Social Advocates Award from National Emerging Museum Professionals Network

I was honored to receive the Social Advocates Award* from the National Emerging Museum Professionals Network during their 2021 annual awards this past Friday - alongside others who are working to make change in a variety of ways. Cultural Resource work is broad and has many specialities, but we all share a common goal - to connect people to (hi)stories for the benefit of our collective futures. Let's continue to bust out of silos and collaborate for our collective benefit.

Watch the SHORT ceremony above to learn more about the recipients of this year's NEMPN awards.

*The Social Advocates Award highlights individuals, collectives, and organizations that are advocating for a better field for Emerging Museum Professionals and all museum workers.

Quoted in "The Women Behind Historic House Designs" Bloomberg Article

It was a pleasure to connect with Alexandra Lange, while she researched and wrote about the newly rechristened Edith Farnsworth House. The way we work as architectural historians/ historic preservationists/ storytellers has been shifting to acknowledge a structure is more than an object. It is an honor to be quoted in this article about the value of telling women’s histories.

“Sarah Marsom, a preservation consultant and creator of the Tiny Activist Project, says that telling more inclusive house stories “is architecture history that moves beyond the architect or style. It’s about what we cannot see, shifting the narrative from buildings being seen as art objects to them being seen as spaces that have served as places for people.” She remembers being scolded by an architecture historian for referring to a famous building as a “home,” focusing on the domestic, rather than as a “house,” the architectural term for a residence. “I think that this renaming of Farnsworth House is a simple step toward bridging the disconnect,” she added in an email.”
— Alexandra Lange, The Women Behind Historic House Designs

"A Return to Craft as a Form of Communication and Community"

Thanks Kathryn Foster for mentioning my work in the National Trust for Historic Preservation blog “A Return to Craft as a Form of Communication and Community"

Here is a snippet:

“A DIY Connection: Zines

Less visually present in historical spaces, but still an important display of craft, has been the return to zines. A zine (short for magazine) is a small, self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, often produced via photocopier. Making zines is accessible, and they’re easy to distribute. 

Individuals such as Sarah Marsom and Sarah Mirk produce zines that celebrate history, preservation, and recording of the present day as they see it. Both of these authors often capture stories of social justice taking place in their communities. “ To read the full article visit this link.

Call to Action: Labor Equity Campaign Phase 2

To promote the Cultural Resource field as a professional discipline and to increase our capacity to sustain our ability to support our communities, we must advocate for cultural resource professionals to receive equitable compensation. 

There are two areas to address to promote salary equity: 

  1. We can no longer support unpaid internships in our field

  2. We can no longer allow organizations and job boards to impede salary transparency by omitting compensation in job descriptions.

  • (in no particular order)

    Society for Historical Archaeology (nonprofit/ professional organization)

    Society for American Archaeology (nonprofit/ professional organization)

    Western Museums Association (nonprofit/ professional organization; they suggest salary disclosure, but do not require it)

    Museum Savvy (managed by a volunteer; they suggest salary disclosure, but do not require it)

    Submit additional job boards for inclusion on the list via me@sarahmarsom.com

  • 1.Unpaid internships devalue all preservation professional positions.

    2. Unpaid internships limit professional development opportunities to the few instead of the many.

    3. Statistically women and people of color are less likely to negotiate salary. Not disclosing salary in a job listing puts these individuals at a disadvantage and perpetuates the wage gap.   

    4. If you are an organization looking to hire someone, you will be starting the relationship out with full honesty and transparency. You’ll also generate an applicant pool that will confidently be interested in accepting this position knowing that the compensation will provide a sustainable income.  

  • Sample Letter 1: 

    Dear >Insert Organization Name<, 

    Thank you for providing an accessible platform for preservation professionals to seek jobs.  If the cultural sector wants equality we can no longer support unpaid internships and we must elevate the standards for job listings. Please modify your job board to no longer allow unpaid internships/fellowships and to require the posting of salary ranges. 

    For years the cultural sector has discussed the negative implications of unpaid internships and it is now time to stop this practice. Unpaid internships systematically devalue all preservation professionals’ work and ensure only a limited number individuals can pursue entry level positions in the field. If your organization believes, as it has said in the past, that the cultural sector should diversify who it hires; this is a fundamental step. 

    Adding salary ranges is also integral to salary equity. Women and people of color are statistically less likely to negotiate, thus not sharing a salary rage furthers the wage gap. These standards not only benefit the job seeker, but they will also benefit the employer. Job seekers will not waste their time on job applications if they do not know if the job will provide an income needed to take care of themselves and/or their family. I was told recently by someone who has helped hire preservation positions for their workplace " I've seen this first hand with our job applicants- when we list a range- especially a competitive range- we get better quality applicants. Hands. Down."

