Claudia Willett?(@_cfwillett)

The Incorporation Committee (AwB U.S. – IC) met on March 12 via Google Hangout, as the committee is spread across the Eastern seaboard–Boston to North Carolina! We congregated to commence the work and operations slated for the group. What exactly is the charge of the AwB U.S. – IC, you might wonder? The Incorporation Committee is charged with examining legal and financial aspects of the U.S. Chapter of Archivists without Borders, which includes finding pro bono legal and CPA (tax) assistance to establish 501(c)(3) status. Additionally, the committee is responsible for reviewing the chapter’s founding documents to ensure the materials are compliant with legal and tax requirements of a 501(c)(3). Sounds fun, right?

I was immediately overwhelmed and it was only five minutes into the inaugural meeting. How would I contribute to the success of these mandates? I am a graduate student, not a lawyer. I am a technical services assistant, not a tax preparer. As the meeting went on, everyone casually shared their experience, connections, and areas of general interest and expertise. When the AwB U.S. – IC chair said that 501(c)(3) would likely be established in Boston at Simmons College, it became obvious how I would contribute! I may not be a lawyer or a CPA but I do work in technical services at an AmLaw 100 firm (with a special committee on pro bono services for establishing 501(c)(3)s)! Additionally, I have two cousins who are CPAs in Boston. I felt a little nervous sharing this facts because no one wants to be THAT person on their volunteer committee. I got over my fear (read: myself) and piped up: “I might be able to help here.”

Everyone in the committee seemed ecstatic, not annoyed, so that was a relief and a moment of joy. The group was off to a great start. Everyone else volunteered for the areas in which they would help from reviewing the by-laws to recording and managing meeting minutes to share with the Core Working Group. We agreed to meet again in two weeks and we went off to start on our individual work.

The next day, I sent an E-mail off to my cousins. That was easy enough. I spent awhile on the firm’s intranet trying to ascertain who I should be contacting to get the AwB – U.S. Chapter accepted as a pro bono matter. Finally, I found the two women who head up the pro bono assistance for 501(c)(3) incorporation in Massachusetts. Sending the initial E-mail was as nerve-wracking as confessing that I work at a law firm and have CPA cousins, particularly because one of the women is a partner (eek!). My inquiry was received warmly and I was encouraged to share the Pro Bono Assistance Application and the workshop packet that outlines the major requirements for incorporating a 501(c)(3) in Massachusetts with the AwB U.S. – IC. As luck would have it, the woman I spoke with mentioned a suspicion I had: one of the pro bono approval committee members is on the Board at Simmons! She encouraged me to mention Simmons on the application.

I don’t want to make morals a habit at the end of my posts, but one seems important to mention directly here, too. The moral to this post is: you never know what experiences will be useful! It was chance that brought me to the committee and coincidence that I have connections to help move the major processes for successful incorporation forward. Be open to every opportunity and every experience, both professional and personal. Next week: meeting two!

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If you’re interested in getting involved with Archivists without Borders, please E-mail Joel Blanco-Rivera at [email protected].

Claudia Willett?(@_cfwillett)

On December 7, 2012, the?Library and Information Science Student Association?hosted the end-of-semester celebration?GSLIS Talks. As a full-time worker and part-time student, I don’t often have time to attend on-campus events but, as luck would have it, I had taken the day off from work to meet with a professor and work on my final history paper. At quarter to seven, I hastily packed my bag, thrilled to escape the bowels of Beatley, and made my way over to the event. I had very little idea about what to expect from the presenters. In all honesty, I was really excited about the free wine and the opportunity to commiserate with my fellow dual-degree classmates struggling through their semester papers, too.

As the presentations started, I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by the premise: five minutes for faculty to discuss their passion, their current work, or whatever else moved them to show up that night. Whether it was fate or happenstance, one presentation resounded in my mind as a call to action. Joel Blanco-Rivera spoke about his work with establishing the Archivists without Borders U.S. Chapter. Archivists without Borders is an international organization, the primary objective of which is “cooperation in the sphere of archives work in countries whose documentary heritage is in danger of disappearing or suffering irreversible damage, with particular emphasis on the protection of human rights.” The U.S. Chapter would align itself with these core goals to support endangered archives, underrepresented communities, and other projects in the U.S. that merit professional attention. I had not spoken directly to, taken a class from, or engaged in any manner with Joel, but his passion and his pitch moved me to want to help this project succeed. When I got home from GSLIS Talks, I followed AwB on Twitter, Facebook, and viewed their page. A few days later, on Facebook, they posted a call for volunteers for the Incorporation Committee and Community Service Committee. I emailed immediately: I will help on whichever committee needs me.

In January, I received an email saying that I would be working with the Incorporation Committee. Another moment of honesty: I did not really know what incorporating the chapter with this committee would mean, but I was so excited to be able to get involved that I rolled with it. In February, the committee received an email asking us to reconfirm our interest and commitment and brainstorm meeting dates. My enthusiasm from January had faded a little bit, as the Spring semester had started and my extra life forces were drained by Records Management and Digital Stewardship. I remembered, though, how I felt listening to Joel and reflected on the?archives crisis ongoing in Georgia. This is important work and I wanted to be a part of it! I decided to commit.

Maybe it’s corny to end a post with a moral, but I think it is fitting in this situation. The moral is: even if you are busy, or tired, or think you don’t really care about what is going on in GSLIS or on campus, you never know what opportunities might find you if you go outside your comfort zone. Yes, I was able to catch up with friends on December 7th, but I was also able to get involved in a project that could ultimately change the face of service-based archival work and outreach in the United States. How cool is that?

The Incorporation Committee had its first meeting via Google Hangout on March 12th. It was great to see the wheels turning and to get the ball rolling for this organization. You’ll have to check back to find out what happened next…

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If you’re interested in getting involved with Archivists without Borders, please E-mail Joel Blanco-Rivera at?[email protected].