A few weeks ago Priya Chhaya, Associate Director of Content for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, reached out to discuss why I organized the #DismantlePreservation virtual unconference and connected with some of the speakers to find out what they think the future of historic preservation could/should look like. Priya thoughtfully put together these reflections in the piece, “Dismantle Preservation: Getting Serious about Building a New Model for the Field.”
“In late July 2020, preservationists from across the country gathered for the Dismantle Preservation Virtual Unconference. Organized and sponsored by Sarah Marsom a heritage resource consultant, this conference directly addressed some of the problematic areas of the preservation profession to encourage practitioners to confront and acknowledge systems that hamper equity within the field. With panels that ranged from racial bias to mental health (and a quick project share at the end of the night called “Burning Down the House.”) the conference directly spoke to issues related to racial bias, the weaknesses brought forth by COVID-19 in terms of pay equity and recruitment, and mental health.
As a follow up to the conference, I reached out to Marsom and several of the speakers to ask about the future of the field, and what we, as a profession, need to act on as we go forward. Each of the featured speakers bring with them different experiences and expertise in the preservation field. Some are long time professionals who have made an impact in telling the full story through preservation, while others come to the practice with fresh eyes having just entered the field a few years ago. Learn more about the speakers and hear what they have to say—including what is next for the #DismantlePreservation series.”