CLA 2018 Recap

Every November, the California Library Association has its annual conference and this year's conference was held in Santa Clara, CA from November 9-11. 

I always look forward to attending this conference because it's a chance to reunite with librarian friends that live throughout the state that I don't get to see often as well as meet new librarians and library staff. I love the opportunity to learn new things regarding the library profession as well as being able to have fun and party during the evening through parties as well as the haters ball (librarians vent about library annoyances.) 

On my first day in Santa Clara, I attended a free library tour of the Santa Clara City Library. This was fun because not only did I get to hang out with my friends, I also got to add to my ever growing library card collection. 

Me waiting for the library to open

Me with librarian friends during library tour

Art work inside library

Me with new library card

After the library tour, it was on to the conference hotel and the convention center!  I was upgraded to a room with a balcony and a view of Levi Stadium (hubby loved this.) After getting checked in, I went to the opening of the CLA Exhibit Hall which was full of free conference swag. Friday conference was off to a great starts due to an  an inspirational keynote address by reporter and author Juan Antonio Vargas. 

View from hotel balcony

Librarian welcome activity at hotel

 CLA President opening exhibit hall

Friday keynote address from Jose Antonio Vargas

Saturday was a day full of informative sessions which started with an educational and entertaining keynote address by artist/historian Black Gotham creator Kamau Ware. Black Gotham Experience is an immersive visual storytelling project that celebrates the impact of the African Diaspora on New York City since 1625. 

Kamau Ware discussing Black Gotham project

Artist/Historian Kamau Ware and me after CLA keynote

After the keynote speaker, I co-presented with my two friends at our five minute mentoring session. During five minute mentoring, we have participants from different library environments talk to each other for five minutes about any professional questions they may have.At this session, I presented on introvert tips for finding a mentor.

My Five Minute Mentoring presentation

Five minute mentoring participants conversing

     The day was also one to remember since this was my first time presenting solo at the conference. My presentation was called: If You Build It, Will They Come: Highlighting Urban and LGBTQ Fiction in a Rural Library System.

Me before my presentation on Urban and LGBTQ fiction 

     Overall, this was a fun memorable conference and I'm looking forward to attending next year's conference in Pasadena, CA.

Meeting my Sheroes at Womxn + Femmes of Color Conference

I was recently listening to one of my favorite podcasts "Gettin Grown" with Jade and Keia which is based in New York and Washington. I was surprised when they announced that they would visiting LA to speak at the Womxn + Femmes of Color Conference at Cal State LA on  Friday, November 2, 2018. 

I decided to go because not only would I get to see Jade and Keia in person and the event was free to attend, but I attended the event because I wanted to support the mission of women of color. Below are photos from the conference.

 

Womxn + Femmes of color t-shirt and ticket

Jade and Keia at ABC's of Adulting Session

Jade and Keia giving introductions

Me with Gettin Grown podcast hosts Jade and Keia

Latina panel presentation 1 

Chicana presentation

Latino panel presentation

Indigenous women presentation

Blog name change and new Youtube Channel

After many fifteen years of having my blog named "Vegan in the Ville," I have decided to rename my blog "Vegan From the Ville" since I have not lived in my hometown of Huntsville, Alabama since 2010. I am still using this blog to talk about my vegan travels as well as my fitness adventures and work life as a librarian in the rural central California.I have changed all my other social media accounts to reflect the new blog name change so I'm pretty excited.

 I am also excited to announce that I'm starting a YouTube channel by the same name (veganfromtheville) after being inspired to do this after listening to the Edyn Jacks episode of the BrownVegan podcast. I plan to use my YouTube channel to educate viewers on why I became vegan as well as highlighting vegan food while grocery shopping as well as when I travel. 

Race Recap: Rock N Roll San Jose Half Marathon

This past Sunday, I completed my third Rock N Roll half marathon for the year in San Jose. This was a special race for me because I also had the opportunity to run with my friend/play cousin Martinus aka 300 pounds and running. It was fun vising the expo, pointing out my name on the list of women running the half marathon and seeing Martinus represent the Oakland Marathon as a race ambassador.

 

 

The morning of race day was exciting as well as daunting since this was going to be the first time I was planning to complete a race using walk run intervals. Although me and Martinus discussed running a 90/30 (90 seconds running and 30 seconds walking,) after completing this interval once, we decided to instead run a 60/60 (60 seconds running and 60 seconds walking.) Unfortunately, I chose to run to fast during the 60 second running intervals so I burned out by mile 10 while Martinus stuck with a steady 60 second run and 60 second walk and was able to finish 3 minutes ahead of me so he finished in 3:23:42 while I finished in 3:25:19.It was a great race that I'll definitely do again and from now on, I'm gonna follow the run/walk intervals to a tee and focus on being steady while I run versus expending all my energy before the race is over.

 

Our First Trip to New Jersey & New York

                                             We recently attended Den's childhood friend's wedding in New Jersey. It was a beautiful wedding and we could really feel the love between the couple as we watched them share their wedding vows and as the danced at their wedding reception. Here are some photos from the wedding ceremony and the reception after the wedding.           

 

 

 

 

 

The day after the wedding, we took the opportunity to do a little sight seeing so of course I had to go to the New York Public Library and get a library card. Luckily, they have a free three month temporary card so I can have access to all of their online services then I can renew the card by going back in three months.While in New York, we also walked by Grand Central Station then went to Harlem for dinner at Sylvia's Soul Food restaurant and walked by the famous Apollo Theater. It was a memorable trip and I'm glad we were able to visit a new state as well as celebrate a new chapter in the lives of friends.