Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Dissertation: Toys Make a Nation: American Ethnic Toys, 1863-2005
Co-Directors: Philip Deloria and Kristin Hass
Readers: James W. Cook, Charles McGovern & Kathy Peiss
Comprehensive Examination Fields: Modern US Cultural History, Latina/o Studies and Popular Culture, Material Culture, Visual Culture, and Museum Studies
Master of Arts, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Concentration: US Cultural History
Certificate, Philanthropic and Fundraising Administration, New York University School Professional Studies, NY, NY
Bachelor of Arts, Smith College, Northampton, MA
Major: American Studies; concentration in race and ethnicity
Diversity Scholar, National Trust for Historic Preservation, November 2017 & October 2019
Texas Diversity Scholar, National Trust for Historic Preservation, November 2016
Fellow, National Association of Latino Arts and Culture Leadership Institute, San Antonio, TX, July 2013
Best of 2012 Award, San Antonio Current, recognized for historic preservation work, December 2012
Predoctoral Fellow, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, September 2008 - April 2009
Advisor: Fath Davis Ruffins
Jay and Deborah Last Fellow, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, MA, July 2008
Research Fellow, Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE, September - October 2006
Rackham Merit Fellow, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2002-2003, 2005-2007
Smithsonian Institute for the Interpretation and Representation of Latino Cultures Fellow, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, June-July 2005
Dean’s List, Smith College, Northampton, MA, 1996-1999
Honors & Fellowships
Research Interests
The history of San Antonio, Texas history, the history of toys, children’s popular culture, the history of childhood, material & visual culture, archival & museum studies, digital archives and exhibitions, public history, US cultural history, digital humanities, humanities & social media, Latina/o popular culture, artistic cultural expressions, comparative ethnic studies, ethnic imagery in popular culture, cultural memory, food history, & historic preservation.
Museum Experience
Director, Museo del Westside, Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, San Antonio, TX, June 2018-present
Lead Curatorial Researcher, Institute of Texan Cultures, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, Aug 2012 - June 2018
Research Curatorial Associate, Institute of Texan Cultures, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, Apr 2011 - Aug 2012
Guest Curator, Institute of Texan Cultures, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, Nov 2010 - Apr 2011
Predoctoral Fellow, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Sept 2008 - Apr 2009
Research Fellow, Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE, Sept - Oct 2006
Smithsonian Institute for the Interpretation and Representation of Latino Cultures Fellow, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Jun - Jul 2005
Curatorial Intern, Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI, Summer 2003
Intern, Archives of American Gardens, Horticulture Services Division, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Summer 1998
Intern, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Fall 1997
Teaching Experience
Public History, Department of History, Our Lady of the Lake University, Fall 2016
Mexican American Cultural History, Department of History, Our Lady of the Lake University, Fall 2015
History of US Women, Pre-Columbus to 1890, Department of History, University of Texas at San Antonio, Summer 2012
Early American Culture, Program in American Studies, Department of History, University of Texas at San Antonio, Spring 2012
Approaches to American Studies, Program in American Studies, Department of History, University of Texas at San Antonio, Fall 2011 & Spring 2012
History of the United States to 1877, Department of History, San Antonio College, Fall 2011
As Graduate Student Instructor of Record:
Introduction to College Writing, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Michigan, Fall 2009 & Winter 2010
