Bienvenidos: RNC III in El Paso
Posted October 6th, 2008by Loriene Roy
El Paso welcomed the REFORMA National Conference (RNC) III from 18 -21 September. Programs and events were organized under the theme of “Bridging the Gaps: Juntos@the Border.” RNC III was dedicated to the work of the late Dr. Arnulfo Duenes Trejo, who is attributed with founding REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.
At left, Loriene Roy at a canyon outside El Paso, prior to one of REFORMA’s many events, and the Tiffany Dome at the Camino Real Hotel in El Paso, REFORMA’s host city.
The first day of the conference offered two pre-conferences, one on library advocacy delivered by staff and elected officers of the American Library Association (ALA) and the second, !Adelante! Library Services for Your Latino Communities, co-presented by Dr. Camila Alire, the first Latino/a to be elected to serve as President-Elect of ALA, and Jacqueline Ayala, San Diego Public Library.
Social events, from the beinvenidos/welcome reception, exhibits reception, noche de cuentos@the border, author luncheons, and awards banquet and dance, featured local cultural expressions, including mariachi, flamenco, and country-western music, piñatas, paper flowers, and papel picado, cut paper patterns.
Given the 40 programs, it was difficult to choose between presentations, such as “The Role of Librarians Serving Documented and Undocumented Immigrants,” “Trends in Marketing to Latinos: Implications for Libraries,” and “Developing Cultural Competence by Using El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros to Celebrate Literacy Throughout the Year!” I worked my itinerary around programs that related to leadership, education, research, seeking overlaps between issues and content that would carry into thinking and writing in indigenous studies.
Among a number of the excellent programs I selected to attend was “Born to Lead: The Power and Passion of Leadership,” delivered by Dr. Camila Alire and Luis Herrera, Director of the San Francisco Public Library. Under their subtheme, “to maintain is to be a manager. To bring about change is to be leader,” Alire and Herrera summarized traits of leaders. These are, specifically, seven characteristics of leadership: advocacy, collaboration, communication, humanistic, risk taking, team-building, and respect. Herrera identified the three dimensions of Latino leaders as they function as collaborators, communicators, and cultural keepers.
For more information on REFORMA and the third national conference see www.reforma.org. Dr. Alire’s Presidential website is located at www.camilaalire.com.
This brings to mind parallels in Native leaders, those who occupy traditional roles and contemporary roles as chiefs and cacique to the modern business style leaders of chairwomen/men. We think of the leaders in our workplaces and in our professional organizations, those we turn to as role models and innovators.
* How can Native people express their cultural connections in the workplace?
* Would Native leaders show similar characteristics of Latino leaders? Would they have additional characteristics?
* How can we help prepare the Native leaders of tomorrow?
There are a number of ways to find content on leadership in The American Indian Experience.
* Subject search. Click on these links under the category of “Governance and the Law”: Activists and Militants, Governance, and Political Leaders. Or, look under the category of “Icons” for links to entries of nearly 70 retrospective and contemporary Native people. Browse the subcategories for links to content on topics including “Indian rights activists, women” and Tribal Leaders. Results point you to entries on individuals including Black Elk and Winona LaDuke, in sources such as The Encyclopedia of Native American Biography and Indian Terms of the Americas.
* Topic Guides. See the guide on “Tecumseh’s Resistance.”
* Title Lists. Browse Titles such as Native Americans in the News.
* Skills Center. Find examples of teacher lesson plans on related topics such as “American Indian Art and Artists” and “War Stories: A Memoir.”
* Image Index. Locate thumbnail images of individuals such as Sherman Alexie by clicking on his name as a subject heading in the sub-category column.
* Landmark Documents. Find the text of speeches of Native leaders such as Red Jacket and Chief Joseph.
