The VRA Board and EAC stand in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community
The VRA Executive Board and Equitable Action Committee stand in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the field of visual resources and beyond. Anti-AAPI racism is not new to the United States, but it has seen an ugly increase since the beginning of 2020. With the onset of COVID-19, reported anti-Asian and anti-AAPI hate crimes have risen by 149% percent even while overall reported hate crimes have decreased by 7%. The organization Stop AAPI Hate reported on 3,795 incidents from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021, which included verbal harassment, physical assault, civil rights violations, and online harassment. The Pew Center found in July 2020 that “three-in-ten Asian adults (31%) say they have been subject to slurs or jokes because of their race or ethnicity since the outbreak began” and “majority of Asian adults (58%) say it is more common for people to express racist or racially insensitive views about people who are Asian than it was before the coronavirus outbreak.” On March 16, 2021, eight massage parlor workers, six of whom were Asian women, were murdered as a result of white supremacist and misogynist violence: Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, and Paul Andre Michels. The VRA condemns this hate crime and sends its condolences to the family members and friends of those who were slain, and all those in the AAPI community who are mourning this loss. We understand that this violence, combined with the events of the last year, may have an understandably negative impact on the health and well-being of our AAPI colleagues. A non-exhaustive list of mental health resources for the AAPI community can be found below; please let VRA know if there are additional ways we may support you. You can email the board at conduct@vraweb.org to report incidents that occurred at any VRA conferences, affiliated events, or online forums. You may also always use this form to let the EAC know your concerns you have related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Or, you can write the Board directly at board@vraweb.org or the EAC at ea@vraweb.org. It is critical that white people recognize that the United States was founded in white supremacy, and that anti-AAPI racism and violence are one painful part of our legacy. Read about a select handful of this history in this article. For more in-depth analysis of anti-Asian racism, see this reading list, and for information on Asian history, solidarity, and feminism, see this reading list. We must learn from the past, acknowledge what is going on today, and collectively act to bring about change for a better tomorrow. Anti-racist practices need to be embedded in visual resource work, as well, including but not limited to anti-racist hiring and retention practices, collections development, cataloging and description, curation, and programming and outreach. For those outside the AAPI community, please see opportunities for bystander intervention and financial support below. Training:
- Bystander intervention training to stop anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, hosted by Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. (Various dates)
- Bystander intervention pamphlet by Hollaback!
- Stop AAPI Hate for more resources and information on how to report a hate crime
- Center for Anti-Violence Education for future training sessions
Organizations to donate to:Atlanta-area organizations:
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Atlanta chapter
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Atlanta chapter
- Korean American Coalition Metro Atlanta
- Raksha
- Asian American Resource Center
- Asian American Advocacy Fund (Georgia)
- Center for Pan Asian Community Services
Justice advocacy organizations:
- Asian American Community Resource and Donation List - this document includes organizations to support by state, volunteer opportunities by state, small business and individual mutual aid opportunities, and upcoming vigils and rallies
- Red Canary Song
- Stop AAPI Hate
- Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- AAPI Journalists Therapy Relief Fund
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
- Asian American Feminist Collective
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
- National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
- Asian Pacific American Advocates
- Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum
- Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
- National Council of Asian Pacific Americans
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