Artifacts of American Culture: An Introduction to Material Culture Studies, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, Summer 2007
As Graduate Student Instructor:
US Latinas, Program in American Culture & Department of Women’s Studies, University of Michigan, Winter 2008
Introduction to Latina/o Studies, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, Fall 2007
American Film Genres, Program in American Culture & Department of Screen Arts & Culture, University of Michigan, Winter 2005
Politics & Culture of the 1960s, Program in American Culture & Department of History, University of Michigan, Fall 2004
American Values, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, Winter 2004
Race and US Cinema, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, Fall 2003
Selected Articles, Papers, & Presentations
“A Field Guide to Westside Vernacular Architecture,” in Vernacular Architecture of San Antonio and its Environs, edited by Brent R. Fortenberry, Texas A&M University Press, May 2020
“Latino Heritage Conservation: Locating Equity & Social Justice in Historic Preservation,” Marvin Breckinridge Patterson Lecture, University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, College Park, MD, February 2019
“Latino Heritage Conservation,” American Association for State and Local History Annual Meeting, Kansas City, MO, September 2018
“Heritage Conservation in Latin@ Communities,” National Council on Public History Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, April 2018
“Conducting & Processing Successful Digital Oral Histories,” guest lecture, Digital History, Professor Michael Weeks, Department of History, Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, TX, March 2017
“The Value of Heritage Conservation in Chican@ Studies,” National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Tejas Foco, College Station, TX, February 2017
“A Brief History of Latin@s in Houston,” Latinos in Heritage Conservation Reunión 2016, Houston, TX, November 2016
“History and Meaning of Día de los Muertos Children’s Workshop,” Viva Villa, San Antonio, TX, November 2016
“Oral History in the Classroom Teacher Workshop,” Institute of Texan Cultures, San Antonio, TX, October 2016
“Tejanos in World War II,” Latinos in the United States Armed Forces During World War II, academic panel sponsored by the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic, CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, Museo Memorial de la Resistencia Dominicana, and Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 2016
“Before the Courts,” La Voz de Esperanza 29, no. 6 (July/August 2016): 4-5. https://issuu.com/esperanzasanantonio/docs/lavoz_-_july_august_2016
“Latinos in Heritage Conservation: Establishing a National Vision for American Latinos and Historic Preservation,” in Bending the Arc: 50 Ideas to Shape the Next 50 Years of Preservation Practice, edited by Max Page and Marla Miller, University of Massachusetts Press, July 2016
“Telling the Trail Stories for the Public – Texas Perspectives,” Los Dos Caminos: Bridging Borders Across the Centuries, 3.5 day workshop sponsored by the National Park Service and the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Laredo, TX, June 2016
“Exhibits and Oral History at the Institute of Texan Cultures,” guest lecture, History, Memory, and Interpretation: An Introduction to Public History, Professor Lauren Turek, Trinity University, April 2016
“Challenges in Exhibiting Oral History,” Oxford University Press Blog, March 2016, https://blog.oup.com/2016/03/exhibiting-oral-history/
“A Brief History of Fiesta Medals,” The San Antonio Conservation Society Preservation Advocate 52, no. 3 (Spring 2016) 4.
“Latinas and Baseball: A View from San Antonio,” Latinos and Baseball: In the Barrios and the Big Leagues, National Museum of American History and Smithsonian Latino Center, Washington, DC, October 2015
“Challenges in Exhibiting Oral History,” National Council on Public History Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, April 2015
“Chicano History Pioneer Influential,” book review, San Antonio Express-News, March 2015
“Test Your Knowledge of San Antonio History, 1865 to Today,” San Antonio history quiz, San Antonio Express-News, January 2015
