Angela Labrador

MEMBER AT LARGE

Why I’m Involved:
I believe that heritage and education go hand in hand. The stories and values we ascribe to heritage are learned, whether at the knee of a grandparent, at the dinner table, in a museum gallery, or in a classroom. Educators play an essential role in enabling this intergenerational transmission of knowledge and skills that keep heritage a vital part of people’s lives. Using heritage as a bridge can help teachers better connect with their students to meet curricular objectives. Furthermore, educators who mindfully integrate cultural heritage into the classroom can help foster intercultural understanding and environmental stewardship. I believe that what the world needs now, more than ever, is a rising generation of youth who value each others’ diverse heritage, feel a sense of belonging, and are committed to caring for their communities and local places. Heritage education can play a part in getting us there.

Bio: Angela M. Labrador is an Assistant Program Director and a senior lecturer for the MA in Cultural Heritage Management and MA in Museum Studies programs at Johns Hopkins University. She is an expert in how education can contribute to heritage safeguarding—and how integrating heritage into education leads to better educational outcomes. She has published on the topic, served as lead technical consultant for developing UNESCO’s Clearinghouse on Living Heritage and Education, and has trained educators in place-based education and object-based learning using digital technologies. She recently co-directed an NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture grant using archaeological sites in Vermont. Labrador serves as co-chair of the Society for American Archaeology’s Public Education Committee, is an expert member of the ICOMOS International Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage, and is past president of the Vermont Archaeological Society. She holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.