SLIS alumna, Kisha Tandy (MLS ’10) is the Assistant Curator for History and Culture at the Indiana State Museum. She was recently interviewed by the Indianapolis Star newspaper regarding her work on a new exhibit for the museum titled “Represent.” The exhibit which “presents work by African-Americans who have lived and worked in Indiana” opened on January 21 and will run through October 14, 2012.
The article was posted on the newspaper website on January 15, 2012 and is titled "Q&A with curator Kisha Tandy." It is noted in the article that prior to working at the State Museum, Tandy interned at several Indiana repositories, including the Indiana Historical Society and the Morris-Butler House. In her own words, she made the move to the State Museum because “I wanted to do something that would allow me to use my history background in a different way—presenting history but not necessarily in written form.”
In regards to the “Represent” exhibit, Tandy explains, “I really am trying to make sure that I am presenting African-American history accurately, with documentation and with respect. The appreciation for the past and the people who came before and set the path for me does not go unnoticed.”
Related News:
Kisha Tandy was one of the first recipients of an Indiana Librarians Leading in Diversity Fellowship. The program supported her in her MLS studies. The 31 fellowship recipients were honored in a Final Forum on March 21, 2011. A note about the I-LLID program from the 2008 announcement is included here:
"The Indiana State Library and the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) Indianapolis were awarded a $1 million federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for the Librarians Leading in Diversity (LLID) project. The grant was given as part of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. Additionally, the project is supported by the Indiana State Library's Diversity Advisory Council, Academic Libraries of Indiana, Administrators of Large Public Libraries in Indiana, the Indiana Black Librarians Network, the Indiana Library Federation, and the Indiana Special Libraries Association."
Photo Credit:
This photo of Kisha Tandy is by Frank Espich (The Indianapolis Star). It is used here with permission.
The original photo caption (that accompanied her interview) stated "Kisha Tandy, assistant curator at the Indiana State Museum, holds a wall pocket titled Cupdripslash by artist Malcolm Mobutu Smith/Frank Espich/The Star."
Posted February 14, 2012