Truly transformative: ALI at UVA
For the last three years, each June the University of Virginia has been the home of the Archives Leadership Institute, a program of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the granting agency of the National Archives and Records Administration. ALI brings mid-career archivists and memory workers together for a week-long, immersive in-person experience to build the attendees’ capacity as leaders both in their own institutions and in the archives field. UVA took “Transforming Archivists. Transforming Archives.” as its motto, and with a cohort of 25 each year, 75 attendees in total came from more than two dozen states to UVA ALI.
We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from all of these bright lights. There was not a single session I found unhelpful. ALI is a special experience.
The ALI program features guest speakers and faculty comprised of leaders across the archival profession. Ongoing cohort engagement is also a key feature of the experience — over the course of a year, members of the cohort are engaged with mentors, most of whom are ALI alumni, and participate in three virtual convenings which gives the cohort an opportunity to curate their own continuing discussions. As Brenda Gunn, UVA’s Associate University Librarian for Special Collections and Preservation and director of UVA ALI (and now president of the Society of American Archivists), said in an interview with the Federal News Network, ALI participants examine big picture issues in the archival field such as responsible stewardship, community partnerships, and the need to be “truthful about your own organization’s history.” Holding ALI at UVA allowed participants to use the University’s built environment and history to grapple with what Gunn called “some really tough subjects.” Each cohort experienced the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers, which set the tone for exploring the power of place. One cohort member commented, “I was so moved by the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers tour . . . It has really stuck with me how this really epitomized the power of place, community, and the work of archivists that aid in bringing more context to these stories.”
Thank you for all the tears and laughs, and I’m here back at work feeling a lot less alone knowing I am part of a cohort and community of like-minded and big-hearted memory workers.
Gunn also emphasized that ALI is more than just a training program and seeks to foster individual self-growth and relationship and trust building. The sense of camaraderie, emotional support, and belonging in community came through in the overwhelmingly positive comments from cohort members, many of whom mentioned the affirming nature of the program. “Honestly, everyone was truly amazing and inspiring,” said one participant. “Collectively, everyone made it a truly lovely experience,” noted another. “I’m looking forward to the virtual convenings and project work with colleagues,” said a member of the most recent cohort. “I’m dubious about professional development (that bills itself as) ‘transformative,’ but ALI truly was.”