Although there is a high demand from academic researchers working on the Philippines and U.S. Empire to consult archival materials at the University, one of our goals is to increase engagement with community members who might have different research needs. To better understand what those needs might be and how to address them, we will invite members from the Filipino community in Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan to a consultative discussion. Of particular focus will be on what constitutes appropriate access policies around culturally-sensitive content. Our goals will be to explore approaches to shared stewardship and reciprocity, develop protocols for how to provide members of the community access to the collections, and brainstorm outreach programs that draw from the collections to educate K-12 students of Filipino heritage, both in S.E. Michigan and nationwide.
The University of Michigan holds a number of Philippine collections acquired during the American colonial period that include archival documents, photographs, and objects of cultural heritage (e.g. textiles, pottery, etc.). Although a number of scholars have used these collections for academic research and publication, we seek new ways to connect the collections to local Filipino and Filipino American communities who may have different interests and needs. With this in mind, we ask:
How much awareness of these Philippine collections is there in the community? What role(s), if any, could the collections play in community activities, programming, and outreach?
We invited the broader community for this session, including Romulo Aquino, Joseph Galura, Benito Barros Murrel (PACE-MI), and James Beni Wilson (FAHNS).
Invitation to a Community Consultation
When: Saturday, June 19, 2021, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m (EST)
Register here to join the Zoom discussion: https://umich.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIodO-grD4rHtBKzcWsbB3QtJSwS5JC6UMQ