Check out what happened at the Labriola Center in February 2026! This month we had many events, including Labriola Book Club, Tiered Skirt Workshop, Indigenous Open Mic Night and "Seeds of Language, Seeds of Stories" creative writing series with Dr. Manny Loley.
First Generation Zone tabling event
Tuesday, Feb. 3
First Generation Zone Conference offers research-based information, tangible tips and actionable steps to faculty, staff, students, and community members who want to enhance their skill set in support of the success of first-generation students. The First Generation Zone Conference provides a stage for first-generation students to share their inspiring stories, achievements, and perspectives. By doing so, they play a pivotal role in helping our staff and faculty better understand the unique barriers they face and the incredible resilience they demonstrate.
The Labriola Center enjoyed an afternoon tabling at the First Generation Zone Conference at the Memorial Union. Staff shared Labriola library resources, such as our special collections and how to contact our Indigenous librarians, who can help students, staff, and community members navigate information and services available at the Labriola Center.
Resources for First Generation college students
First Generation Resource Guide by Librarian Allinston Saulsberry
This library guide is designed to introduce ASU First-Generation (first-gen) students, faculty, and staff to the ASU Library and to provide support to ensure success in accessing and utilizing resources and services at the library.
Reading resources from ASU Library
Know that you Are Worthy : Experiences from First-Generation College Graduates
An inspiring and affordable first-hand look at the experiences of first-generation college students in their own voices, looking back after graduation at the rewards and challenges for them, and what a first-generation education means to families and communities.
BYOS Sewing Saturday
Saturday, Feb. 7
At the Bring Your Own Supplies Sewing Saturday, Miss Indigenous ASU Tonana Ben and Program Coordinator Yitazba Largo-Anderson assisted a student who brought in a project for an Indigenous Fashion Design course at Arizona State University. The student had a design layout for a ribbon skirt with black lace details. This was her first time sewing. Tonana helped walk the student through the process for making a ribbon skirt and gave her tips for sewing ribbon to fabric with the lace. Another library aide, Myacedes Miller arrived with a friend and a sewing machine. They spent the day making keychains with Tonana.
What sewing resources are available at ASU Library?
ASU Library not only has books, but also a Makerspace where ASU students and staff can take sewing workshops, laser cutting workshops, 3D printer workshops, and borrow equipment for projects.
A fun and resourceful way to save money on materials is to use what you already have by either mending worn items or upcycling them into something new. If you're looking for ideas on upcycling, check out the Ebook below for inspiration!
Fashion upcycling : the DIY guide to sewing, mending, and sustainably reinventing your wardrobe
Save your wallet and the planet by repurposing older clothes and secondhand finds into fashionable new looks! In Fashion Upcycling, popular TikTok designer and Project Runway Junior contestant Ysabel Hilado shares her secrets for reinventing old clothing into dazzling new outfits. With several do-it-yourself, beginner-friendly projects and genius tips and tricks, you'll learn to express yourself and reinvent your closet in all-new ways. From dyeing faded clothes to easy ways to repurpose denim, there’s a project for everyone.
Labriola Book Club: I've Been Here All the While
Sunday, Feb. 8
"I've Been Here All the While" by Dr. Alaina Roberts takes a deeper look into the relationships between Black and Indigenous peoples and their positions (sometimes intentional, coerced, or forced) within the colonial expansion of the West. Her research documents the complexity of Indigenous identity and relationship to land, and how both Indigenous and African-American peoples either attempted or intentionally disrupted assimilation and citizenship.
On Sunday morning, the Labriola Center and Dr. Alan Shane Dillingham, Associate Professor in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies hosted a book club to shine light on research Dr. Roberts conducted for her history book "I've Been Here All the While." The conversations held from the book club were invigorating and pushed everyone to think about settlers and settler colonialism and what we can learn from our past to create futures where we can reconcile and reconnect with each other.
