University Libraries (Tempe)
Community- Driven Archives
Community- Driven Archives
Learn more about your impact
Your gift supports the Community-Driven Archives (CDA) Initiative, established in 2017, as we build relationships with historically marginalized communities (Latinx, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, Indigenous, and LGBTQ). In order to address erasure and inequities in Arizona’s archives, the CDA team creates intergenerational and intersectional safe spaces that support lifelong learning, acknowledge historical trauma, and center the lived experiences of communities.
Seeing yourself in history, probably for the first time, and then reflecting on it leads to personal and collective healing. We humanize ourselves and others when we work with archives and share our stories. The BIPOC and LGBTQ community in Arizona has experienced and survived so much generational trauma. Your support can makes these collections accessible to people in person and online, promoting tolerance and an accurate representation of Arizona history."
Impact of Donor Support
- Assists in providing equitable access to archival training, archive starter kits, technology, and other educational resources that empower communities to preserve history and tell their stories.
- Donors enhance learning experiences by supporting archival instruction services, and embedding community-driven archives into teaching, research opportunities and services. For example, the CDA Escuelita “Little School” program is introducing K-12 students and teachers to community archives.
- Your gift helps CDA create safe spaces that center the lived experiences and knowledge of historically marginalized communities. Community-driven projects use archival material, storytelling, and memory keeping as healing tools.
- Donors support the continuing growth of archive collections such as CDA’s four areas of focus in these collections: Black Collections, Chicano/a Research, Greater Arizona and University Archives.
Learning that Arizona’s marginalized communities have historically been excluded from archival collections inspired me to donate in order to preserve and share the stories of Arizona’s diverse people and communities.