Welcome to the Heritage Inclusion Network’s Fact Sheet! This piece contains critical information about our organization’s mission, goals and projects. The Heritage Inclusion Network’s Initiative is devoted to conserving and disseminating disadvantaged histories in order to provide a more comprehensive perspective of our shared past. We work to overcome archival record gaps and elevate marginalized voices in historical narratives via lobbying, education, and community participation. Join us in our efforts to create a more equitable archive landscape by committing to equity, inclusiveness, and preservation.
- “Unarchived” is a documentary directed by Hayley Grey and Elad Tzadok that examines the gaps in British Columbia’s recorded history.
- The video focuses on the under-documentation of LGBTQ+ history, South and East Asian cultures, and the removal of First Nations artifacts.
- Grassroots projects, such as the B.C. Gay and Lesbian Archive and the University of Victoria’s Trans Archive, are honoured for their contributions to the preservation of underrepresented histories.
- Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains’ work with the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive aims to connect families to their heritage through digital records and photographs.
- Sandra Marion works for the return of First Nations artifacts to reunite communities with their cultural history.
- “Unarchived” inspires viewers to strive for a more democratic and inclusive approach to historical record-keeping.
Initiatives:
- Archival Projects: Collaborating with communities to gather oral histories, images, documents, and artifacts from varied viewpoints.
- Digitization Efforts: Working to digitize and make available historical documents relevant to disadvantaged histories, guaranteeing widespread access to these resources.
- Educational seminars: We hold seminars and training sessions for archivists, historians, educators, and community members on themes such as inclusive archival methods, digital preservation, and community-based archiving.
- Advocacy Campaigns: Taking part in advocacy activities to promote archive policies and practices that stress equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Community Partnerships: Working with community groups, cultural institutions, and grassroots initiatives to collaborate on archive projects, exhibitions, and events.
Impact:
- Increased Access: By digitizing and making historical documents available online, the Heritage Inclusion Network has made marginalized histories more accessible to scholars, students, and community members.
- Community Empowerment: The initiative’s joint archival initiatives and educational seminars have enabled communities to tell their own tales, reclaim their narratives, and conserve their cultural heritage.
- Policy Influence: The Heritage Inclusion Network’s lobbying activities have resulted in improvements to archive policy and procedures, resulting in better representation of disadvantaged voices in archival collections and displays.
- Educational Outreach: The initiative’s educational programs have reached thousands of people, including students, educators, and archivists, to raise awareness and knowledge of archive equity concerns.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the Heritage Inclusion Network; together, we can help preserve and promote disadvantaged history for future generations. Whether you are a historian, archivist, educator, community organizer, or someone who is enthusiastic about social justice, we encourage you to join us in our work. Let us enable communities to reclaim their narratives and foster a more inclusive knowledge of our common past. Together, we can create a more fair archive landscape that represents the breadth and diversity of the human experience.