About Us

The Nomadic Archivists Project (NAP) is a pioneering initiative dedicated to partnering with individuals, community groups, organizations, and institutions to establish, preserve, and enhance collections that illuminate the global Black experience.

Our Foundation

NAP is built on the foundation of equitable partnerships, grounded in the needs and aspirations of the communities we serve. We are deeply committed to promoting archival awareness and literacy, partnering with those unfamiliar with the processes of identifying, collecting, and safeguarding cultural heritage to take ownership of their stories and ensure their legacies endure.

We prioritize archiving local histories from a grassroots perspective, challenging the traditional notion that curation and preservation must align with the missions of conventional repositories. Instead, we champion flexibility and the autonomy of individuals and communities to shape the narrative of their creative endeavors, political advocacy, family legacies, and histories on their own terms.

Interested in Partnering

For inquiries about NAP partnering with you on your archival projects, speaking engagements, seminars, and workshops, please contact us.

Partnering

Meet The Team

Miranda Mims

Co-Founder & Co-Director

Miranda Mims (she/her) is an archivist and cultural steward with nearly 20 years of experience in the cultural heritage field. She is the former Director of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation at the University of Rochester and spent nearly a decade at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Her passion for family, legacy, and history began early, inspired by her mother, who is a genealogist, and a deep desire to understand her ancestry. This work laid the foundation for her commitment to preserving Black memory as an active response to the forces of erasure that threaten Black stories. In 2017, Miranda co-founded the Nomadic Archivists Project (NAP) with Steven, inspired by the knowledge that archiving Black history is a vital, community-driven practice and a portal to the future.

Steven G. Fullwood

Co-Founder & Co-Director

Steven G. Fullwood (he/him) is an archivist, writer, and cultural documentarian committed to preserving the histories of people of African descent. A Toledo, Ohio, native, Steven’s career spans over 30 years, including 19+ years at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, where he founded the In the Life Archive, the largest collection of materials by and about LGBTQ people of African descent. In 2004, Steven founded Vintage Entity Press, where he published works of poetry, fiction, and anthologies, including Black Gay Genius: Answering Joseph Beam’s Call (2014) and Carry the Word: A Bibliography of Black LGBTQ Books with RedBone Press (2007). His work has earned recognition from The New York Times and the New York Public Library, but his greatest honor is being in service to the global Black community, past, present, and future.

Lee Levingston Perine

Community Liaison

Lee Levingston Perine (he/him) joins NAP as our Community Liaison and is a curator, cultural strategist, and creative producer. His work builds community while celebrating the artistry, diversity, and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ communities. As a history lover, he is committed to documenting and sharing the stories of Black LGBTQ+ elders and ancestors for present and future generations.

Tanya M. Beltran

Creative Director

Tanya M. Beltran (she/her) joins NAP as our Creative Director, focusing on content management. She is a Global Regulatory Publisher with 16 years of experience leading, managing, and archiving government-regulated submissions for the U.S. and abroad. We agree that her day job sounds as serious as her photo looks, but, as a Bronx-based poet, Beltran's creative side always wins.