Andrea Domínguez - REFORMA Scholarship Winner

Andrea Domínguez (she/they) is an incoming graduate student in the Master of Library and Information Studies program at the University of California Los Angeles. She earned her B.A in Chicana/o Studies from the University of California Davis, where she graduated with highest honors distinction for her senior thesis work: “Let me tell you about border love stories”. At UC Davis she also served as an academic community counselor in the Chicana/o Studies Department. 

I’m originally from Tijuana, México (Kumeyaay lands). My academic endeavors took me to Patwin lands where I graduated with a degree in Chicana/o Studies from UC Davis. I am most happy when I’m learning something new. My definition of fun is treasure hunting at a used bookstore. I also enjoy the outdoors, photography, and reading poetry. Currently, I am an incoming graduate student in the MLIS program at UCLA (Tongva lands). My aspirations to become a librarian stem from the wish to continue doing work rooted in community. To always remember that our love stories are ours—to celebrate, to share, to hang on to. I am very  excited and looking forward to serving my community with REFORMA in the upcoming academic year.
 

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Jessica Nombrano Larsen - REFORMA Scholarship Winner

Jessica Nombrano Larsen (she/her/hers) is a proud, first-generation, autistic Latina. She is also a mother, wife, neurodiversity advocate, and MLIS student at San Jose State University with a passion for helping students from underserved communities obtain educational equity. Her research is focused on the development of more effective academic and socio-emotional supports and resources for autistic students of color, and she would love to continue this work as an academic librarian/research professor once she obtains her degree. She is honored to be chosen as a REFORMA scholar, has received an ALA Spectrum scholarship, and has been awarded a Center for Expressive Technologies Seed Grant to start the Empowering Autistic Scholars Research Mentoring Program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
 

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Maria Dones - Rosa Treviño Memorial Scholarship Winner

Maria Dones is a youth services assistant at the Palm Harbor Library and an MLIS student at the University of South Florida. She has a passion for community building through fandom, creativity, and uplifting marginalized voices. She also writes YA fiction and has short stories published in Gingerbread House, Cicada, and Bourbon Penn. Her Puerto Rican roots inspire her work, both as a librarian and writer.