RBS-Mellon Cultural Heritage Fellows for 2021–2023


In June 2019, Rare Book School received a $1.5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage, a six-year program which aims to advance multicultural collections through innovative and inclusive curatorial practice and leadership (press release). Fostering new models for diverse and inclusive cultural heritage programming, this fellowship seeks to advance multicultural collections through innovative curatorial practice and leadership. The fellowship will provide professional development opportunities for early- to mid-career professionals currently working in a special collections library, archive, or other cultural heritage institution located in the United States. The fellowship seeks to fulfill four core goals: 1) developing skills for documenting and interpreting visual and textual materials in special collections and archives; 2) raising awareness within professional communities about the significance of inclusive, multicultural collections; 3) building connections with diverse communities and publics through strategic programming, outreach, and advocacy; 4) and advancing careers by establishing new pathways and skills for professional growth. See the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage page for more information.

For the next three years, 15 fellows will be selected to join the cohort through an open application process. There will be three cohorts of 15 fellows each, for a total of 45 fellows. Each cohort will meet and work in the program for three full years. Over the course of the program, cohorts would progressively overlap, allowing fellows from different cohorts to meet and interact during RBS courses, and other activities. Fellows will build connections with diverse communities and publics through a combination of strategic programming, outreach, advocacy, and training.

15 RBS-Mellon Cultural Heritage fellowships for 2021–2023 were awarded in April 2021.

2021–2023 Cultural Heritage Fellows

  • Meaghan Alston, Project Archivist, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Yao Chen, Librarian for East Asian Studies and Global Studies, University of California Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara
  • Zayda Delgado, Special Collections Librarian & Archivist, Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library, Sonoma County Library
  • Jina DuVernay, Collection Development Archivist for African American Collections, Special Collections, Emory University
  • Sandy Enríquez, Special Collections Public Services, Outreach & Community Engagement Librarian, Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside
  • Lorena Gauthereau, Digital Program Manager, Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage, University of Houston
  • Suzanne Im, Acting Senior Librarian, Digitization & Special Collections, Los Angeles Public Library
  • Ayshea Khan, Asian Pacific American Community Archivist, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library
  • Selena Ortega-Chiolero, Museum Specialist, Environmental Stewardship Department, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council
  • Jhensen Ortiz, Librarian, CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Archives and Library, The City College of New York
  • Albert A. Palacios, Digital Scholarship Coordinator, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Rosa M. Peña, Library Assistant I, Los Angeles County Library, President, La Historia Historical Society
  • Keala M. Richard, Conservation Technician, Preservation Department Book Conservation Lab, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
  • Rhiannon Sorrell, Instruction & Digital Services Librarian, Kinyaa’áanii Charlie Benally Library, Diné College
  • Jasmine Sykes-Kunk, Reference Associate, Special Collections, New York University