Dr. Julián Antonio Carrillo Estrada received his PhD in Anthropology with a concentration in cultural anthropology, folklore, and ethnomusicology from Indiana University Bloomington in 2021. Before then, he worked for and volunteered with several non-profit organizations and institutions including the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, the Center for Traditional Music & Dance, and the Smithsonian Institution. One of his most rewarding experiences was living in Oaxaca, Mexico, and researching and collaborating with artists and culture workers in urban and rural settings. He maintains strong connections with the Oaxacan community there and in the U.S. Since 2021, he has served as Curator of Public Programs at the University of New Mexico’s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, an institution he was drawn to because of its renewed post-pandemic vision of “restoring voices, reconciling injustices, and realizing community.” In 2024, Julián served as AFS’ Annual Meeting Technical Coordinator and Chair of the Local Organizing Committee.
Statement of Candidacy:
Having learned from my experience organizing the 2024 AFS Annual Meeting, I believe it is imperative for the Executive Board to focus on how AFS will enter the communities where we are planning to organize our future annual meetings. There is much more that we can, and should, be doing to make our annual meeting an even more welcoming space while serving local and regional needs. For this to happen we require stronger infrastructure, including more AFS staff and volunteers, and greater solidarity amongst members and with host communities. It is possible to strike a solid balance between our Society’s academic and social purposes. I want to continue contributing to our collective vision and path on this front.