Mental health resources for the AAPI community:
- APISAA Therapist Directory
- Southasiantherapists.org
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
- Inclusive Therapists
- National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
- Asian American Health Initiative toolkits (1 & 2)
------References:https://sites.northwestern.edu/asag/about-us/who-is-apida/CAA:CAA Antiracism Working Group Statement in Support of the AAPI Community The Chicago Area Archivists’ Antiracism Working Group stands in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander community within CAA and beyond. We unequivocally condemn the racist acts of violence and pervasive discrimination against Asian Americans. This past year has seen a dramatic and tragic rise in hate crimes against people of Asian descent in the United States, including the heartbreaking murders of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, by a white domestic terrorist that took place in Atlanta on March 16th. These incidents follow a long history of anti-Asian racism in the United States and underscore the urgent need to dismantle white supremacy in our country. We understand that this violence brings harm, anxiety, and grief to our AAPI members and offer our solidarity and support. A select list of national and local resources for AAPI folks and for others to support the AAPI community: In Wake Of Deadly Georgia Shooting, Chicagoans Are Combating Anti-Asian Violence Nationwide: ‘Be Part Of The Solution’ Block Club Chicago Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago Chicago Community Trust Asian Giving Circle Community Resources | Asian American Resource and Cultural Center | University of Illinois at Chicago Letter to Asian Diasporic Library Workers up//root Stop AAPI Hate 61 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities New York Magazine Signed, CAA’s Antiracism Working GroupARLIS:[ARLIS-L] Condemning the Attacks Against Asian Americans Condemning the Attacks Against Asian AmericansThank you for taking the time to read this statement. The hope of the ARLIS/NA Diversity and Inclusion Committee (ARLIS/NA D&I) is for these words to resonate into efforts of support and compassion that extend beyond our roles in librarianship. When the former occupant of the White House introduced COVID-19 to America, he used his podium to blanket the virus in racially charged rhetoric associated with the rise in hate crimes in the Asian American community. According to a report by STOP AAPI HATE, a group composed of Asian American and Pacific Islander American civic organizations, between March 2020 and February 2021, verbal harassment made up 68% of attacks and by February 2021 physical assaults became the 3rd leading form of discrimination and made up 11% of incidents. On February 3rd, 61-year-old Noel Quitana was in the New York subway station on his way to work when he felt kicks in his back. Those kicks were followed by slashes that led to about 100 stitches to his face. Unfortunately, this violent incident is not isolated. On March 16th, a rampage ended with the murder of 8 people in 3 massage parlors, 6 were reported to be of Asian descent. Furthermore, “How San Francisco Erased a Neighborhood,” a report by VOX, examines a history often forgotten, a fight for fair-housing by Filipino immigrants who were brutalized by members of the surrounding community, segregated, then violently displaced through gentrification. As the country begins to examine a past littered with inhumanity, library professionals must be vigilant in eradicating the perpetuation of racist tropes, dehumanization, and the facilitation of segregative practices. The ARLIS/NA D&I Committee condemns these acts of persecution and stands with our Asian colleagues during this tumultuous time! The ARLIS/NA D&I Committee welcomes feedback on how we can better support the Asian community at this time and beyond! Please send suggestions to natisha.n.harper@gmail.com.
VRA 2021: Film Screening of '63 Boycott
VRA 2021: Early Bird Registration Ends Soon
