Meet Victoria Lemos of Archive Atlanta in Smyrna

Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Lemos.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in NYC to parents that immigrated from Spain. Growing up in a bi-cultural home, I’ve always been fascinated with understanding how place, tradition and story make people who they are. I also never stopped asking questions. In the pre-internet age, my mother bought me a book titled “The Big Book of Tell Me Why”…because she was tired of me asking.

Just before moving to Atlanta thirteen years ago, I began getting interested in my local New York history, and I remember feeling disappointment on my drive South, assuming the only thing to learn about was the Civil War and Gone with the Wind. As you know, I was dead wrong, and I started to read and research the history of Atlanta. Discovering so many incredible stories helped me understand and fall in love with my new home.

Five years ago, I began volunteering with the Atlanta Preservation Center, leading a walking tour of Auburn Avenue, Three years ago, I started working with Bicycle Tours of Atlanta as a bike tour guide. Oh, and I have a ‘day job’! Even with these opportunities, I kept feeling the desire to tell anyone that would listen what I had learned about this city.

Enter podcasting. Without any knowledge of they worked or what I was doing, one year ago I launched a weekly Atlanta history podcast called Archive Atlanta.

Has it been a smooth road?
It never is. I learned (and am still learning) the technical side of recording and editing. I’m so thankful to have found a few fellow podcasters along the way that have offered feedback, help, and tips. Learning new ways to market and gain listeners is always a work in progress. I think the biggest hurdle, in any creative endeavor, comes from within. Working through perfectionist tendencies and fear of criticism is a victory that I will keep for the rest of my life.

Please tell us about Archive Atlanta.
Archive Atlanta is a free, weekly history podcast that provides short episodes to share the stories of people, places and events that shaped the city of Atlanta. It is for native Atlantans, transplants, or tourists who want to know more about the city. I strive to give just enough information to spark an interest – maybe you’ll want to read that book, visit that place, take that tour, or turn down a street that you’ve never been down – that’s the small goal.

This is the only podcast of its kind in Atlanta and my greatest joy is when someone contacts me to say they checked out a new place in the city because they heard me talking about it.

The big goal is to create new history-lovers. When you fall in love with a place, you want to take care of it and save it. When a building or a street has meaning to you, it matters when someone wants to tear it down. Atlanta is not a preservation-minded city, as we lose our history by the minute. It’s going to take a lot more public involvement to change that.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I am new to the podcasting world, but I do see how quickly the medium is growing in popularity. My hope is to continue doing this as long as I can.

Pricing:

• The podcast is free and available to download on my website and all the major podcast players (Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, etc.)