Discussion 1

AUDIENCE QUESTIONS

Question from Mohamed-Hashim-Elkareem:
Can the panel reflect on the practices and images of burial that we saw during the pandemic of the burial of millions of people of color in Brazil and in the U.S.A and what can these practices of burial say about the notions that you have raised in your discussions about identities and bodies?

Question from Anonymous
I loved the discussion about community-led repatriation processes. I was wondering if the panelists could speak more about how they square those processes with larger issues facing the University. In specific, I am thinking about the University of Pennsylvania’s ongoing displacement of Black people from their homes and neighborhoods in Philadelphia through gentrification and land grabs. How do we understand community-led processes within context of the neoliberalization of the university?

Question from Kelly Lizarraga
What role, if any, do you see the federal government playing in requiring institutions to account for the bodies in their collections?

Question from Barbara Barksdale
I would like to invite you all to the Pennsylvania Hallowed Grounds annual meeting this Saturday online. We are trying to save Pa AA cemeteries. Is there any way to use the DNA from the remains collected to see if there are any living relatives?

Question from Carolyn
How might emerging museum professionals contribute to these and other repatriation and reburial projects? What can we do to assist even though we do not necessarily have the expertise or experiences yet? Additionally, how can white/Euro-American museum professionals contribute/support without intruding into spaces that are not for us? (Thank you very sincerely for your time.)

Question from Anonymous
Thank you for the interesting discussion. How do you plan to approach International communities?