    Please amend your job board submission standards for the betterment of the cultural sector. For more information, please read the following articles >Insert Links for Additional Information<. 

    Sincerely, 

    >Insert Your Name<

    Sample Letter 2:

    Dear >Insert Organization Name<

    It is important for >Insert Organization Name< to acknowledge its place as a leader in the cultural resource field. As a leader >Insert Organization Name< has >insert an example or two of how they have been a leader (ex: hosting annual trainings, managing certifications/accreditations, etc.)<. 

    Based on >Insert Organization Name<‘s history of setting professional standards (indirectly|directly though their work), >Insert Organization Name< can set the standard for job boards and employers will comply. This is not an anecdotal stance; this is based on job boards managed by the National Council on Public History, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and others in the cultural resource sector that changed their policies in 2020. Their policy shifts have led to an increase in salary transparency within certain sectors of the cultural resource field over the past 12+ months. 

    >Insert Organization Name< ‘s suggestion for salary disclosure on the website does not acknowledge the group’s power. Your job board has proven itself as a valuable resource for both job seekers and organizations looking to hire. Studies have shown requiring compensation information benefits both. While I can acknowledge that compensation may not legally be disclosed in RFPs dependent on funder, none of my research has shown that to be true for part/full time positions. 

    Please consider the power dynamics of the cultural resource field and >Insert Organization Name<‘s ability to set the standard for job boards. 

    Thank you for your time and consideration,

    >Insert Your Name<

  • 1.You’re Not Serious About Equity If You Don’t Post Salaries

    2. When you don’t disclose salary range on a job posting, a unicorn loses its wings

    3. If Culture Sector Employees Want Equality, Post Salary and Benefits With Job Descriptions

    4. Salary Is Most Important Part of Job Ad

    5. Take the National Emerging Museum Professionals Network (NEMPN) Paid Internships Pledge

    6. Pay Equity: Performative or Palpable

    7. Reimagining the Internship to Promote Racial Equity

Thank you for choosing to be a part of the labor equity movement in the cultural resource field. Challenging existing constructs is brave and I applaud you for taking the leap to help make change happen.

In 2022, four job boards have changed their requirements thanks to our advocacy efforts:

  • American Alliance of Museums; UPDATE: AAM will require compensation information as of November 14, 2022.

  • American Cultural Resources Association; UPDATE: On June 29, 2022 the board voted to require compensation information and to not allow unpaid internships on their job board.

  • The Register of Professional Archaeologists; UPDATE: On March 15,2022 the board voted to require compensation information and to not allow unpaid internships on their job board.

  • Association for Preservation Technology; UPDATE: As of February, 2022, compensation is now a requirement for all positions listed on the APTI job board. “APTI is committed to equity, diversity and opportunity within the preservation community; in keeping with this commitment, we require that posting include salary or compensation information (a minimum or a range is acceptable).”

In 2021, one job board changed their requirements thanks to our advocacy efforts:

  • Society of Architectural Historians; “To support labor equity in architectural history and related fields, as of November 24, 2022, the Society of Architectural Historians requires all job postings in the SAH Career Center to include salary information (may be compensation, salary range, or minimum salary). Unpaid internships will not be shared on the SAH website or in the Career Center.” Link to learn more on SAH’s decision process.

In 2020, five job boards changed their requirements thanks to our advocacy efforts:

  • Preservenet; UPDATE: As of October 2020, all positions listed must include compensation.

  • Preservation Directory; UPDATE: Preservation Directory is in the process of updating their language for job board submissions.

  • National Council on Public History; UPDATE: As of September 9, 2020 all positions listed must include a salary, salary range, hourly rate, salary code, or some other measure of compensation. 

  • National Trust for Historic Preservation; UPDATE: The National Trust for Historic Preservation has modified their job board for available NTHP positions to include salary information. Their FORUM job board as of October 13, 2020 now requires “all listings to include at least a salary range (or a minimum salary)” and they “will no longer accept uncompensated internships for listing.”

  • The Historic Preservation Professionals group on Facebook was not a part of the original list of job boards to be petitioned for change. As of December 2020, the group moderators voted to require compensation for part time or full time jobs and to no longer allow unpaid internships.

This page will be updated when the respective job board policies have been modified.