Dr. Alaina E. Roberts is an award-winning historian who studies the intersection of Black and Native American life from the Civil War to the modern day. This focus originates from her own family history: her father’s ancestors survived Indian Removal’s Trail of Tears and were owned as slaves by Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians. Currently an Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Roberts holds a Doctorate in History from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in History, with honors, from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Dr. Dillingham is a historian and Associate Professor in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University. Dillingham’s research focuses on the history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. He has published on twentieth-century Mexico, the intersection of anti-colonial politics and development policy, and labor and youth-led social movements. An enrolled tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Dr. Dillingham seeks to connect the history and politics of Native peoples across the Americas in his teaching and scholarship.
Tiered Skirt Workshop with Miss Indigenous ASU
Wednesday, Feb.11 and Thursday, Feb. 12
Miss Indigenous ASU, Tonana Ben, hosted a tiered skirt workshop over two evenings where participants learned how to take their measurements to cut their fabric, learned how to use the sewing machines from the ASU Library Makerspace, how to add elastic, hem, and pleat their fabric for the tiered effect. Two participants completed their skirts within the first session! Other participants came back the following day to finish.
More sewing resources at ASU Library!
Sewing for Beginners Handy Pocket Guide: All the Basics; Tips and Techniques
Format: Ebook
Synopsis: "This mini pocket guide is packed with mega information curated for sewing beginners! Once you've found your perfect pattern, use this guide to lead you through the sewing process to answer all of your questions along the way."
Tour with Coronado High School
Thursday, Feb. 12
On Thursday morning, a group of high schoolers from Coronado High School toured the Labriola Center, Community Driven Archives, and the Makerspace at Hayden Library. Beginning at the Labriola Center, Coronado students listened to a presentation from Sr. Program Coordinator Eric Hardy, made buttons with a button-making machine, received a tour from Jasmine Torrez, Archivist at the Community Driven Archives, and ended with a final tour in the Makerspace from Alexia Lopez. The students, teacher and librarian from Coronado High School seemed to really enjoy themselves!
Meet and Greet with Dr. Alaina Roberts
Friday, Feb. 13
Students and community members gathered in the Labriola Center at Hayden Library to meet Dr. Alaina Roberts, Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh to talk about her book, "I've Been Here All the While." During this Meet and Greet Dr. Roberts and Dr. Shane Alan Dillingham, Associate Professor at the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University, discussed their familial roots to the Choctaw and shared a bit of their family history in relation to the topic of the book. They discussed the often complex circumstances their ancestors had to navigate during the time of slavery in the United States and how Indigenous communities navigated with slavery. Additionally, a few student participants asked questions on how they could best discuss this topic with their family members and how they could utilize Dr. Robert’s book in their own research and classes. The robust discussion went for about an hour, where Dr. Robert’s had to depart for next talking engagement at ASU Old Main.
Labriola weekly runs
Saturday, Feb. 14
It was a beautiful morning to attend the weekly running session on Saturday, February 14 with my colleagues Eric Hardy, Colton Jim, Alex Soto and his wife, Paloma. I arrived thinking we might run at our own paces, however we ran as a group along the Salt River. I felt pretty proud of myself for running as long as I did (I made it about halfway back before my stamina tapped out). Something important I learned was that these runs are not focused on what you are able to push through, but what you can push through together. I don't consider myself a runner, however, I really enjoyed the time I spent outside next to the water among people who care about connection to our land, culture, and community. The run helped my mental health, and those around me helped remind me that I'm not alone. Life is truly hard, especially this past year. I reflected a lot on how I can become better aware of my surroundings, including my body's landscape and how I contributed blessings to the Salt River and land through my breath and my footsteps.
Some things to keep in mind for those who are interested in attending the weekly runs:
- Bring water and maybe some band-aids for your toes in case you get blisters (at that point, it's a good idea to check if your athletic shoes are the correct footwear for your gait and foot size).
- Practice making an effort to not look behind you while running, because on the Prayer Run, you are not supposed to look behind you.
As a female, I don't feel safe running alone so I really appreciated Alex, Eric, Colton, and Paloma's company. They gave me helpful tips when I started getting a stitch in my side. Talking to others helps regulate your breath and being a part of a group run makes the run seem a lot less strenuous than it is!
-Written by Yitazba Largo-Anderson
Reading resources on running at ASU Library!
