WOMEN in california Archaeology

Committee

The WCA was formed in Spring 2012 to provide a venue for discussion related to women archaeologists in California. The WCA works to provide support and mentorship to women practicing archaeology in the state through individual and/or group interactions. Over the years, the WCA has organized forums and symposia, hosted film screenings, and established childcare at the annual meetings.

WCA Core Committee:

• Kaely Colligan, Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc. – Chair
• Kaitlin Brown, CSU Channel Island Lecturer – Committee member
• Annamarie Leon Guerrero, Cultural Services Coordinator East Bay Regional Parks – Committee member
• Jennifer Darcangelo, Pacific Gas and Electric Company – Advisory

• Martha Nuno Diaz-Long, UC Berkeley, Graduate Student. – Coalition for Diversity in California Archaeology Committee Liaison

Please feel free to contact us at wcarchaeology@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Women's Oral History Project

Archaeology in California has changed drastically in the past five decades. The cut-off shorts, cigarettes, and bare-chested excavations of the 1960s and 70s are a far cry from the steel-toed, hard-hatted, CRM projects of today. Archaeologists whose early careers started in these decades are beginning to retire. Before they hang up their trowels for good, their stories and memories of the past need to be collected, preserved, and shared. Their experiences and the trails they blazed have helped shape archaeology in California today.

Many thanks to Annamarie Guerrero and Dana Shew, who pitched this idea to the board and began recording at the 2019 Annual Meeting. We present the first of the edited videos here.