From November 11-15, 2024, Jen Green, collections manager for South Florida Archaeology and Florida Ethnography, attended the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM) conference in Palm Springs, California. The ATALM conference is a celebrated gathering of professionals dedicated to preserving and advancing Indigenous cultures, offering Jen the invaluable opportunity to grow her expertise in collections management and collaborative practices as an early career professional.

Jen Green (far left) during invited panel session on fostering relationships between Tribal communities and academic institutions.
Jen Green (far left) during invited panel session on fostering relationships between Tribal communities and academic institutions.

As part of her participation, Jen was honored to be an invited panelist by the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki, the museum of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. In a session titled Changing History: Encouraging Collaboration to Address Damaging Past Relationships, Jen contributed to discussions on fostering equitable partnerships between academic institutions and Tribal communities. Her insights, drawn from the Florida Museum’s collaborative initiatives, underscored the importance of active listening, mutual respect, and shared benefits in successful projects.

Beyond her panel participation, Jen immersed herself in professional development through several hands-on workshops focusing on textiles, basketry, and precious metals like silver. Each of the workshops engaged in best practices for the identification, cleaning, and conservation of the objects. The Florida Ethnographic Collection, which she oversees, includes a rich variety of these items such as sweetgrass and palmetto basketry, as well as palmetto fiber-based dolls. These workshops equipped her with practical techniques to better care for these culturally significant objects.

Getting prepared for textile identification workshop.
Practicing traditional weaving techniques during textile identification workshop.
Practicing cleaning silver spoons during precious metals conservation workshop.

This was Jen’s first ATALM conference, and she looks forward to applying her new insights and continuing to build relationships with museum professionals who share a passion for preserving and celebrating Indigenous heritage including fostering further collaborative opportunities.

Jennifer Green is a Collection Manager of South Florida Archaeology and Ethnography at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The CMSS 2024 Fall Travel Awards are funded with the support of the FLMNH Directors Office and the Department of Natural History.