Reflection
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.