We’re just a month away from the start of VRA 2021!If you haven’t registered yet for the annual conference, now is the time to take advantage of Early Bird Rates, which are good through Saturday, March 6. While we will miss seeing everyone in person, the online format has two major advantages: we are able to offer lower registration fees this year and we are able to welcome attendees from around the world.Early Bird Rates available through March 6, 2021Member: $100Non-member: $200Student, Retired, Unemployed: $75Non-member Student, Retired, Unemployed: $125Members of affiliate organizations (ARLIS/NA, CAA, SAH, SECAC, CAICC) will register at the VRA Member rate.You can register through the conference website or at this direct link: https://vra.memberclicks.net/2021vra38. New members should register at the Non-member rate.In the next few weeks, we will be sharing more information about our virtual host city, Chicago, Steven D. Booth’s keynote address, and what you need to know to get the most out of our online conference. We plan to open the VRA 2021 Attendee Portal on March 15, one week early, so you have time to look around, read the FAQs, and ask your questions in advance.The VRA Board, our Membership Services Coordinator, and all of our conference content contributors and volunteers are working hard behind the scenes to prepare for VRA 2021. We hope you can join us in March.Looking forward to VRA 2021!Meghan RubensteinVRA Public Relations and Communication Officer
VRA 2021: SIGs and SUGs
Did you know that within VRA there are a number of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Special User Groups (SUGs)? Over time, these communities have formed organically, shifting focus based on the interests of their current members. Each year at the annual VRA conference, a number of these groups sponsor sessions open to all attendees. VRA 2021, virtualChicago, is no exception! If you are looking to learn more about the work of our SIGs and SUGS, or want to join up with more like-minded individuals, keep these sessions on your radar as you build your own conference program on Sched.Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Special User Groups (SUGs) at VRA 2021: Monday, March 22
- 4:00–5:00 pm CDT VREPS Committee Meeting Roundtable [VREPS: Visual Resources Emerging Professionals and Students Group]
Tuesday, March 23
- 12:00–1:00 pm CDT Visual Resources in Archives: Information Sharing on Cultural Heritage Collections [SIG: Archives]
- 1:00–2:00 pm CDT Solo VR Professionals [SIG: Solo VR Professionals]
Wednesday, March 24
- 10:00–11:00 am CDT Artstor User Group Forum [SUG: Artstor]
- 10:00–11:00 am CDT MDID Special Interest Group Meeting [SUG: MDID]
- 2:00–3:00 pm CDT Future-Proof Your Data: Cataloging Conundrums and CCO [SIG: CCO]
Thursday, March 25
- 10:00–11:00 am CDT Materials Collections [SIG: Material and Object Collections]
Friday, March 26
- 11:00 am–12:00 pm CDT Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship [SIG: Digital Humanities and Digital Scholarship]
- 2:00–3:00 pm CDT EAC Community Hour: Looking Back and Looking Forward [SIG: Equitable Action Committee]
VRA 2021: DEIA Events
Greetings All,The Equitable Action Committee invites you to attend the many events during VRA 2021 that are related to the VRA’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts.Monday, March 22
- 1:00pm - 4:00pm CST Digital Accessibility and Accessible Design Practices Workshop
Tuesday, March 23
- 10:00am - 11:00am Adaptability, Ingenuity, and Opportunity: VR Professionals During a Pandemic
- 11:00am - 12:00pm CST Cash Rules Everything Around Me
- 1:00-1:45pm CST Re-imagining Digital Collections Metadata: Improving Workflows And Supporting User Experience
Wednesday, March 24
- 11:00am - 12:30pm CST Keynote Speaker: Steven De'Juan Booth
- 1:00pm - 2:00pm CST ‘63 Boycott: How a digital audiovisual civil rights collection inspires new generations of students
Thursday, March 25
- 10:00am - 11:00am CST Oral Histories for the Uninitiated: Transcribing, Copyright, Metadata and Everything in Between
- 1:00pm - 2:00pm CST Power and Respect: Giving Back IPR Rights to Vulnerable Communities
- 2:00-3:00pm CST Critical Viewing and Collaboration and Outreach: Building Innovative Projects
Friday, March 26
- 2:00pm - 3:00pm CST EAC Community Hour: Looking Back and Looking Forward
- 1:00pm - 2:00pm CST Stories from the Start
If you are unable to attend VRA 2021 and have suggestions for EAC, you may fill out the form here (https://bit.ly/38Y8nGZ).Contributed by Equitable Action Committee Co-chairs:Lael Ensor-Bennett, Johns Hopkins UniversityKendra Werst, Williams College
VREPS Spring Sessions
VRA 2021: The Lifecycle of Visual Assets
The conference schedule is jam-packed with sessions for all types of visual asset professionals. Transcending the differences in our workplaces and position titles, we all engage with materials and people along the visual asset management lifecycle.
The Lifecycle was identified by the VRA Identity Task Force reflecting key points of practice and professional interest. The VRA 2021 virtualChicago conference can be filtered according to these lifecycle categories to create programming tracks. You can click on the links below to find events, sessions, and workshops that align with these categories.
