Julián Antonio Carrillo, PhD, has over a decade of experience working with different organizations and diverse populations as an anthropologist, folklorist, and community development consultant. He received his doctoral degree in anthropology with an emphasis on cultural heritage from Indiana University Bloomington. Previously, he was a Program Manager at the Alliance for California Traditional Arts in San Francisco, CA. Currently, he is a Program Facilitator at the Peaceful World Foundation and a temporary Community Consultant for the National Council for the Traditional Arts. He lives happily in Albuquerque, NM, and is excited to reconnect with the American Folklore Society.
What is the future you wish for AFS and how would you work toward this future?
I want AFS to be a catalyst in our society and world—continuing to share our work and passion for the field—but I want our voices to be louder and more unified in order to address the collective issues that matter the most head-on. Only then can we become a stronger force for systemic change. For this to occur, of course, we first need to weave the strongest and tightest membership possible. In this process, it helps me to recall that—etymologically—a “member” is an integral part of a larger whole having a distinct function. As such, I’ll work towards this future for AFS—either as a Board Member or simply as a returning member who wants to be more active—by uplifting our current members, reminding all that we each have unique skills, insights, knowledge, networks, and connections to contribute and make the whole greater than its parts.
Also, simultaneously, I’ll work to: foment more honest and critical conversations about undoing racism within and outside our field; question and evaluate what truly holds us together as an association; and ignite our collective imaginaries to envision what we can become if we become stronger, together. In this endeavor, I’ll employ diplomacy and respect at all levels. I’ve learned that employing them can lead to tactful engagement, fruitful dialogue, and ultimately, transformative collaboration. I look forward to talking with my fellow nominees and our members at the Candidates’ Forum. Thank you for your consideration.