AAO IDC Members’ Symposium 2020
Dear AAO membership,
Please join us on Thursday, October 22, 2020 (9:45am-3:15pm) for the AAO’s annual Institutional Members’ Symposium, organized by the Institutional Development Committee (IDC).
It is no secret that this year has been unprecedented for archives and archivists across the province. The timing of this year’s symposium should provide us with a unique opportunity for an open and wide-ranging conversation about our experiences during COVID-19. There is a lot for us to share and explore with questions ranging from “how did we do?” to “how are we doing?” and the fundamental question of what this experience means for the future of our profession.
In addition, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others have magnified conversations related to police brutality, abuse and discrimination against Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC). Their deaths have also brought into focus the far-reaching nature of inequality in all facets of society, including the archival profession. This year’s symposium will also provide time for participants to unpack the AAO’s anti-racism statement and to start looking constructively at what we, as a profession, can do to activate it in our day-to-day work.
While the morning session will be an open, yet moderated discussion about our experiences, past, present and future, with COVID-19, the afternoon will include short presentations by Stefanie Martin (archivist and community organizer) and Melissa J. Nelson (author and archivist). Please see the attached agenda for more information.
This year’s symposium will be held exclusively online via two separate Zoom sessions. Interested participants are asked to register for one or both sessions using the links below. Registration will be limited to 50 participants.
Register for session one here, and session two here.
Yours,
Institutional Development Committee (IDC)
Archives Association of Ontario (AAO)