502 Recovering Silenced Histories: Epistemic Activism in California’s San Joaquin Valley

Presented at the Society of American Archivists, Archives Records 2025 Conference

Epistemic activism (EA) in archival studies reshapes traditional knowledge systems by centering diverse voices in preservation and access. This session examines EA’s transformative role through community-based archiving, inclusive descriptive standards, ethical appraisal, and digital democratization of records. Panelists Chris Livingston, Donato Cruz, and Oliver Rosales will discuss practical applications and teaching strategies that recover silenced histories and reflect marginalized communities’ social, cultural, and economic contributions. Attendees will gain insight into how EA fosters justice, enriches memory, and enables community-driven knowledge production.