Meet the Labriola team

• alyciademesa@asu.edu

Alycia de Mesa's maternal lineage is Apache of Chihuahua (Mexico), mestiza, and Japanese descent. She works with tribal communities as the Indigenous Education Specialist for the Firekeeper's Initiative (Building Archival Data Sovereignty through Indigenous Memory Keeping) with Labriola, National American Indian Data Center at ASU. Alycia completed her PhD in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society in Spring 2025. Her research focused on centering Indigenous Knowledge Sovereignty for community memory keeping through digital storytelling and counter mapping. From 2015-2023, Alycia was a Faculty Instructor for ASU School of Sustainability graduate and undergraduate programs and is a UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab expert and Senior Global Futures Scholar with Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory.

Education

• Ph.D. Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology, School for the Future of Innovation In Society, Arizona State University
• B.A. Political Science; minor French Literature, Arizona State University (with full music scholarship for harp performance)

• Mary.P.Taylor@asu.edu

• Penrose.Fulwilder@asu.edu

Nataani Hanley-Moraga

Nataani Hanley-Moraga (Navajo/Húŋkpapȟa Lakota) is from Window Rock, Arizona. He has received an A.S. business degree from Mesa Community College (MCC) in 2020, and a Bachelors in American Indian Studies and a minor in Economics at Arizona State University. He is a Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society Member, the MCC President’s List, 2017 – 2020, and President of the American Indian Science & Engineering Society, 2019-2020. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Library and Information Sciences at the University of Arizona Online. As a member of the Knowledge River Scholars program at University of Arizona, he is completing his masters as a Graduate Assistant at the Labriola Center in archives. Nataani plans to pursue a Juris Doctorate in Indian Law at Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law after graduation and assist Tribal communities in creating protections around tribal intellectual properties and knowledge systems.

Lainey Tsosie

Yá’át’ééh! Shí éí Lainey Tsosie yinishyé. Irish nishłi, Tot'soh'nii báshíshchíín, Irish dashicheii, Todích'íí'nii dashinálí. Ákót’éego diné asdzáán nishłį́.

Hello everyone! My name is Lainey Tsosie and I am of the Navajo Nation. I am a sophomore in the Barrett Honors College and I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish. I hope to earn my masters in the same field here at ASU and to become a licensed counselor.

I wanted to join Labriola in order to learn more about my own Diné culture while simultaneously learning about other Arizona tribes and culture, as well. I love that Labriola is a safe space for Indigenous students on campus and I am looking forward to contributing to being a part of that space. I am also a huge bookworm and am excited to read more novels Labriola offers in their archives! A fun fact about me: I love doing landscape and portrait photography in my free time. Ahéhee'!

Tonana Ben

Ya’át’ééh! Shí éí Tonana Ben yinishyé. Ádóoné’é nishłį́nígíí éí tó aheedlíínii nishłí dóó tachii’nii báshíshchíín, nóóda’í dine’é táchii’nii dashicheii dóó kin łichíí’nii dashinálí. Shí éi Tó Nehelį́į́h naashá. K’ad éí Hoozdo di shighan. Shí éí Arizona State University di ííníshta’. Biomedical Sciences baa ííníshta’.

Hello everyone! My name is Tonana Ben, I am The Water Flows Together clan born for the Red People Running into the Water clan, my maternal grandfather is The Ute people of the Red Running into the Water clan and my paternal grandfather is The Red House clan. I am from Tonalea, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation but live in Phoenix. I am a third year student here at Arizona State University studying Biomedical Sciences! I joined Labriola because I wanted to meet more indigenous students while also helping them navigate at a large University by being a part of the amazing indigenous space that is Labriola. A fun fact about me is that I am the 2023-2024 Miss Indian Arizona 2nd Attendant! Ahé’hee’ thank you!

Colton Jim

Ya'at'ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é. Shí éí Colton Jim yinishyé. Áshįįhí nishłį́ Naasht’ezhí Tábąąha bashishchiin Tódích’ii’nii éí dashicheii Kinyaa’áanii éí dashinalí. Shí éí Tό Nehelįįh iyisíí naashá ndi Hoozdoodi dashighan k’ad. Computer Science éí baa ííniíshta’.

Hello everyone my name is Colton Jim. I am of the Salt People clan, born for the Zuni Edgewater clan, my maternal grandfather is of the Bitter Water clan, and my paternal grandfather is of the Towering House clan. I am from the Navajo tribe and reside near Tonalea, Arizona. I am a junior, majoring in Computer Science. I want to attain my bachelors, gain experience in the tech-industry before coming back for my masters and choosing a field to specialize in. My ultimate goal is to help enhance software features in my community and surrounding communities and possibly begin teaching younger generations and sharing my experiences. I chose to work at Labriola because I wanted to build upon my traditional and cultural knowledge. I wanted a deeper dive into understanding not just my culture but other cultures whether it be through Labriola events, the books they provide, or connecting with other individuals. I want to explore the correlation between various cultures and generally get a grasp on the similarities and differences Indigenous cultures face. Nevertheless, I am excited to be a part of Labriola and look forward to contributing to the culture Labriola has built. A fun fact about me is that I love the outdoors and strive to be active whether it be through hiking, biking, or running. Ahxé’hee.

Elena Dominguez

Lios enchi ania? Ket che allea.

Inepo Elena Dominguez ti teak. In Yo'am Kathleen into Manuel ti teak. Inepo Tempe ho'ak.  Mi grandma es nuevomexicana y mi nana es de Old Pascua. Mi grandpa es un minero de Sonora, AZ, y mi tata es de la tierra sur de Arizona. He's a mailman.

Hello, my name is Elena Dominguez, and I am Mexican American and Pascua Yaqui descent, among others. I grew up in Tempe, AZ, just outside of Guadalupe. I am a second-year student majoring in Environmental and Resource Management, in order to work in health and safety inspection, and to fight to secure water and land rights by designing environmental policy for Indigenous communities.

I joined Labriola because I wanted to be in a place where my special interests were the focal point, and it provided the most linear path to keep attending school. A fun fact - I can make balloon animals.

Falcon Reed

Ya'at'ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é. Shí éí Falcon Tas Reed yinishyé. Kinłichíí’níí nishłį́ Shoshone bashishchiin Tséníjikiní éí dashicheii Akimel O’odham éí dashinalí. 

Hello everyone, I’m Falcon Tas Reed. I am a Diné and Akimel O'odham freshman at W.P. Carey who is looking to major in Marketing. I was born in Tuba City and moved to the Valley in 2nd grade. When I was introduced to the Labriola before my first day of classes, I immediately felt the impact the Labriola had on me and what it could have on others. I value its drive for community and collection of indigenous data. I’m excited to be a part of Labriola because of this. I have lots of interests and strive to be open-minded so feel free to spark up a conversation with me anytime.

Mafi Pamaka

Malo e lelei, ko hoku hingoa ko Mafi Pamaka.

My dad is Tongan and my mom is Italian, Scotch-Irish and French. I originally majored in Business (Statistics) at the beginning of my first semester however with some time to think, I have since changed my major to Social and Cultural Analysis (Ethnicity, Race and Indigenous Studies) and added a certificate in Applied Business Data Analytics to be continued through the rest of my time here. I hope to start taking EMT classes at a local community college in order to pursue a career within the Fire Service.I wanted to join the Labriola team because I really enjoyed the events I had attended and talking with the community. I wanted to be a part of building the environment they are working towards at Labriola. I believe the vision that Labriola is currently embodying is in the best interest of many indigenous peoples. A fun fact about me is that I got certified in Wildland Firefighting and played 5 sports in high school.