“Preserve Access to the Library’s Texana Room,” op-ed on proposed budget cuts for local archive, San Antonio Express-News, September 2014
“The USTA Founding Faculty Oral History Project,” Texas State Historical Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, March 2014
“Planning a Museum Exhibition,” guest lecture, History and the Public, Department of History, Professor John Reynolds, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, March 2014
“Saving Univision: A Case for Historic Preservation in Chicana/o Studies,” National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Conference, San Antonio, TX, February 2014
“Don’t Get Gentrified! Making Historic Preservation Work for Working Class Communities,” San Antonio Latino Legacy Summit, sponsored by the National Park Service, San Antonio, TX, February 2014
“Gone to Texas Redux,” op-ed on the history of migration in Texas, San Antonio Express-News, July 2013
“Dora the Cyberlatina and the Brown Doll Fantasy,” National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Conference, San Antonio, TX, March 2013
“Modern Museums in America,” guest lecture, History and the Public, Professor John Reynolds, Department of History, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, March 2013
“The Origins of the Museum in America,” guest lecture, History and the Public, Professor John Reynolds, Department of History, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, February 2013
“Learning About Nation & Belonging from Early American Toys,” guest lecture, Nation and Immigration, Professor Monique Laney, American University, Washington, DC, September 2012
“The Hypersexualization of Tweens and Teens in Toys,” presentation for Girls Inc. of San Antonio, December 2011
“Timeless Texas Toys,” presentation made for the Institute of Texan Cultures’ “Teacher Tuesdays” series of teacher in-service training, November 2011
“Friends From Foreign Lands, or Doll Diplomacy: Learning How to Get Along with International Dolls,” American Historical Association, San Diego, CA, January 2010
“A Child’s Best Friend: Madame Alexander Dolls During the Depression,” American Studies Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC, November 2009
“Playing American: Learning Race From Early American Paper Toys,” Center for Historic American Visual Culture Conference, Worcester, MA, November 2008
“Artifacts of Latin@ America,” guest lecture, Introduction to Latina/o Studies, Professor Maria Cotera, Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, December 2007
“Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood? Homies as Collectible Social Types,” Latin American Studies Association Conference, San Juan, PR, March 2006
“Authentic Iconic Objects? Representing Moments of Violence at the Henry Ford Museum,” Popular Culture Association National Conference, San Antonio, TX, April 2004
“Chicana/o Cinema: Questions of Citizenship, Cultural Autonomy & the Revisioning of Chicana/o History,” guest lecture, Race and US Cinema, Program in American Culture, Professor Catherine Benamou, University of Michigan, October 2003
Selected Media Interviews & Mentions
San Antonio Express-News, “San Antonio Approves Funding of First Institute to Chronicle Mexican American Civil Rights” (September, 2019)
Texas Public Radio, “Texas A&M Professor's Research Highlights Significance Of Texas Freedom Colonies” (February 17, 2019) https://www.tpr.org/post/texas-am-professors-research-highlights-significance-texas-freedom-colonies
The Ranger, “Pecan Shellers’ Strike Remembered” (March 6, 2017) 4
San Antonio Express-News, “Spicy Legal Battle Over Flavored Cups” (December 22, 2016) A1, A13
KKYX, “Talk About Texas” episode about the exhibit “The Painted Churches of Texas” (December 10, 2016)
Texas Public Radio, “Celebrate Black Friday by Having Priceless Museum Experiences” (November 23, 2016) http://tpr.org/post/celebrate-black-friday-having-priceless-museum-experiences
New York Times, “Dreaming of Selena” (November 10, 2016) http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/fashion/selena-music-mac-makeup.html
San Antonio Express-News, “Elaborately Painted Churches Reveal Glory” (November 6, 2016) K10-11