Guest Blog on History @ Work: Crafting Herstory

Vote Banner Sarah Marsom

“ How women have utilized textiles as a form of activism and therefore, a radical act of self-care, has recently garnered attention through publications such as Crafting Dissent: Handicraft as Protest from the American Revolution to the Pussyhats. Fabric banners and sashes were integral to women’s rights movements around the world; they were utilized in protests, hung from buildings and vehicles, and worn during meetings and on the streets. When assessing how to connect people to the past, garner an understanding of the efforts to pass the 19th Amendment, and address issues related to voting rights today, I decided to take a “craftivism” approach. Craftivism, as defined by crafter and activist Betsy Greer, is “a way of looking at life where voicing opinions through creativity makes your voice stronger, your compassion deeper and your quest for justice more infinite.” Enter the Crafting Herstory workshops.” Click here to keep reading.

Recipient of National Council on Public History Award

The National Council on Public History recognizes a range of work being done in the field by students, academics, nonprofit workers, etc. every year during their annual Public History Awards. My projects - Crafting Herstory (aka Craft Her Story) and Dismantle Preservation were recognized with an honorable mention in the Excellence in Consulting category. To learn more about the awards and the 2021 recipients visit this link.

Tangible Remnants Podcast

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Big thanks to Nakita Reed for inviting me to be a guest on the Tangible Remnants podcast! Tangible Remnants is “a podcast that explores the interconnectedness of architecture, historic preservation, sustainability, race & gender.” It was such a pleasure to talk with Nakita and I cannot believe how much we covered in 30minutes: Rust Belt takeovers, #DismantlePreservation, storytelling, labor equity, etc..

You can find episodes of Tangible Remnants on Spotify, Apple, Google, etc. - all the places you listen to podcasts. Click here to listen and to view the show notes.

Recipient of the Dan Holland Promise Award

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One pro to the pandemic, you do not have to get dressed up for an award ceremony!

In December 2020, the Young Preservationists Association recognized my work in the historic preservation movement by honoring me with the Dan Holland Promise Award. I'm grateful for YPA's support of my work both in the Rust Belt region and beyond.

If you want to learn more about the Young Preservationists Association, I recommend reading about their efforts to preserve the National Negro Opera House in Pittsburgh.

Building a Foundation for Action: Anti-Racist Historic Preservation Resources

The Building a Foundation for Action: Anti-Racist Historic Preservation “resource list is conceived and managed as part of the Urban Heritage, Sustainability, and Social Inclusion Initiative, a collaboration of the Columbia GSAPP Historic Preservation Program, the Earth Institute - Center for Sustainable Urban Development, and The American Assembly, with support from the New York Community Trust. The need for deep, structural shifts in preservation policy to confront exclusion and the challenges of climate change was the impetus behind the establishment of the Initiative, and this resource list is envisioned as a critical tool in that endeavor. “

“This document is a work-in-progress to collectively compile resources to further anti-racism efforts in the field of historic preservation. This list is intended to support and engage the preservation field writ large, including policymakers, managers, practitioners, researchers, community organizers, advocates, and others. Educators and students, however, are envisioned as critical users and collaborators. Institutions of higher learning have an affirmative obligation to advance knowledge, challenge paradigms, and experiment with new approaches as they prepare the next generation of heritage professionals.”

Two sessions from the #DismantlePreservation Virtual Conference are included in this resource guide: “Expanding the Preservation Narrative: From Research to Action.” and ““Identifying and Tackling Implicit Bias in Preservation.”

To view the full resource guide CLICK HERE.

What Needs to Change? Panel Discussion Recording

What Needs to Change? A panel discussion at the 2020 Providence Symposium, hosted by the Providence Preservation Society.

“Many regard the preservation field as being in the midst of a relevancy crisis — its systems outdated, its practices exclusionary, and its practitioners out of touch. In order for preservation to become more accessible and relevant to more communities and to survive into the future, deep change is necessary. But can we reform preservation or do we attempt to dismantle it and build anew? Can preservation ever be an instrument for addressing or advancing equity? What is the social responsibility of preservation, and what does accountability look like?”

Desiree Aranda, Co-Chair, Latinos in Heritage Conservation

Catherine Fleming Bruce, Activist and award-winning author of The Sustainers: Being, Building and Doing Good through Activism in the Sacred Spaces of Civil Rights, Human Rights and Social Movements

Sarah Marsom, Heritage resources consultant and organizer of #DismantlePreservation

Jeremy Wells, Associate Professor, Historic Preservation program in the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland, College Park

Moderated by: Bonnie McDonald, President and CEO of Landmarks Illinois and Chair of the National Preservation Parners Network of the National Trust for Historic Preservation