Tulsa as a Conference Site

The Board has heard from several members who, as people who identify as part of a marginalized community, are concerned with Tulsa as the location for the annual conference. As anti-choice bans, anti-LGBTQ legislation, and anti-trans policies sweep throughout most of the US, it is hard for many of us to look at states like Oklahoma as places we want to visit or support financially. On behalf of the Board, we want to assure you that we hear these concerns and we take them very seriously.

We recognize that the words and actions of Oklahoma’s state legislature have real world consequences in people’s lives. Our decision to go to Tulsa was swayed in part by the City’s recent resolution reaffirming the city’s commitment to cultivating a safe and welcoming city for all people, by its thriving LGBT community, and also by personal conversations we have had with Tulsans concerned with the effect current legislation has on their own lives. Ultimately, we agreed that by bringing the conference to Tulsa, we are able to amplify their voices and, in doing so, bring some benefit to affected communities.

As one of these efforts, we are adding a stream of programming during the conference that will be open to the local community. Many already marginalized communities have come under fire as legislation sweeps the country, hate crimes rise, and dangerous rhetoric is all-too-commonplace. The conference stream, Amplifying Voices: Communities Under Fire, is intended to highlight and give voice to the work of archives and community activists ensuring the histories of these communities are collected and preserved.

We are currently working with city officials and Oklahomans for Equality to actively seek ways to engage so that AMIA can best support their voices.

For attendees who may be affected by travel to Tulsa, please contact us.

AMIA Board
Rachael Stoeltje, President
Taylor McBride, Secretary
Randal Luckow, Treasurer
Daniela Curro
Hannah Palin
Mike Mashon
Brian Meacham
Juana Suarez