I am a Master’s student in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama. As a Social Justice Fellow, I am particularly interested in equity in the archives. For this program, I have created a Diversity & Inclusion ePortfolio (D&P-eP) as part of my work for the CIS 650 (Applying Diversity Leadership Theories & Praxis) course during Summer 2023 and a Social Justice ePortfolio (SJ-eP) as part of my work for CIS 668 (Social Justice and Inclusion Advocacy) course during fall 2023.
In my D&P-eP, I analyze existing diversity and inclusion responses to Black feminist performance-based art practices in The Radical Archive of Preservation located in Atlanta, Georgia. I also propose a range of responsive strategies to further cultural competence and effective leadership in the diverse workforce environment. As part of my analysis, I critically evaluate a variety of existing information responses (e.g., collections, services, programs, resources, policies, and best practices) to ensure equality/equity of representation, access, and information use of diverse stakeholders in my community-centered organizational setting. The focus is on an evaluation of website-based and/or on-site information offerings. I also develop a strategic diversity action plan for the information organization to identify future directions of progressive growth and professional practice.
In my (SJ-eP), I propose social justice actions based on analyses of existing community, communication, and information frameworks and responses to questions of access to resources and information in historically and politically socialist communities. Therefore, I am to establish a library and archive within a local community organization. I will work with the Bwagamoyo Africulture Dance and Drumming Organization located in Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
I also propose and implement very select responsive strategies and actions to further community needs, expectations, and representation in the specific setting and workforce environment of the communication agency or information organization. The SJ-eP provides a glimpse of social justice actions proposed and/or taken through application of select systematic methods. It documents this process upon reflection of the limited experience to gather insights that can get operationalized in greater depth during future initiatives.
Educational and Professional Background
shady Radical, CA, Ph.D. is a mother, writer, performance archivist, professor, and founder of The Radical Archive of Preservation, LLC. My daughter and her future serve as an inspiration for me because I feel responsible for leaving her in a world where she feels rooted and in a sense of belonging. My practice is inspired by ritual, resistance, and movement in Black women’s performance art. I earned a Ph.D. in the Moving Image Studies program at Georgia State University, a M.A. in Curatorial Studies from New York University; a B.A. in Art History from The College of Saint Elizabeth, and an A.A. in Fashion Business from Berkeley College. My professional experience includes working as a costumer in Atlanta’s film and television industry, establishing the costume archives of Tyler Perry Studios, and curating exhibitions at Southwest Arts Center, Day & Night Projects, Hammonds House Museum, and Atlanta Contemporary.
My Interests and Current Activities
As a professor in the Atlanta University Center (AUC) I am often on the receiving end of complaints on behalf of students about their experiences and the world they find themselves in. They want resources, guidance, organization and leadership. Therefore, social justice archiving is a way for me to study my contemporaries; collect and distribute resources; and think about what equity means within preservation. I aim to be a resource for all that are interested in preserving their own memories, the work of their community, and/or loved ones.
Currently, I am teaching African Diaspora & The World at Spelman College; archiving Ballethnic Dance Company and Bwagamoyo Africulture; serving as Chair of the Education Committee for Society of Georgia Archivists Co-Chair of Dance/USA’s Archiving and Preservation Affinity Group; and committee member of The Heritage Ministry at Ebenezer Baptist Church. I am passionate about preservation and see it as a critical node in all social, economic, and political projects.
Social Justice Philosophy & Practice
My work as a memory worker, archivist, educator, and curator has led me to establish The Radical Archive of Preservation, llc. towards the end of my doctoral degree program in 2021. As I started to understand the interlocking systems of oppression that have effectively denied, erased, and dismissed experiences, identities, and communities I personally relate to, I began to seek out ways to support the preservation of these communities and individuals in creative ways. My background and experiences in Black production culture offered me insight into the improvisational nature of the work and the availability of physical material produced within these communities. The lack of materiality in circulation within these communities justifies the lack of archival material in repositories. This is explained by limited resources and preservation skills available within communities of color.
I am interested in working with Black performance-based artists and organizations. I am particularly passionate about women-led groups and their specific needs. The Radical Archive of Preservation (T.R.A.P.) offers archival services and educational workshops to people who are interested in working at the intersection of community and institutions. While t.r.a.p. offers archival services to a broad population of people, I am particularly interested in how we can work anarchival material. Black Women As/And The Living Archive by Tsedaye Makonnen combines various different sources of information including text messages, emails, drawings, poetry etc. to reflect the archive of collective experiences. This text inspires me to reconsider what is defined as archival and what types of activities and relationships do we value and represent in the archive.
References
Makonnen, Tsedaye. Black Women As/And The Living Archive. Washington DC: Washington Project for the Arts. 2020
Williams, M., & Collier, Z. (2020, October 20). Archiving with Care: A Conversation with Zakiya Collier. Medium. https://medium.com/metropolitan-archivist/archiving-with-care-a-conversation-with-zakiya-collier-fedd81a0d0d6
