Graduate Student and Young Professional Section Guide to AFS 2021 Annual Meeting

By Emma Carey Cobb, Section Co-Convener

Looking for professional development and networking opportunities? Social events to let loose? Important conversations about the past, present, and future of Folklore? Then the Graduate Student and Young Professionals (GYSP) guide to AFS 2021 has got you. We’ve put together a guide that highlights AFS events that might be particularly useful for students and young professionals to learn about resources and important conversations in the field, and opportunities to have fun meeting other folklorists.

Molly McBride (co-convener) and I won’t be at Harrisburg unfortunately, but we are happy to help coordinate anything that people want to do on the ground! Email [email protected] for any questions or help!

Remember, if you’re on social media, use the hashtag #afsam21 to discuss the meeting digitally!

Monday Oct. 18 – Online (Panels start bright and early!)

All times below are EDT; the program is subject to change.

• Welcome for Newcomers, 9-10 am
• How to Get Involved in AFS, 1-2 pm
• Becoming Folkwise: Sustaining Digital Community while Socially Distant, 1-2 pm: Check out the awesome work from previous co-convenors of the section!
• Lesbian Digital Archives: Virtually Curating and Creating Queer Desire and Community, 2:15-3:45 pm EDT: Shameless plug for Emma and Molly’s panel—come talk to us!
• Opening Ceremony, 4-5 pm
• Welcome Reception, 5:15-6:45 pm; many different breakout rooms to traverse
• Grad Student and Young Professionals Happy Hour, 9-11 pm: Let’s hang out some more! Details about activities to come!

Tuesday Oct. 19 – Online

• Toppling Folklore’s Racists Monuments: Paths and Approaches for a Liberatory, Abolitionist, Justice-Centered, Equity-Based, and Decolonial Folkloristics, 11:15-12:45 pm
• Conversations for the Field: What Does Advocacy Look Like?, 4-5 pm (NOT RECORDED)

Wednesday Oct. 20 – Online

• Gaining Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Folklife Internship Alums from the AFC, 11:15-12:45 pm
• Theorizing Folklore from the Margins: A Forum, 11:15-12:45 pm
• Alt-Ac, Also-Ac, and Folklorists’ Occupations, 11:15-12:45 pm
• Meet the Editors: Demystifying the Journal Publishing Process, 1-2 pm
• Write Folklore’s Future: An Op-Ed Workshop, 2:15-3:45 pm
• Conversations for the Field: What Does Equity Look Like?, 4-5 pm (NOT RECORDED)
• Public Folklore: We Do Better When We Know Better, 5:15-6:45 pm
• University Alumni Receptions, 8:45-10:15 pm
• Open Mic Night from the Creative Writing and Storytelling Section, 9-11 pm
• Spectral Frequencies: A Reading of Australian Horror Radio Plays from the Mid-20^th Century, 9-11 pm

Thursday Oct. 21 – In person

• American Folklife Center Info Session: Community Collections Grants program, 3-4:30 pm
• Welcome to Harrisburg: Ceremony and Reception, 5:30-7:30 pm

Friday Oct. 22 – in person

• New Directions Forum: Opportunities and Challenges in Digital Folklore Research, 10:30-12:00 pm
• Instrumental Jam, 9:30-11:30 pm
• Folkwise LIVE from Harrisburg, also online, 9:30-11 pm

Saturday Oct. 23 – in person

• AFS Business Meeting; 5:15-6:00 pm, livestreamed
• Presidential Plenary by Norma E. Cantú, 6-7 pm, livestreamed
• Folkwise Game Room!, 9:30-11:00 pm
• Instrumental Jam, 9:30-11:30 pm
• Open Mic Night from Creative Writing and Storytelling Section, 9:30-11:30 pm