<div dir="ltr"><div><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-3399052c-7fff-de59-3498-3605dae275c4"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The leadership of the Society of Ohio Archivists are deeply alarmed by many recent actions taken by the U.S. federal government, including, but not limited to:</span></p><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-will-fire-kennedy-center-board-make-himself-chair-2025-02-08/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">the dismissal of Dr. Colleen J. Shogan as Archivist of the United States</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">;</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">the mass dismissal of federal employees</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">, including at the National Archives and Records Administration and the National Park Service;</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-education-diversity-equity-inclusion-20cf8a2941f4f35e0b5b0e07c6347ebb" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">the dismantling and attacking of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and work</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">, including the erasure of transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website;</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-census-federal-data-trump-6a9ba7c01a42b72e2c0a119325ba3753?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">the deletion and alteration of government websites containing vital records and data</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">;</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt" role="presentation"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">and</span><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-administration-funding-freeze-workarounds" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">the freezing of federal funds despite multiple court orders</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">These actions undermine the invaluable work of archivists and cultural heritage workers across this nation and the state of Ohio, as well as the transparency, accountability, and integrity that are foundational to democratic governance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">SOA Council condemns these actions and the reckless nature with which they were undertaken, as they unnecessarily jeopardize the livelihood of dedicated professionals and damage our ability to preserve and make accessible the rich tapestries of our national, state, and local histories. We will continue to monitor this rapidly changing landscape, and will proactively work to provide support for the Ohio archival community in accordance with our core professional values.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As we move forward please feel free to contact the current SOA President Matt Francis  with any suggestions, questions, or concerns and we encourage you to contact your</span><a href="https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">federal representatives</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> to make your voice heard.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">United we stand.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Society of Ohio Archivists Council</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><table border="0" style="font-family:"Times New Roman";border-collapse:collapse;min-width:450px;width:auto"><tbody><tr><td style="width:131px;vertical-align:middle"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onu.edu&source=gmail-html&ust=1674825356087000&usg=AOvVaw0UJR4pQLPAsHCSLb2YV55e" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Ohio Northern University" target="_blank"><img src="https://my.onu.edu/sites/default/files/images/onu3.png" width="126" height="auto" alt="" style="margin:0px 0px 10px 5px"></a> <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/ohionorthern/?hl%3Den&source=gmail-html&ust=1674825356087000&usg=AOvVaw08cqCXsnU8KAdouaEm2YvK" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="ONU Instagram" target="_blank"><img src="https://my.onu.edu/sites/default/files/images/insta.png" width="23" height="23" alt="" style="margin-left:10px;margin-right:2px;width:23px;height:23px"></a><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=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