In my Community-Engaged ePortfolio (CP-eP) I analyze existing communication and information responses to Feminist Theory and Black Archival Practice for Black Women Artist, Cultural Workers and Organizers at Build Your Archive located in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Greater Metro Atlanta as part of my work for the CIS 675 course (Community-Engaged Scholarship) during fall 2024. On this page, I provide feedback from a colleague and community member.
Feedback from Class Colleagues
Dartricia Rollins with flowers, Digital Photograph, Sierra King, 2021
I spoke with my class colleague, Dartricia Rollins who has supported the work of Build Your Archive since establishing and at the beginning stages as an orginization prioritizing archiving and memory work. Dartricia mentioned that as an observer, it has been gratifying to see documentation strategies be simplified in a way that can be easily facilitated in communal spaces. She also appreciated how Build Your Archive began to invite people into the process of archiving with the participatory program, STILL processing.
As I shared my own artistic timeline of documentation she mentioned that being able to visually see how a practice is documented over time was helpful and would be interested to see how that could be shared with the public-at-large.
While I participated in the second co-hort of Southern Memory Worker's Institute last spring, she recommended to continuing nurtuing the relationship with The Highlander Center to think about opportunities to facilitate workshops or retreats for Black Women Artists, Cultural Workers and Organizers.
Feedback from Community Member / Cultural Worker
Jasmine Nicole Williams and Sierra King at 'kin to red dirt on white carpets' opening, Digital Photograph, John Stephens, 2024
After the exhibition was de-installed in September, I spoke with jasmine nicole williams about her experience with Build Your Archive as an artists and cultural worker. To note, 'kin to red dirt on white carpets' would be her most formal introduction back into gallery and institution spaces since 2020.
Jasmine identified three values that have been fortified across her practice since working with Build Your Archive. including, discernment, trust and flexibility. During the exhibition process, she was glad to have support to make decisions about her work but also be validated in her own craftmanship and choices. In addition to working with me as an artist, she has gained a consistent practice in developing her personal archive through awareness of documenting and studying herself.
On a programmatic level, she is interested in how archiving and art can and should be utilized as tool for liberation. I am looking forward to working with her in the future to discuss what that looks like or additional spaces were it would best fit outside of gallery and institutional spaces.
Opportunities for collaboration with orginizations were discussed with Artists Against Apartheid, which she is also a founder and member of. A relationship could be nutured to work and consult with more cultural workers outside of Atlanta,GA.
References:
Artist Against Apartheid. (2024). https://againstapartheid.art
Highlander the Movement School. (2023). 2023 Highlander Impact Report. Highlander the Movement School. https://highlandercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Highlander_2023ImpactReport.pdf