Emma Cieslik
National Museum of the American Indian
Collections Specialist Contractor
Washington, DC
I am a museum professional based in Washington, D.C. with over five years of experience in curatorial and collections management positions focused on the research and care of objects with inherent spiritual and sacred value. I am also a public historian and ethnographer focused on the shift of American Catholicism, queer religious identity, and material culture in the United States, specifically focused on the the intersection of gender, sexuality, and religion readoption. My previous work has been published in The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, Feminist Studies in Religion, Nursing Clio, The Archer, Religion & Politics, and The Revealer. Currently, I am working with the National Museum of the American Indian while pursuing a master's degree in Museum Studies at George Washington University, where I have written a comprehensive paper on the ethical issues surrounding the collection of religious and religious-associated objects. I use she/her pronouns.