Sage Innerarity, Candidate for Nominating Committee

Outreach can transform our institutions from being approachable or inaccessible into spaces for relational learning and transformational knowledge sharing. As a member of the Nominating Committee, I will bring this people-centered approach to shaping a selection of candidates whose unique knowledges create more well-rounded and inclusive practices within the Society.

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

I am a citizen of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California and the Program Director for the Native American Fellowship at the Peabody Essex Museum. I am a graduate of Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, where I studied Cultural Heritage Informatics and Archives Management. During that time, I was a recipient of SAA's Mosaic Scholarship and the winner of Simmons' Kenneth R. Shaeffer Outstanding Student Award.

My work is guided by a commitment to building navigable pathways for emerging Indigenous leaders in the cultural heritage sector. My journey into cultural heritage informatics began with a desire to ensure that Indigenous voices are accurately represented both in the archival record and the archival profession. After graduating from Amherst College and serving as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, I began pursuing work in nonprofit and cultural heritage institutions ranging from the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions and Amherst College Archives to the Boston Athenaeum and the Peabody Essex Museum.

In these roles, relationship building and centering the expertise of Indigenous people were essential to creating culturally competent resources and programming. Through programs like PEM's Native American Fellowship and Native Americans in Philanthropy's Native Youth Grantmakers, I built a deep understanding of what it means to uplift the voices of marginalized communities through meaningful action, inclusion, and relationship building.

As a young Indigenous woman, I have experienced firsthand the power of SAA's mentorship and outreach. Native American Archives Section mentors in particular have been crucial facilitators of my own sense of inclusion, empowerment, and community in this work. Thus, I am eager to contribute to this culture of inclusion as a member of the Nominating Committee by ensuring emerging leaders of color feel encouraged to embrace their expertise and shape the future of the Society by pursuing leadership roles.

QUESTIONS POSED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE

1. When certain voices tend to dominate conversations, what steps do you take to ensure that everyone feels comfortable contributing their thoughts and ideas?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

As an Indigenous woman and a citizen of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, I believe firmly in the importance of establishing a culture in which all forms of knowledge are treated as expertise in their own right. Be it technical, professional, lived, or embodied, each of us brings unique worldviews rooted in the people and places from which we come. A significant aspect of creating this culture is establishing relationships rooted in trust, respect, and reciprocity. My approach to ensuring that all people feel comfortable contributing their thoughts and ideas is centering curiosity and a learning-first approach, inviting individuals to contribute their gifts to collaborative decisionmaking practices.

I bring my embodied experiences and the histories of my people into all aspects of my work These narratives emphasize the importance of solidarity, collective wellbeing, transparency, and humility. A member of the Native American Archives Section and NAAS Steering Committee member, I will strive to represent and support the voices, concerns, and visions of her section membership and leadership. I also bring my experience as a recent graduate and former Mosaic Scholar to this committee, and will work to represent and uplift the experiences of students and emerging professionals across the Society of American Archivists.

Throughout my career in cultural heritage, outreach has remained both the most important skill I have honed and my favorite practice. Outreach can transform our institutions from being approachable or inaccessible into spaces for relational learning and transformational knowledge sharing. As a member of the Nominating Committee, I will bring this people-centered approach to shaping a selection of candidates whose unique knowledges create more well-rounded and inclusive practices within the Society.

As an emerging Indigenous professional, I have experienced firsthand what it means to both be excluded from and invited to the decisionmaking table. Through programs like ARL's Kaleidoscope Scholars and ALA's Spectrum Scholars, as well as through organizations like SAA's Native American Archives Section I have worked to develop relationships with mentors and peers whose work centers community-engagement and representation in the archival profession and the archival record. Thus, I am uniquely positioned to ensure that candidates for SAA's leadership represent the interests of communities who have been excluded or silenced.

2. Share your strategies for inspiriing members to participate in running for leadership positions and engaging in the election process. How will you ensure a slate of candidates that supports an awareness of the role of power, positionality, inclusion and belonging in the Society?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

Throughout my career in cultural heritage, outreach has remained both the most important skills I have honed and my favorite practice. Outreach has the capacity to transform our institutions from being approachable or inaccessible into spaces for relational learning and transformational knowledge sharing. If selected to serve on the Nominating Committee, I plan to bring this people-centered approach to shaping a selection of candidates whose unique knowledges can create more well-rounded and inclusive practices within the Society.

I also believe that mentorship and intentional knowledge sharing can inspire new and emerging leaders to participate in the election process as both voters and nominees. Thus, if selected to serve on the Nominating Committee, I will work to connect interested candidates with current leaders both formally and informally so that they might learn about the expectations, workloads, roles, and benefits of serving as SAA leaders. I will also contribute my experience in social media and communications to the Nominating Committees efforts to share calls for nominees and voting deadlines.

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