Sched Lifecycle Category: Conceptualization
Sched Lifecycle Category: Capture
Sched Lifecycle Category: Description
Sched Lifecycle Category: Management
Sched Lifecycle Category: Access
Sched Lifecycle Category: Preservation
Submitted by Sara Schumacher, Vice President of Conference Program
VRA 2021: Workshops
Workshops have always been a popular component of the VRA conference and the move to virtual has allowed for innovation while maintaining crucial hands-on participation.
Have you downloaded and started to use OpenRefine, but need help as you apply it to your work?Jasmine Burns will be your guide through real-life examples and answer all your questions in “Let’s Play OpenRefine Reconciliation!” on Monday, March 22, 11am-1pm CST
Do you struggle with organizing your thoughts, representing your ideas, and sharing the value and importance of your work?John Trendler, Sheryl Frisch, and Rebecca Moss will empower you through active prompts to harness the power of visual communication in “Visual Communication for Knowledge Acquisition, Processing and Dissemination” on Monday, March 22, 11am-3pm CST
Are you worried that your digital collections are not accessible to all users?Tiffany Saulter and Carie Fisher, consultants and trainers from Deque, will help you sort through the tools and strategies to identify accessibility problems and solve them in “Digital Accessibility and Accessible Design Practices” on Monday, March 22, 1-4pm CST
These workshops are filling up fast, so do not hesitate to add them to your conference registration OR as a stand-alone workshop (additional $35 processing fee). Are you already registered for the conference? Contact VRA Membership Services Coordinator at join@vraweb.org for assistance.
Learn more about the week-long conference at httpS://vraweb.org/2021-chicago.Submitted by Sara Schumacher, VRA Vice President for Conference Program
EAC Community Hour: Accessibility & Equity in Online Instruction
EAC and Instruction SIG have teamed up to provide a Community Hour session about online instruction accessibility and equity. Please join us on Wednesday January 20, from 11am-12pm PST/ 12pm-1pm MST/ 1pm-2pm CST/ 2pm-3pm ESTAs online instruction has become more normalized, it is important to assess accessibility and equity issues in our teaching and course planning. We will have a few guest moderators and hope to discuss these topics:
- Basics of accessible pedagogy
- Success and challenges of the past year, what have we learned?
- Shareable tips and tricks and suggestions for new resources
- Accessibility in archives, libraries, museums, and visual resources
Our guest moderators will include:Bridget Madden is the Associate Director of the Visual Resources Center in the Department of Art History at the University of Chicago. Bridget is Chair of VRA’s Midwest Chapter, Implementation Team Co-chair for ARLIS/NA & VRAF’s Summer Educational Institute for Digital Stewardship of Visual Information (SEI), and has been leading VRA’s new Instruction SIG.Berit Ness is the Assistant Curator of Academic Initiatives at the Smart Museum, University of Chicago's campus art museum. Berit is involved in teaching strategies that support first-year core humanities courses as well as object-focused art history graduate seminars and everything in between. Working as both an educator and a curator at the Smart, she recently opened an exhibition Take Care which was used for both in-person and virtual teaching this fall. She is a thoughtful educator and curator whose recent exhibition Take Care was taught in-person and remotely in several courses this fall.
EAC Community Hour: Winter Check-In
Greetings All,Join us for a Winter Check-in on Wednesday December 16, 2:00-3:00 pm EST/ 11:00am-12:00pm PST.As this unprecedented year comes to a close, we thought we would hold space for the membership to get together to chat and support each other. We are envisioning this session as more of a “drop-in coffee” hour where we will not have a set topic and hot beverages of choice are encouraged. Feel free to share your end of semester thoughts, workplace anxieties, or plans for the New Year.Click here to register for EAC's Community Hour!Best,Lael + KendraEAC Co-Chairs
VRA 2021 Early Bird Registration Open!
