Stephen R. Curley, Candidate for Council

Stephen R. Curley

Director of Digital Archives,
National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

“SAA is at a point of intrinsic and systemic transformation which is a wonderful realization; it will require proactive contributions from all levels within our organization.”

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Director of Digital Archives, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, 2019–present.
• Administrator, Tohono O’odham Nation Cultural Center & Museum, 2018–2019.
• Archivist, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Archives, 2015–2018.

EDUCATION

• MLIS, Concentration in Archival Science, University of Arizona.
• BA, Anthropology, University of Arizona.
• AA, Pima Community College.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES

• Society of American Archivists: Native American Archives Section, Chair (2018–2019), Steering Committee Member (2015–2018).

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

• Annual Boarding School Healing Conference: "The Launch of the National Indian Boarding School Digital Archives," 2019.
• Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums: "We Remember: Interpreting Native American Boarding School History," 2019; "Protocols 101: An Interactive Discussion with the Native American Archives Section," 2019.
• Conference of Intermountain Archivists & Society of Southwest Archivists: "Protocols 101: How to Start the Conversation at Your Institution," contributor with Native American Archives Section, 2019. 

QUESTION POSED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE

In the past, the SAA Council has had to face situations that challenge the strategic priorities and values of the organization. How would you balance the need to support members’ needs and the archival community with the financial needs of the organization?

CANDIDATE’S RESPONSE

Upon examining SAA’s strategic goals outlined for the next few years as well as the core organizational values, one will realize the language is generalized—this is done so deliberately.  The intention is to facilitate and encourage a discourse among its membership to continue to interpret into meaningful action. As a result, dialogue is at the heart of this mechanism. For SAA to successfully navigate and balance membership needs of the archival community with the financial needs of the organization, proactive dialogue and an ethic of purposeful listening must be embodied and exemplified by SAA leadership. Like all guiding documents, the strategic vision is malleable and should be made to benefit the membership and society at every opportunity. As stewards of the past we have a profound agency that can effectuate our collective present.

In a general tensive climate it is imperative to reach out to and align our professional organization with other groups who espouse similarly oriented values in order to cultivate opportunities for solidarity and meaningful interdisciplinary dialogue. SAA is at a point of intrinsic and systemic transformation which is a wonderful realization; it will require proactive contributions from all levels within our organization. As a result, it is prudent and mutually beneficial to SAA to encourage meaningful disruption within status quo power differentials and bureaucracies in order to tap into unspoken, underrepresented strengths. As an ambitious Native American archivist, I will utilize my unique perspective to lead the decision-making process which will incorporate a diversity of perspectives. If elected to the Council, I will fulfill my duties to ensure that SAA creates more interfacing with its membership, regional archival associations, and other spheres of influence. This is the way.

2020 ELECTION HOME