AFS Annual Meeting AFSANNUALMEETING
AFS Annual Meeting

Midwest Folklorists and Cultural Workers Alliance

Who We Are

The Midwest Folklorists & Cultural Worker Alliance (MFCWA) is a network of individuals who share, collaborate on, and advocate for folklife and cultural work in the Midwest. The group meets the first Wednesday of the month on Zoom at 2pm Central/3pm Eastern time. This group is open to anyone interested and new members are always welcome.

A group of people stand in front of Chicago's reflective "bean" monument

What We Do

MFCWA is a community of practice for people working in folklore and related fields that meets monthly from September through June. Goals and activities of the MFCWA include:

  1. Network folklorists and cultural workers located in the Midwest, providing opportunities for capacity-building, relationship-building, and collaboration; 
  2. Connect to and with other networks and organizations; 
  3. Receive and share updates about important initiatives that impact folklife and cultural work in the Midwest; 
  4. Share our past and current work; 
  5. Troubleshoot, give, and receive support from peers for projects members are working on; 
  6. Mentor students and new professionals in the region; 
  7. Manage a directory of midwestern folklorists and cultural workers; and 
  8. Manage a bibliography of midwestern folklife and cultural materials. 

MFCWA Retreat

MFCWA also occasionally coordinates a retreat aimed at fostering interdisciplinary, cross-state interactions and capacity-building. Past activities at MFCWA retreats have included:

  • neighborhood and cultural tours; 
  • professional development workshops; 
  • opportunities to sample local foodways; 
  • planning sessions for the region led by skilled facilitators; and 
  • the chance to network and spend time with each other face to face. 

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