The Paisano, “The Taco: A Handheld History” (October 4, 2016) http://www.paisano-online.com/magazine-articles/taco-handheld-history/
San Antonio Express-News, “San Antonio Not a Town that Protests” (July 10, 2016) A1, A9
Texas Public Radio, “Native Blessing Bestowed Upon San Antonio’s Oldest Spanish Archives” (May 5, 2016) http://tpr.org/post/native-blessing-bestowed-upon-san-antonio-s-oldest-spanish-archives#stream/0
Texas Public Radio, “The Source: A New History of Bexar County” (May 4, 2016) http://tpr.org/post/source-new-history-bexar-county#stream/0
San Antonio Express-News, “Artifacts to Display Spain’s Early Influence on S.A., Texas” ((April 4, 2016) A1, A6
Texas Standard (state-wide public radio show), “The Legacy of San Antonio’s HemisFair, 50 Years Later” (March 11, 2016 http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/50-years-later-whats-the-legacy-of-san-antonios-hemisfair/#
Abilene Reporter-News, “Bowl of Red Done Right” (January 12, 2016) http://archive.reporternews.com/lifestyle/food/recipes/seeing-red-texas-chili-fights-winter-blues-29101687-cc60-21e9-e053-0100007ff048-365852651.html
San Antonio Express-News Southside Reporter, “Bexar County 300-year History Told Through Collection” (October 28, 2015) 8
San Antonio Express-News, “Display Spells Out Early Bexar History” (October 22, 2015) A1, A9
San Antonio Express-News Southside Reporter, “Connecting to the Past with a Quilt” (August 12, 2015) 16-17
San Antonio Express-News, “East Side Women Keep Quilting Tradition” (July 13, 2015) A3, A9
Texas Public Radio, “The Source: Missions Become World Heritage Site, What Now?” (July 6, 2015) http://tpr.org/post/source-missions-become-world-heritage-site-what-now#stream/0
The Guardian, “Alamo Named First World Heritage Site in Texas after Nine-Year Campaign” (July 5, 2015) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/05/alamo-unesco-world-heritage-site-texas
San Antonio Express-News, “Latino Landmarks facing ‘racial inequality’” (June 15, 2015) A2
San Antonio Express-News Conexión, “La Historia de Una Cultura” (May 27, 2015) 8
San Antonio Express-News Conexión, “’Tejanos’ es Esperada Adición” (May 27, 2015) 9
San Antonio Express-News Southside Reporter, “Exhibit Spotlights Tejanos” (May 20, 2015) 4
San Antonio Express-News, “’Los Tejanos’ Tells Story of a Culture” (May 20, 2015) D1, D6
Texas Public Radio, “Institute of Texan Cultures Tells the Tale of the Tejanos” (May 19, 2015) http://tpr.org/post/institute-texan-cultures-tells-tale-tejanos
San Antonio Express-News, “’Los Tejanos’ is Long-Awaited Compliment to Museum” (May 18, 2015) A2
San Antonio Express-News, “Municipal Auditorium: Venue Has Attracted Elvis, the Arts and a Near Riot” (April 11, 2015) A8-9
San Antonio Express-News, “A Diverse City: Many Countries Contributed to the Cultural Mix of San Antonio” (February 16, 2015) A4
San Antonio Express-News Southside Reporter, “Missing Murals Found” (October 22, 2015) 6
San Antonio Express-News, “Sears Murals Uncovered After Decades” (October 17, 2014) B1, B6
San Antonio Express-News, “Día de Muertos Holiday Going Mainstream” (October 14, 2014) D1, D6
San Antonio Express-News, “Hertzberg Jewelry Dolls Are Shopping for a New Home” (October 12, 2014) A2
San Antonio Express-News, “The Iconic Icehouse” (August 24, 2014) H1, H7
San Antonio Express-News, “Concrete Art Enduring” (March 30, 2014) J1, J8
San Antonio Express-News, “Texas’ Struggle for Civil Rights” (January 13, 2014) A3, A4
San Antonio Express-News, “Best of 2013: Visual Art” (December 27, 2013) J4
Texas Public Radio, “The Source: Fredericksburg Road Through History” (December 3, 2013) http://tpr.org/post/source-mexico-tax-reforms-have-texas-implications-fredericksburg-road-through-history#stream/0
San Antonio Express-News, “A Trip Through Time on ‘Fred’ Road” (November 30, 2013) A3, A4
Sombrilla, “Walking in Their Shoes: ITC Exhibit Navigates Visitors Through the Dips and Turns of the Immigration Experience” (Fall 2013) 4-5. http://www.utsa.edu/sombrilla/fall2013/story/paseo-walking-in-their-shoes.html
San Antonio Express-News, “Uncovering Body Image” (August 21, 2013) D1, D6
La Prensa de San Antonio, “Culture Center Promotes Local Music” (August 4, 2013) D1
San Antonio Express-News, “The Economic Case for Immigration” (July 17, 2013) A20