Meet the 2020 Executive Board Candidates: Jon Cartledge, Secretary
About the Candidate:Jon Cartledge is the Digital Imaging Specialist at the Smith College. He is currently a member of the Cataloging and Metadata Standards CCO Sub-committee. From 2012 to 2017, he was secretary of the Visual Resource Association of New England. He has a BA in Anthropology, an MFA in Printmaking, and a masters in Library Science. He has presented at both regional and national VRA conferences and has published in the VRA Bulletin. He is also an active printmaker and a former board member of the Boston Printmakers. He has shown internationally and his work is in the collections of the University of Arkansas and the University of Cincinnati.Goals:I have been a member of VRA for nearly twenty years and have participated as a speaker, writer, organizer, and occasional technician. I have also hugely benefitted as from VRA, by its innumerable and invaluable trainings, excellent colleagues, and indispensable publications. I am happy to give back to an organization that has given so much to me and the profession. I’ve been secretary in couple different organizations, and I’m excited to bring these skills to the VRA board.
Meet the 2020 Executive Board Candidates: Christopher Sawula, Vice President for Conference Program
About the Candidate:Christopher Sawula has been the Visual Resources and Spatial Art History Librarian in the Art History Department at Emory University since 2017. From 2014 to 2017, he was the Director of Research and Academic Programs in the A.S. Williams III Collection at The University of Alabama. He received his PhD in History in 2014 and his scholarly work examines the origins of laboring identity in early America. In his capacity supporting spatial art history projects, he focuses on digital publishing, GIS mapping, data visualization, and archival data curation.Goals:I believe that annual conferences are critically important to the health and growth of any organization. They allow participants to share their innovations and achievements, to foster interpersonal connections, and to chart future developments in the field. In my capacity as Vice President for Conference Programs, I hope to help overcome the challenges posed by Covid-19 and ensure that the Visual Resources Association is able to hold the Annual conference and Mid-Year meeting either in person or virtually in some capacity. These events are especially important for the professional development of early-career members, and I want to make sure these individuals have the opportunity to engage with our organization and benefit from the support of their peers. If I were elected to this position, I would build upon the work already undertaken to create conference experiences that benefit attendees from many different backgrounds and at various stages of their career.
Meet the 2020 Executive Board Candidates: John Trendler, President-Elect
About the Candidate:John Trendler is the Curator of Visual Resources at Scripps College in Claremont, California, where he has served on committees such as the Multimedia Literacy Committee and the Claremont Colleges Digital Library Advisory Committee and has presented in workshops including “Digital Assets in the Classroom” and “Aim to Achieve: Visual Literacy and Special Collections.” From 2003 to 2005 John served as Secretary of the VRA’s Southern California Chapter and between 2007 and 2011 served as Chapter Chair. John joined the VRA’s executive board as Public Relations and Communications officer from 2012 to 2016.John has presented at a variety of conferences and events, including but not limited to the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education, the College Art Association, as well as ARLIS/NA and VRA annual conferences. John is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is an avid bicyclist and bicycle advocate who began road racing in 2018.Goals:It would be an honor to serve as the VRA’s President. VRA has been my primary mentor throughout my career in the visual resources landscape. Having served in various positions at the chapter level and on the executive board has shown me so much about the association; it’s roots, the intricate components that make it function, as well as all the amazing work by incredible people.VRA possesses an abundance of knowledge that can and should be shared in ways that strengthens our identity and piques the interest of those working alongside of us. I believe we can increase the number of members, create paths to robust leadership and continue to inspire and inform, and if elected, I would do my best to serve both efficiently and attentively.
VRA Spotlight: VREPS
VRA Spotlight: VREPS (Visual Resources Emerging Professionals and Students Group)October 14, Wed, 2-3 pm ESTZoom meetingVREPS is committed to the dissemination and promotion of employment, professional development, and networking opportunities specific to the needs of new professionals and students. New to the visual resources professional field? Seasoned professional looking to share your wisdom or collaborate with up-and-comers? Come to this session to meet with other students and early-career professionals and learn what this active group is doing on behalf of the VRA (and what we can do for you!).Email info@vraweb.org for the Zoom link or find it on the MyVRA Calendar.
