shady Radical

Archivist/Instructor

T.R.A.P. (The Radical Archive of Preservation) / Spelman College

Biographical Statement

shady Radical, CA, Ph.D. is a mother, writer, performance archivist, and founder of The Radical Archive of Preservation. Her practice is inspired by ritual, resistance, and movement in Black women’s labor practices. Dr. Radical earned a PhD in the Moving Image Studies program at Georgia State University, a MA in Curatorial Studies from New York University; and a BA in Art History from The College of Saint Elizabeth. Her professional experience includes working as a costumer in Atlanta’s film and television industry, establishing the costume archives of Tyler Perry Studios, and curating exhibitions at Southwest Arts Center, Day & Night Projects, Hammonds House Museum, and Atlanta Contemporary. Currently, Dr. Radical is teaching Dance History at Spelman College; archiving the work of Ballethnic Dance Company and Bwagamoyo Africulture; and serving as Chair of the Education Committee for Society of Georgia Archivists.

Candidate Statement

My name is shady Radical, and I would like to be considered as a candidate for the Assistant Local Arrangement Chair. Currently, I serve as the Education Committee Chair. I am a certified archivist; memory worker; the founder of The Radical Archive of Preservation, LLC (T.R.A.P.); an educator, and student. I believe leadership, diversity, life-long learning, and sustainability are keys to a better freer, collaborative, and just society.

An all-Women’s HBCU might seem like a difficult place to think about diversity. However, Spelman Archive offers insight into the ways Black women’s experiences differ across class, gender, age, ethnic background, sexual orientation, etc. As a fellow of the Social Justice for Archives Graduate program at University of Alabama, we are encouraged to identify ways different companies and organizations can increase diversity.

My experience at Jekyll’s Island’s conference last year inspired me to pursue this chair. While I enjoyed learning about the complicated history of the Island, I yearned for more opportunities to engage with the locals and learn about their culture. I would love to be on the team that shapes our experience of place between the membership, conference attendees, and locals. I would love to ground us in an awareness of the people who lived, worked, struggled, survived, and made memories there. I hope you will consider my candidacy as an opportunity to work more closely with local communities.

Slate of Candidates

The Nominating Committee has slated the following SGA members as candidates for office in the 2024 election:

Vice President/President-Elect

• Tamara Livingston,                       Kennesaw State University

Assistant Program Committee Chair (Annual Meeting)

• LaToya Devezin,                       National Archives and Records Administration

• Stephanie McBride,                       University of North Georgia (student)

• Brittany Newberry,                       Georgia State University

Assistant Local Arrangements Committee Chair (Annual Meeting) 

• shady Radical,                      T.R.A.P./Spelman College

Archivist

• Virginia Blake,                       Wesleyan College

• Jasmaine Talley,                       Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library

• Kersten Toebben,                       Georgia Archives

Nominating Committee    Member 1

• Robin Klemm,                                  Georgia Archives

• Kelly Zacovic,                                  City of Savannah Municipal Archives

Nominating Committee    Member 2

• Monet Lewis-Timmons,                   University of Delaware (Graduate Student)

• Mike Santrock,                          Fulton County Schools Archives