalized and sensitive narratives within ‘known’ history, culture and the arts.”  Can you explain this to us? What moves or motivated you to make this your focus and passion? And can you offer us some examples of this important work? 

When we encounter stories in a museum or cultural setting, they are carefully considered and crafted by the institution telling them. It is my job to help these institutions interpret their stories through design and experiences that will engage visitors. Historically, many cultural institutions tell stories with a monolithic, single perspective authority…but that’s not the way that story works. 

Stories are created from multiple perspectives that weave together around basic factual evidence. People experiencing the same facts may tell a different story, each unique to their experience and perspective. An indigenous American, for example, would communicate a vastly different story of early colonization than a European settler. Storytelling is not monolithic, it’s multifaceted. 

In my practice, I believe that we, as experienced designers, have an absolute obligation to explore those facets. We have to ask, who is telling the story? Why? Who benefits from the telling? Who is compromised? What stories are we weaving together to achieve a rich, multifaceted understanding that reflects all visitors? In order to reflect visitors in ways that are meaningful, I believe that we must engage with them throughout the design process. When we ask these questions and when we truly engage, we can create experiences that have lasting impact.

In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to explore this inclusive approach with several major cultural institutions, including the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN, the Armenian American Museum in Glendale, CA, the GLBTQ+ Museum in San Francisco, CA and Destination Crenshaw in Los Angeles, CA. All of these institutions communicate complex stories, historical and contemporary. 

Destination Crenshaw, in South Los Angeles, is a really good example. When completed it will be the place to experience the most dynamic expression of Black American culture in the United States. A 1.3-mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard will be transformed from an area that has long deserved economic investment and strategic urban planning, into a thriving commercial corridor linked by architecturally stunning community spaces and pocket parks, hundreds of newly planted trees, and over 100 commissioned works of art. 

I led a three-year, interdisciplinary exhibition design process that was inclusive of the South Los Angeles community that was being represented -  a primarily Black community that has been consistently marginalized, socially, politically, and economically. Without that inclusive dialogue and collaboration, we would not have been able to generate design that was meaningful to the people who live there and the thriving, creative culture that they have created. It was our job to interpret the many stories that create their history. We listened. We didn’t assume. It was a life-changing experience for me and one that cemented my commitment to creating experiences that reflect dynamic, inclusive perspectives.

We saw a great photo of you with some GUS friends when you recently visited; how long have you all been friends? What do you enjoy and/or appreciate about your GUS friends near and far? 

I have a great big gaggle of GUS friends. We’ve been besties for over forty years. This is a group of people who are creative, smart, funny, supportive, and really, deeply caring. I feel so grateful and lucky that GUS brought us together.

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