The Rivard Report, “South Texas Popular Culture Center: A Museum Overlooked” (July 17, 2013) https://therivardreport.com/south-texas-popular-culture-center-a-museum-overlooked/
Texas Public Radio, “The Source: Why We Came: The Immigration Experience” (May 1, 2013) http://tpr.org/post/source-payday-lendings-big-influence-capitol
San Antonio Express-News Conexión, “Spin the Wheel, Follow in Immigrant’s Footsteps” (April 24, 2013) http://www.mysanantonio.com/sacultura/conexion/article/Spin-the-wheel-follow-in-immigrant-s-footsteps-4460130.php - photo-4521301
San Antonio Express-News, “Nurse Taken Prisoner in WWII Ensures Her Story Survives, Too” (March 3, 2013) A1, A8
San Antonio Express-News, “The History of San Antonio in 50 Objects” (January 13, 2013) J1, J5
San Antonio Current, “Best of 2012: Sarah Gould, Saluté’s Angel” (December 21, 2012) http://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2012/12/21/best-of-2012-sarah-gould-salutes-angel
San Antonio Express-News, “Texas’ Most Imaginative Bricklayers” (December 19, 2012) E1, E8
Furia Musical, “Texas Plasmado en Gabbanelli” (November 10, 2012) 65
Texas Highways, “Made in Texas: Inventions and Innovations at the Institute of Texan Cultures” (November 2012) 9
Downtown Blog, San Antonio Express-News, “Much more ‘Made in Texas’ Than You Might Think” (July 23, 2012) http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtown/2012/07/much-more-to-made-in-texas-than-you-might-think/
San Antonio Express-News, “Illustrator Tom Tierney Promotes the Art of Paper Dolls” (April 15, 2012) http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/article/Illustrator-Tom-Tierney-promotes-the-art-of-paper-3480301.php
New York Times, “GTT” (July 5, 2012) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/06/us/gtt.html
San Antonio Express-News, “Toy Stories: Exhibit at ITC Spans 300 years of Playthings” (November 27, 2011) K1, K10
Downtown Blog, San Antonio Express-News, “Toy Day at ITC Revives S.A. Tradition” (November 25, 2011) http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtown/2011/11/toy-day-at-itc-revives-s-a-tradition/
Downtown Blog, San Antonio Express-News, “Get Your Fright on at the Institute of Texan Cultures” (October 21, 2011) http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtown/2011/10/get-your-fright-on-at-the-institute-of-texan-cultures/
San Antonio Express-News, “Shrines Ancient Practice” (August 14, 2011)
Texas Public Radio, “Famous Texans’ Hats and Shoes at ITC Exhibit“ (March 21, 2011) http://tpr.org/post/famous-texans-hats-and-shoes-itc-exhibit#stream/0
Downtown Blog, San Antonio Express-News, “ITC Resurrects Its Shoe Exhibit” (January 28, 2011) http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtown/2011/01/itc-resurrects-an-improved-shoe-exhibit/
Professional Memberships
American Alliance of Museums
American Association for State and Local History
American Studies Association
Latinos in Heritage Conservation, co-founder, executive committee member, and communications chair 2014-present; co-chair 2017
National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, conference site committee member, 2013
National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, NALAC Fund for the Arts grant review panelist, 2013 & 2014
National Council on Public History
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Texas Association of Museums
Texas Oral History Association
Texas State Historical Association
Community Service
National Institute of Mexican American History of Civil Rights, Board Secretary, 2019
Friends of the Texas Historical Commission, Board Member 2018-present
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association, Board Secretary, 2015-present; Member, 2014-present
Smith College Alumnae Association, Alumnae Admission Coordinator for South Texas, 2012-present
Westside Preservation Alliance, 2012-present
San Anto Cultural Arts, Board President, 2015-2016; Secretary, 2013-2015
Association of Latina Alumnae of Smith College, Fundraising Chair, 2008-2011
Department for Culture & Creative Development, City of San Antonio, arts funding panelist, 2014
South Texas Popular Culture Center, Board Secretary, 2012-2014