Kelley Hummingbird (Klor), Candidate for Nominating Committee

"Kelley Hummingbird (Cherokee Nation) is a University of Alabama PhD student and Program Administrator at the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums. She is Vice Chair of the Native American Archives Section and a former student evaluator with the Indigenizing Archival Training project."

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Kelley Hummingbird (she/her), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is a PhD student in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at the University of Alabama. She earned her Master's in Library and Information Science with an emphasis in Archival Studies from the University of Missouri in December 2023. During her time at Missouri, Kelley gained research experience as a Graduate Research Assistant and contributed to the Indigenizing Archival Training (IAT) project as a Student Evaluator. Currently, she serves as the Program Administrator at the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM) where she oversees the Native Emerging Professionals Network and provides conference support through volunteer coordination and professional development administration. Kelley currently serves as Vice Chair of the Native American Archives Section (NAAS), and is also involved on the Repatriation Committee and the Mentoring Subcommittee. In addition, Kelley is an adjunct professor at Louisiana State University School of Information Studies. Kelley's research centers on integrating Indigenous ontologies into Western archival theory, with a focus on fostering a sense of belonging for Tribal archivists through culturally sensitive professional development and training opportunities. Beyond her professional endeavors, Kelley is outdoors-ish and enjoys running and hiking. She loves connecting with others through professional networking, especially on LinkedIn.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

(Each candidate prepared a diversity statement according to SAA guidelines.)

Kelley believes that the records of human activity must reflect the voices of historically silenced communities at every stage, from acquisition and description to accessibility. As a Native American who has experienced separation from her tribal community for much of her life, Kelley understands the crucial importance of learning from the wisdom contained in records and applying community-centered meanings to strengthen cultural memory and identity. Kelley approaches her work through a critical theory lens, aiming to empower archivists from marginalized communities to challenge extractive and exploitative concepts in archival theory and practice that have historically been - and continue to be - privileged. Her research and publications on provenance advocate for expanding traditional archival practices to prioritize inclusivity. She emphasizes reciprocity, ensuring that decolonized practices are recognized as equal to, rather than an alternative to, conventional archival approaches. Kelley believes that fostering decolonized archival practices begins with enhancing the sense of belonging within the profession. Recognizing and incorporating the ontologies of professionals from marginalized communities into professional development and training opportunities strengthens their sense of belonging and amplifies their contributions. This, in turn, helps to decolonize extractive practices, which is beneficial for all collections. With this belief, Kelley dedicates her energy to her work and to projects like the Indigenizing Archival Training program, striving for a more inclusive and equitable professional landscape.

QUESTION POSED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE

How would you manage competing priorities for financial stability and meeting membership needs? What specific measures do you plan to pursue to guide the Society in alignment with its mission and strategic goals? What qualities and values would you bring to this role to ensure equitable and responsive governance of the Society?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

Kelley believes that inspiring members to run for leadership positions and engage in the election process begins with building trust. Flowery words and performative value statements are insufficient—trust is built through action, safety, consistency, honesty, transparency, and communication. A culture of trust enhances membership retention, engagement, and collaboration while fostering curiosity and innovation. Every member of SAA can contribute to a culture of trust by connecting with one another. Affinity sections provide an excellent starting point for building these connections. By engaging with colleagues, members can identify strengths, explore opportunities for collaboration, and develop professional relationships. Effective leadership does not rely on being the most outspoken or extroverted. Instead, it emerges from getting to know one another, celebrating each other's contributions, and fostering an inclusive environment. This inclusivity encourages new members—potential future leaders—to feel welcomed and valued. Inclusion reinforces a sense of belonging, inspires participation in elections, and ensures leaders represent the diversity and needs of the professional body. Leaders, whether serving on committees or running for leadership positions, must demonstrate humility. This includes listening, learning from mistakes, and showing empathy. By rejecting the idea of perfection or prestige, leaders become more approachable, making the concept of leadership more accessible. True leaders step forward despite their insecurities and uplift those around them. As a member of the Nominating Committee, Kelley will prioritize trust, inclusion, and humility, seeking candidates who embody these values and can contribute to a stronger, more inclusive professional community.

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