Blog originally posted March 20, 2019
This month staff at Simcoe County Archives are participating in the 2019 #ItStarts campaign. #ItStarts is a joint initiative between the County of Simcoe and the Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) that aims to raise public awareness and to “promote a unified community that embraces acceptance, inclusion, equity and diversity” (LIP).
On Monday March 18, 2019 Archives staff hosted a multicultural potluck to celebrate #ItStarts. The meal included family recipes, staff favourites, and a few first-time attempts at new dishes. The potluck gave us a great opportunity to come together, enjoy a meal, and learn something new about cultures, cuisines, and each other.
The focus of this year’s #ItStarts campaign is action, and Archives staff were asked to select a word that best represents how or where that action should start. For us, #ItStarts with “Community”.
At Simcoe County Archives, we seek to collect and make accessible the documentary heritage of the County. The records we hold are evidence of many of the communities that make up the county and we are committed to preserving these diverse histories for future generations. Some histories are longer than others and that is OK; communities change and grow, and as a public repository it is important that the Archives are representative of all those who call Simcoe County home. At the Archives, #ItStarts with the communities we serve.
In order to better meet the needs of our communities, Archives staff are seeking opportunities to expand the coverage of our collections in order to better represent the diversity present in Simcoe County. We are interested in records from individuals, clubs, societies, business and any other active or formerly active organizations in the County. If you are interested in donating records to Simcoe County Archives, please visit our Donation page for more details, or contact us at archives@simcoe.ca to arrange a meeting.
To learn more about the #ItStarts campaign and to get involved, please visit Immigration Simcoe, and follow #ItStarts on social media.