Send a Runner: a Navajo Honors the Long Walk
Format: Physical book
Synopsis: "The Navajo tribe, the Diné, are the largest tribe in the United States and live across the American Southwest. But over a century ago, they were nearly wiped out by the Long Walk, a forced removal of most of the Diné people to a military-controlled reservation in New Mexico. The summer of 2018 marked the 150th anniversary of the Navajos' return to their homelands. One Navajo family and their community decided to honor that return. Edison Eskeets and his family organized a ceremonial run from Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, to Santa Fé, New Mexico, in order to deliver a message and to honor the survivors of the Long Walk. Both exhilarating and punishing, Send a Runner tells the story of a Navajo family using the power of running to honor their ancestors and the power of history to explain why the Long Walk happened. From these forces, they might also seek the vision of how the Diné--their people--will have a future."
Run the World: My 3,500-mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe
Format: Ebook and Book
Synopsis: A Global Perspective on Running. "An elite marathoner describes the year she spent running over 3,500 miles in nine different countries, living with host families and exploring diverse running communities and cultures all over the globe."
Indigenous Open Mic Night with Dr. Manny Loley
Thursday, Feb. 28
Prior to the Open Mic, Dr. Loley led a workshop tied to the series "Seeds of Language, Seeds of Stories." Read details on the series here.
The air was warm. The sunset below surrounded brick and glass buildings. The evening light emitted a promise of summer's arrival: a slow and warm burn. The sky was soft. I am thankful for the stories shared at the Indigenous Open Mic Night with Dr. Manny Loley. The Open Mic included food from The Rez, an Urban Eatery. Chef Mario's red chili stew warmed our throats and hugged our bellies, paired with sparkling purple prickly pear drinks, squash muffins, and blue corn bread. Volunteers from the crowd read original poems from the workshop series with Dr. Loley or from their personal projects. We even had a guest appearance by Dr. Laura Tohe! Both Tohe and Loley ended the evening with poems written by Rex Lee Jim, a prolific poet, leader, and healer who passed away last Tuesday, February 24. From Diné College, "Mr. Jim was a respected traditional knowledge holder and a former Vice President of the Navajo Nation (2011 – 2015), dedicating his life to serving his people. He served with the 21st Navajo Nation Council (2003-2011). At the time of his passing, Vice President Jim was in the final stages of his Social Justice PhD program at Arizona State University. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the Navajo community and all who had the privilege of knowing him."
Dr. Loley began the evening with a song, sung in Diné Bizaad. He was followed by Yitazba Largo-Anderson, who read from some of Klee Benally's "No Spiritual Surrender." Kevin Brown, former Director of Albuquerque Library, assisted with hosting the Open Mic and read an original poem he wrote while staying in Hawaii. He and a Hawaiian shared some of their cultural stories, and found that they share a deity who resembles "Changing Woman," for Navajos. Several audience members participated in Dr. Loley's workshop series and read original works inspired by the series. Loralyn, an undergraduate student, shared a poem. Mikki, a community member from White Mountain Apache and Navajo, has thus far attended all of the Blue Corn events from AZ Humanities and created a small book that includes her writings and watercolor from a watercoloring event she attended! She shared some of her poems at the Open Mic. Ifeanyi, another participant from the series, expressed his gratitude for the series and for Dr. Loley's teachings. He noted how powerful of a listener Dr. Loley is and that the series have been truly healing and inspiring for him. Mario Etsity, owner of The Rez, an Urban Eatery, shared a cultural story about the horned toad, and brought laughter and smiles to the crowd. Amber McCrary, distinguished author and poet, shared work from her book "Blue Corn Tongue" and her newest zine dedicated to strays on the reservation called "Rez Dogs." Laura Tohe, who recently won Arizona State Poet Laureate, read a poem by Rex Lee Jim in honor of his legacy. Dr. Loley ended the evening with a poem he helped Dr. Jim translated from Diné Bizhaad to English.
A huge thank you to Kevin Brown for hosting, our Library Aides Myacedes Miller, Lainey Tsosie, Mafi Pamaka, Talia Poras, Tonana Ben, and Elena Dominguez for holding it down, and our IT team Gary Asby and Matt Trobaugh for helping with tech.
-Written by Yitazba Largo-Anderson
