Hello everyone, I am the incoming member-at-large for VMS. I am an archivist and visual artist. This duality is easily understood by those of us who work with visual materials. I have held several positions in the cultural heritage and educational sectors. Whether giving lectures on African American nineteenth century photography and supervising interns for a digital textbook at Rhode Island Historical Society; planning diversity initiatives for the University of Rhode Island Libraries; providing archival research for exhibitions at The Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, Brown University; or designing a virtual performance as member of an Afro-futuristic art collective, I am a fierce advocate for the power of visual materials. As a painter and sculptor I am never disappointed with the limitless ability of visual materials to illuminate historical narratives that do not have traditionally documented records.
Renée Elizabeth Neely, MLIS, VMS Member-at-Large (2021-2024), Visual Artist, Independent Scholar, Project Archivist, Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, Brown University.