VREPS and ArLiSNAP Virtual Conference: Visualizing Your Future Art Information Career
Art Library Students and New ARLIS/NA Professionals (ArLiSNAP) and Visual Resources Association’s Emerging Professionals And Students Group (VREPS) invite you to save the date for our 2020 Virtual Conference: Visualizing Your Future Art Information Career.
This conference is open to all, but focuses on the needs of students and new professionals. It will provide attendees interested in art librarianship or visual resources management the opportunity to learn about pursuing a career in art information, present their work through virtual posters, and discover projects and research seeking to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field.
Our calls for students, new professionals, and experienced professionals to present in different sessions are outlined below. If you have any questions in the meantime, please send an email copying the ArLiSNAP and VREPS emails: arlisnap.na@gmail.com, vreps@vraweb.org.
EAC Community Hour: Institutional Responses to Black Lives Matter- Advocating as Staff
Good morning, All,Please join EAC for a continued conversation and brainstorm session at our Community Hour “Institutional Responses to BLM: Part 2 - Advocating as Staff” on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 2:00-3:00 pm EST/ 11:00am-12:00pm PST. The intent of this Community Hour is to discuss actionable steps that GLAM professionals can take within their institutions to create tangible momentum for change. We hear often about steps we can take as individuals or in our communities, but less so as GLAM staffers. We hope to provide support to anyone seeking to advocate for their institution to do more.Discussion Prompts:
- Does your institution have a diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility (DEIA); and/or racial equity; and/or anti-racism action plan in place? If so, when was this plan created - pre- or post-uprisings?
- Does your institution have any DEIA training for staff, leadership, and/or your board? If so, is this training required or encouraged?
- Are any DEIA goals built into your institutional strategic plan?
We hope to collectively gain a better understanding of where we stand in the broader GLAM field as it relates to racial equity through the lens of these solidarity statements and action plans.Please send any specific questions or concerns in advance to Lael or Kendra (if you wish to remain anonymous please let us know) or bring your questions to the Hour (where you can still be anonymous via private chat).Click here to register and here to view the Community Hour doc.Best,Lael + KendraEAC Co-Chairs
EAC Community Hour: Institutional Responses to Black Lives Matter
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 2:00-3:00 pm EST/ 11:00am-12:00pm PST
The intent of this Community Hour is to discuss as a field how leadership in galleries, libraries, archives, museums (GLAM), and other institutions where VRA professionals work have responded to police brutality and the corresponding Black Lives Matter protests and uprisings. We are currently planning for this to be (at least) a two-part series, with the first discussion focusing on institutional statements (both externally and internally published) and the second focusing on concrete action plans. We hope to collectively gain a better understanding of where we stand in the broader GLAM field as it relates to racial equity through the lens of these solidarity statements and action plans. We also hope to provide support to anyone seeking to advocate for their institution to do more, especially in our second discussion on action plans.
We welcome folks to bring any institutional statements and/or action plans that their employing institution has created. Institutional Responses to BLM Community Hour doc
VREPS & EAC: Investing in Yourself and Your Career
VREPS & EAC Community Hour: Investing In Yourself and Your Career
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 2:00-3:00 pm EST/ 11:00am-12:00pm PST
VREPS and EAC are teaming up to co-facilitate a roundtable discussion about advocating for yourself in a new or changing role and identifying skills which visual resources emerging or job-seeking professionals might need in future positions. We’ll discuss various methods on how to learn new skills or freshen up existing skills, either on your own time and dime or using limited funds. We’ll discuss how to advocate for yourself when given more responsibilities or different responsibilities due to layoffs or the switch to a virtual work environment. We’ll also explore ways to find free or low-cost professional development opportunities and how to hone your skills while experiencing virtual fatigue. VREPS x EAC Community Hour doc
VRA 2021: Call for Proposals
Call for proposals for the VRA 2021 Conference! Accepting papers, workshops, discussion sessions, and SIGs! All proposals are due by July 27th. Submit here: surveymonkey.com/r/cfpvra2021Img Source: NARA, ID: 26335507