Honoring Spirits
Wopida Tanka! (Many thanks!) As I reflect on my story wheel coming full circle, I am blessed to be surrounded by humble leaders who are the true helpers of society. In my final column as ALA president, I am taking this opportunity to recognize them, as it is always right to celebrate the human spirit by honoring good people.
These intellectual freedom warriors have been instrumental in helping me serve in this capacity. First, my heart goes out to my husband, Nathan, who gives his all to our family—and as a manager at Johnson County (Kans.) Library (JCL). I am grateful to Team JCL for all their support during this interesting and important time. What a whirlwind! I also acknowledge my sister, Cat, who takes such good care of our girls. We love you!
It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve during these times of change with the support of my presidential advisory committee. Each committee member has inspired me, and I thank them for their service to the field.
A shout-out to Carrie Cornelius, the fierce librarian at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. She runs an exemplary library model and truly cares about students. I also recognize George Gottschalk and his work with the Joint Council of Librarians of Color. He’s another caring librarian who steps up to make things happen at Kansas State University in Manhattan. Elayne Silversmith, thank you for the late-night calls and for providing words of wisdom.
Anthony Chow, we did it! It was so heartwarming to see students of the Bridging Knowledge scholarship program graduate in May from San José (Calif.) State University’s (SJSU) School of Information. I am forever grateful to the partners and mentors who supported them. May you all have rewarding careers in libraries. Speaking of SJSU, they have some amazing faculty, including Patty Wong. Thank you, Patty, for believing in me and welcoming me to serve on your 2021–2022 ALA presidential advisory committee.
Representation is important. It has been challenging serving as an Indigenous president who has tried to lead calmly, using humility as a guide. Even though I did not serve on ALA Council, the late Roberto Delgadillo encouraged my leadership in this field, unapologetically. He would tell me, “We need your voice!” For that, I am grateful.
As we look at what belonging in ALA means, I encourage everyone to remember why the Spectrum Scholarship Program was created. Continuing with “the way things have always been done” will not take us where we need to go. In the early days of Spectrum, we often said, “The future is overdue.” This still rings true in 2025. We must focus on our core values if we are to truly elevate equity in this field. Breaking the mold requires support from leaders who see a vision for belonging, and I thank former ALA presidents Jim Neal and Betty Turock for their support.
It is always right to recognize our elders, and I thank former ALA Executive Director Elizabeth Martinez for her leadership. When I reflect on the giants who have supported me in my career, I am honored to say that Satia Marshall Orange and Binnie Tate Wilkin took me under their wings and inspired me to carry the torch forward. Their spirits will be with us whenever the Spectrum family gathers. We are forever grateful for their tenacity, grit, and perseverance. #WeAreSpectrum
Over the past year, I hope that I have brought encouragement to colleagues across this field as we work together for a bright future. I am not sure what’s next, but I am grateful for this experience. Thank you to the staff and trustees of Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library for your support.
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