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Melissa is a leading voice in archival studies on issues of race and racism. She gained recognition with the Association of Canadian Archivists’ 2023 New Professional Award and Ancestry Award. Melissa provides expertise on the preservation and management of Black cultural heritage and anti-Black archival materials. Her work is informed by the frameworks of Black studies, feminist ethics, critical archival studies, and critical race theory.

Melissa has lectured and participated in conversations on reparative description and inclusive archival practices within the cultural heritage sector. She offers a range of consultation services including research, writing, policy review, and training. Melissa has worked with notable clients, such as Library and Archives Canada, Association of Canadian Archivists, University of Toronto, among others. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the Centre for the Study of Black Canadian Diaspora in Toronto, Canada. This centre is an incubator space for innovative Black cultural production, cataloguing, and dissemination.

Melissa has developed and facilitated the following workshops, with new workshops available by request:

Description and Access for Anti-Black Archival Materials

This workshop addresses anti-Black racism in archival records by providing methods on how to create inclusive descriptions and provide access to these materials while minimizing harm. Participants are asked to think critically about the impact of descriptive and access practices for racist archival records. The workshop includes an interactive activity with space for discussion and reflection.

In this workshop participants will:

  • Learn how to apply anti-racist frameworks to descriptive practices
  • Understand how to minimize harm while facilitating access to racist archival records
  • Learn how to think critically about the impact of archival practices on the discoverability of racist archival records

The workshop is 2 hours (including a 10-minute break) and is limited to a maximum of 40 participants.

Workshop Materials:

Participants will receive a takeaway package of relevant resources.

Reviews:

“Just wanted to send a note to gush about the Description and Access for Anti-Black Archival Material workshop. It was a terrific workshop, one of the best I’ve participated in a while!”

“Thank you for offering this workshop! It can get so tiresome talking about how we need to change when nobody suggests exactly how we should be changing. This workshop gave some excellent practical suggestions which I very much appreciate.”

“The breakout activity was exceptional. Even though there were some technical difficulties at the outset, it was well worth the wait.”

“The workshop was so informative and valuable and I can’t thank Melissa enough for her work and sharing her expertise. I’ve already told many colleagues about it and it’s given me lots to think about in my daily work and I appreciate all the further readings, which I will be reading! Thanks!”

Toward Community-Centered Reference

This workshop considers the challenges Black researchers face when consulting with reference services in archives. Participants will learn to think critically about their positionality and their current approaches to providing access. Practical suggestions will be offered to reference archivists to help them provide services that are community-centered. This workshop includes a small group activity and discussion with time for reflection. 

In this workshop participants will:

  • Learn how to unpack how white supremacy shows up in archives
  • Learn how to identify and address oppressive practices in access and reference 
  • Learn how to minimize harm when providing reference services 

The workshop is 2 hours (including a 10-minute break) and is limited to a maximum of 40 participants.

Workshop Materials:

Participants will receive a takeaway package of relevant resources.

Reviews:

“Thank you so much for making today’s workshop available…It’s exactly the type of programming I want to see for our professional associations and I’m grateful that I was able to attend.”

“I like the approach, it was both very engaging & very informative.”

“I appreciated the time and care that when into setting up a shared understanding of language, intention and expectations during the first half of the session. It is also nice to have time to reflect individually before joining a group to discuss things further. The meditation and music were also a welcomed addition to things.”

“It was really helpful to have reflections grounded in real-life archival scenarios and the lived experiences of Black Canadian researchers to push me to rethink how I work as an archivist.”

Dreaming with Archives: A Writing Workshop

Black Dreams. What does it mean to dream while Black? How can we understand the dreams of our ancestors? How can we carry them with us? Black people have always dreamed in refusal of the colonial imagination. The past, present, and future are intertwined. Drawing from archival materials, archivist Melissa J. Nelson will guide participants in a creative writing workshop to connect with those who came before us and imagine a future for those yet to be born. This workshop will take place at the Archives of Ontario. Come view original archival materials, access ancestral memories, and dream of Black futurity. No writing experience is necessary – only your imagination. This workshop will include a short presentation with time for discussion. 

Reviews:

“Dreaming about the kind of future I want, being invited into a space not only to dream individually but to share and see the collective dreams was instructive.”

“I enjoyed how everything worked in relation with each other. The opportunity to think about and discuss memory as an entry point before visiting with the archival materials. This was a great way to set up and inspire for the dream activity. The learning opportunity was great and it was fantastic to be able to collaborate with others.”

“Inspired to document myself and intentionally keep records about: food I like, exciting moments, people I care about, my favourite jewelry, how intense I am, all the feels, etc.”

This workshop was developed for the Archives of Ontario in the course of her employment.

Visual Journaling with Black Archives

How can we reimagine the archive? Join archivist Melissa J. Nelson and artist Anthony Gebrehiwot as they explore the potential of Black archival collections for Black artistic creation. This workshop will take place at the Archives of Ontario. Come view original archival materials and develop your own artistic interpretations through visual journaling. Design a visual journal page with words, sketches, paint, or collage. Art supplies are provided to help you bring your creative ideas to life. The workshop will include a short presentation and discussion with time for reflection.

Reviews:

“I’m so glad I found this workshop! I realized how important it is for us to all document ourselves intentionally. I felt inspired to create my visual journal as a reminder to myself — that I can just be. Thank you for doing this work!”

“I enjoyed exploring the archive and seeing what historical imagery there is with Black people in every day life. I enjoyed interacting with others at the workshop. The conversations that came up were very interesting and I loved the freedom to play in the journaling part of the workshop. No pressure just fun! Also, very good intro to the archive!”

“I thoroughly enjoyed today’s session. Learning about the power black archives truly hold, and what they mean to us as black folk. I was able to learn and connect while releasing pent up energy with my community members. Most of us hadn’t met formally but definitely left as friends. A truly healing experience!”

This workshop was developed for the Archives of Ontario in the course of her employment. It was facilitated in collaboration with Anthony Gebrehiwot.

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