Labor Archives Section Special Election

Candidates for Section Co-Chair

Ben Blake,  Independent Archivist and Consultant

Candidate Statement for Co-Chair – Labor Archives Section
Statement not provided.  

Steven Calco,  Interim Assistant Director of the Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives at Cornell University Library

Candidate Statement for Co-Chair – Labor Archives Section
I am the Interim Assistant Director of the Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives at Cornell University Library. I hold an MLS from CUNY Queens College and an MA in Labor Studies from the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. Previously an archivist in CUNY archives for nearly a decade, I helped organize part-time librarians and archivists in the CUNY system before coming to Cornell. For the past 8 years at Cornell, I served as research archivist with public services responsibilities ranging from reference and instruction to outreach and exhibit curation before moving into a leadership role at the Kheel Center. At Cornell, I work with a team of 6 public and technical services archivists, responsible for stewarding and preserving archives relating to labor and management history with a focus on New York State, garment and textiles, railroad unions, and more.
 
If elected co-chair of the Labor Archives Section, I would continue building on my past work with the section and the great work of my predecessors creating an inclusive environment with the section. My past work included communications subcommittee work, creating a newsletter, starting a Twitter/X account, updating a labor history organization page on the committee’s microsite, collaborating on coordinating a labor archivists’ retreat and conference proposals, and working with labor archive colleagues around the country to support greater communities of practice. As the work we do in labor archives is so unique, working with this group has been important in engaging in outreach to better support our research base of labor historian, scholars, and union members. I always enjoy the collaborative nature of this group and I hope you will consider me for the role of Co-Chair! Thank you!

Labor Archives Section Steering Committee Member

Vakil Smallen,  International Brotherhood of Teamsters Labor History Archivist, George Washington University

Candidate Statement for Steering Committee – Labor Archives Section
Since 2019, Vakil Smallen has been the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Labor History Archivist at the George Washington University, where he works to preserve and ensure access to the records of Teamsters history and the history of American labor more broadly. Vakil received his Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of Maryland College of Library and Information Sciences in 2007. Vakil has been an active member of SAA’s Labor Archives Section for many years. He served as Section Co-Chair from 2023 to 2025 and previously on Section working groups. He is interested in exploring how primary sources can help future generations learn about labor history, especially in how the labor movement has successfully improved the lives of working people. He would like to see the Section grow in membership and serve as an effective promoter for archives of labor and working people.

Lisa Vallen, Southern Labor Archive and Instruction Coordinator at Georgia State University
 
 
Candidate Statement for Steering Committee – Labor Archives Section
I am committed to supporting the co-chairs and advancing key initiatives that strengthen our section’s impact and collaboration. 
My priorities include:

• Formalizing guidance around grievances and arbitration records to ensure clarity and consistency.
• Expanding engagement with Labor South, contributing to the growth of their resource page, and collaborating with their Historical Archives Working Group.
• Building stronger relationships with partner organizations such as LAWCHA and NALHC to foster shared goals and resources.
• Continuing the Quarterly Brown Bag Lunch series, while actively identifying and developing relevant topics to encourage meaningful discussions.

Through these efforts, I aim to enhance our collective work, promote accessibility of labor history archival resources, and support the ongoing development of our section.