Gerardo Colmenar

Information Services

Davidson Library

U.C. Santa Barbara

S.B., CA 93106-9010

July 17, 2002

Ninfa Trejo

240 E. Yvon Drive,

Tucson, Arizona 85704

Dear Mrs. Trejo,

On behalf of the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, we would like to extend our condolences to you, the Trejo family, as well as to our colleagues in REFORMA. We share with you your sadness on the loss of a caring spouse, well-respected library leader, and a community and social activist. We also remember a colleague who dedicated his life and career to the advancement of the library profession, especially to Latino librarianship.

His vision and dedication to the library profession and to Spanish-speaking communities have had broader implications for diversity in librarianship, for they transcended racial lines, affecting librarians of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. The APALA organization is a case in point. The formation of REFORMA and the Black Caucus in the early 70s served as models for Asian Pacific American librarians as they began thinking about creating an organization which would address its members’ mission of social responsibility and justice. Thus, in 1980 APALA was formally established and since that time has remained committed to the same social, cultural, and political issues championed by Dr. Trejo’s long and distinguished career; issues such as multicultural librarianship, cultural preservation, and recruitment of librarians from underrepresented groups.

At the personal level some APALA members were fortunate enough to have been mentored by Dr. Trejo; they worked side-by-side with him, knowing that everything this inspiring teacher and role model did came from the heart.

If we can be of assistance please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Con cariño y respeto,

Gerardo Colmenar

APALA President, 2002 – 03