We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Gabrielle Hutchins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dr. Gabrielle , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Throughout my life, I’ve consistently navigated a path of self-discovery, seeking to bring to light my purpose. This narrative, or rather my history, has seamlessly intertwined with Ital Preservation’s mission. Having found myself through history, I aspire to help others in discovering their legacy and preserving it. I grew up unsure of my identity, I was faced with limited Black history education. I found answers at Florida A&M University, where I earned degrees in Political Science and African American History. Inspired by the teachings of my history professor, Dr. Theodore Hemmingway, I directed my career toward the field of history. Embracing my African American and Jamaican roots, I delved into Caribbean and Latin American history. Becoming the first in my family to attain a Ph.D. from Howard University, my dissertation focused on “Immigration, Labor Exploitation, and West Indian Apple Pickers in the United States. I am and continue to be committed to building a legacy of Black resilience and sharing my experiences within my community.
Why Ital Preservation?
I absolutely loved when my friends in college made Ital stew. The word Ital was simply explained to me as a mixture of vegetables, spices, herbs and coconut milk to feed the soul. While making that stew I was surrounded by people of all races and creeds with one mission to revitalize and brainstorm ways to accomplish their dreams. To me, the vegetables in the stew represent minorities and we all have a soul purpose which is to keep our legacy going. Vegetables keep us going and we can keep each other going by helping each other prosper and preserving our history and culture.
I aim to accomplish this by challenging my peers through discussions, research and teaching that primary sources are essential to any argument. The majority of my peers know little about their history and actively want to know their history. They wonder how they can relate to their past. I stay optimistic and encourage them that history is important. We learn from the past and without it we forget where we came from and we do not want anyone to just tell a story. For example, keep in mind what some peoples intentions are when publishing or representing your history and culture? Which is why how we manage and preserve our records is essential to our existence.
I strive to awaken this ability in my community to recognize how enjoyable and relevant history is before they branch off with their own footprints in their lives. I also understand that many people have had scarring and jolting learning experiences, which create barricades for their future learning. My role as historian and archivist is to make sure that I help the community overcome these barricades, and also that I can become a catalyst rather than a barricade in their journey.
Dr. Gabrielle , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am Dr. Gabrielle Hutchins, esteemed Founder, Lead Archivist and Historian of the Ital Preservation, my passion is to forge meaningful connections within the African diasporic communities by spearheading efforts to preserve history and culture. I strive to safeguard the rich heritage and stories of minorities that define their legacy while fostering unity, understanding, and appreciation of preserving our history. I specialize in African-American, Caribbean, and Latin-American history. I have over ten years of professional experience in archival science, museum curation, and public history. My work at the National Archives also set the tone for a career dedicated to making lasting impact within our community preservation.
Ital Preservation, is a consulting firm that specializes in public history and records management. Ital Preservation aims to bridge the gaps within African diasporic communities by building connections through history and Preservation. I firmly believe that understanding and acknowledging our shared heritage can create stronger bonds and empower marginalized communities. My philosophies are rooted in the belief that the African diaspora can find common ground and unity through history, preservation, and bridging gaps within communities. Through my various roles and initiatives, I am to continue to inspire and advocate for recognizing and preserving our stories.
My journey into Public History consulting stemmed from witnessing the challenges faced by underrepresented communities in maintaining archives and museums during my time as an archivist and student. Recognizing the importance of preserving these records and sharing histories, I established Ital Preservation to assist families, local archives, museums and organizations with their preservation needs.
Ital Preservation offers comprehensive Family and Community Preservation services, including records and artifact preservation, family reunion preparation, oral history, and family museum/archives donation facilitation. Our archiving and collections management services cover inventory, preservation maintenance, training, description, and digitizing records. Additionally, our cultural heritage preservation services involve project management, event/fundraiser assistance, historical events planning and educational programing.
We solve the critical issue of preserving our clients’ records and stories, ensuring their legacies are preserved for future generations. By crafting master plans for organization, preservation and creating innovative ways to share history with the public, Ital Preservation empowers clients to embrace the art of archiving and preservation.
What sets Ital Preservation apart is our dedicated focus on minority-based organizations and entities, offering tailored solutions for their unique preservation needs. We go beyond basic consulting, fostering a deep connection with our clients to ensure their stories and histories are genuinely valued and preserved.
My proudest achievement is building Ital Preservation as a business that aligns with my dreams, creating a legacy to pass down to my children. Making meaningful connections with people and influencing them to appreciate the value of their stories is a source of immense pride and fulfillment.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
I started by responding to client inquiries about preserving family history and building a family tree, leading me to create a Family Archiving Kit with guidelines. While I didn’t know how to manufacture the product initially, I curated and searched for supplies. Finding the right items was crucial. I had to test out the products myself and place myself in my client’s shoes. How can I make family archiving fun and educational? The kit offers basic tools to get started and a step by step guidebook to assist with research and preservation. The lesson I learned while creating this product was truly knowing the value of family history and what it takes to safeguard our precious history. The key lesson was striking a balance between affordability and conveying the significance of the preservation process to families.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
The most significant source of new clients for Ital Preservation has undoubtedly been my active engagement within professional networks. By forging connections with individuals from diverse organizations, I initiate conversations about preserving the legacy of small businesses, churches, local archives, non-profits or just their family history. I like to have meaningful dialogues with clients, where I emphasize the importance of preserving their records properly and being able to make work or life easier through simply just being organized and establishing a paper trail. The proof is always in that family bible, your journal, a photograph, a newspaper article, or a voice recording. You can’t change history especially if you preserve it correctly. These interactions have allowed me not only to teach and advocate about the importance of historic preservation but its been instrumental in closing that gap of representation in the field on multiple levels. I like to say that we are all archivists and historians at heart. We just need a little push to recognize and embrace it. Understanding their unique needs allows us to tailor our services effectively. Additionally, being part of business directories has proven valuable, expanding our reach and connecting us with those who share our commitment to preserving history and culture.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.italpreservation.com
- Instagram: italpreservation
- Facebook: Ital Preservation
- Twitter: @italpreserve