The HBCU Library Alliance and the Digital Library Federation are pleased to introduce 10 fellows selected for the Authenticity Project, a mentoring, learning, and leadership program for early- to mid-career libraries, archives, and museum staff from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This program, which welcomed its initial cohort in 2019, and is supported by a generous grant from IMLS, will conclude this year.
Authenticity Project fellows will be mentored by experienced library professionals from the HBCU Library Alliance and/or DLF communities. They will participate in facilitated, online networking, and discussion sessions during the summer. In October, fellows and mentors will receive full travel, lodging, and registration expenses to attend the 2022 DLF Forum and related events taking place in Baltimore, MD.
Congratulations to our Authenticity Project fellows! Mentors for the fellows will be announced in the coming week.
Meet the Fellows:
Vanesa Evers
Vanesa Evers (they/she) is the Digital Publishing Librarian at Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library in Atlanta, GA. Vanesa received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) from Sarah Lawrence College in 2013 and a Master of Science in Library & Information Science (MSLIS) from Drexel University in 2019. Having worked in a variety of creative and professional organizations, Vanesa is passionate and dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion work. With a background in creative writing, Vanesa writes poetry with the importance of intersectionality in mind, exploring topics like the experience of being a Black woman, sexual orientation and gender identity, and religion. Aside from creative writing and librarian roles, Vanesa enjoys making jewelry and miniature greeting cards.
Jocelyne Caldera
Jocelyne Caldera holds bachelors’ degrees from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro in Arts Administration and in Music. In May of 2020 she completed her MLIS and now currently serves as the College Archivist for Bennett College. Though she hasn’t had this position for very long, she greatly admires its 149 year long history and firmly believes in its goal of helping young women of color discover and pursue their own passions.
Her professional interests include cataloging, digital preservation, and general archival conservation. In her spare time, she likes to read, listen to music, practice viola, and play video games!
Sloane N. Clark
Sloane Clark is a twenty-year veteran in the library science field who recently graduated from University of South Carolina’s museum management program. Sloane speaks three languages, (Spanish, English and Chinese) and has lived and traveled in China.
Martina Dodd
Martina Dodd is an Atlanta based art historian and curator. Her concept driven shows have touched on topics relating to race, gender and power dynamics.
Dodd holds a MA in the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas from the University of East Anglia and a BA in Anthropology and International Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She is currently the Program Director of Curation and Object Based Learning at the Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center and a founding editor of DIRT, an online independent platform and resource for accessible critical arts discourse within the DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area.
Sabrina Dyck
As a self proclaimed “purveyor” of all things history, Sabrina Dyck enjoys fostering an appreciation for the past through the use of archival and primary source materials in her teaching to prompt “lively” dialogue. Through participating in the Authenticity Project, she hopes to learn more about digital archives, preservation, and how to better prompt archives in her work.
Bryan Fuller
Bryan Fuller is a librarian at Morgan State University and work in GIS. He is interested in Digital Humanities like Literary and Historical GIS and text mining, and is currently working on a text corpus project.
Gregory Hill
Gregory Hill is the Circulation/Administrative Services Librarian at Livingstone College. Gregory’s journey into librarianship began as a library assistant with goals to become a librarian. Following two years of working in this capacity, he applied to the Library and Information Studies department at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Upon graduation, he received a promotion along with an even greater understanding of library services resulting from course completion which provided depth on topics pertinent to the foundation of librarianship. However, libraries have continuously evolved to meet the needs of users as digital access provides electronic resources and relevant sources of information through advancements in technology. This fellowship allows for personal growth as I am able to learn, but also contribute to the network in which our knowledge of the profession grows through each other’s involvement as colleagues.
Renise M. Johnson
Renise Johnson is currently the Head of Access Services/Systems Librarian at Morgan State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of the Virgin Islands. Ms. Johnson holds a MLIS from the University of Pittsburg. She has been in her current position since August 2017. Ms. Johnson’s passion for helping people is displayed on a daily as she interacts with students, faculty and the community at Earl S. Richardson Library. Her responsibilities include developing user friendly services that are welcoming and responsive to the users.
Tasmine Moore
Tasmine Moore is the Reference Collection Development Librarian at Mississippi Valley State University. Tasmine holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computers Information Science and an MLIS degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, and also received her EdS degree in Curriculum Instruction and Assessment from Walden University. She has over ten years of experience working in an academic library and is passionate when it comes to helping students. She loves learning innovative ways to enhance my knowledge and skills in the technology world. Tasmine’s hobbies include hunting, reading, fishing, and relaxing with family.
Jordan Signater
Jordan Signater is a Reference Librarian at the Prairie View A&M University’s John B. Coleman Library.
