2024 NYLA-CLWCRT Election

Welcome to the 2024 NYLA-CLWCRT Election Candidate Page! This election cycle will run from June 1st - June 15th. You can learn about your candidates below. If you are looking for the NYLA Council Election candidates, please click here. To vote in this election, you can either log into your account and click the "NYLA Election" link or you can click the button below come June 1st. Please note, you must be an NYLA-CLWCRT member to vote in this election. Thank you for using your voice to shape the future of our association!

Vote Here
NYLA 2024 Elections Page

 

Secretary/Treasurer - Ignayra Lopez

Head of Children's Services at Ossining Public Library

Candidate Statement: As a librarian of Hispanic descent I find it very crucial to advocate and provide opportunities for library workers of color. This roundtable and its members are the direct reflection of the communities we are serving. I've been working in libraries for 15 years, most currently as Head of Children's Services at the Ossining Public Library. My knowledge and experience as an urban librarian and managing supervisor suit me well for the position of Secretary/ Treasurer for the Coalition of Library Workers of Color Roundtable. I am highly dependable, collaborative, and enthusiastic when it comes to our field and our people. This would be my second term as Secretary and Treasurer for CLWCRT. I think this is beneficial for the Coalition as I have taken the recent financial training. I've also been able to work closely with the current E-board. I have participated in our NYLA programs and booth. I am eager and excited to continue on the board to be able to implement new ideas and help the Coalition grow.

Candidate Bio: Ignayra Lopez is Head of Children's Services at the Ossining Public Library with 15 years of experience connecting families to libraries and the love of literature. Specializing in outreach and community engagement, Ignayra uses that experience to promote the many resources that libraries provide for people of all ages. Ignayra received her master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Buffalo. She grew up in the Bronx and was raised by parents and grandparents of Puerto Rican descent. Ignayra is a wife and a mom who loves to hike, craft, and spend quality time with her family.

DEI Training Co-Chair - Morgan Strand

Teen Services Specialist at Nyack Public Library

Candidate Statement: Working in libraries for over 15 years has opened my eyes to the lack of diversity in the workplace. There aren’t always many people who look like me, which is why creating a safe space for library workers of color is so important to me. Having my own experiences and extensive DEI training have thoroughly prepared me for the role of Chair of DEI Training for the Coalition of Library Workers of Color Roundtable. This would be my second term in this role. I am also one of the founding members of CLWCRT, and I have a deep commitment to the roundtable, and to our members. I am proud to also be currently serving as the Vice President of the CLWCRT board. Equity, diversity, and inclusion in librarianship is a passion of mine. It is an ongoing process of education and service that cannot be addressed solely through an annual webinar or a single session at a conference. It requires continuous appraisal and revision as our understanding and compassion increase, and I hope that I can continue to be a part of creating real opportunities for work with libraries so that all workers feel like they truly belong.

Candidate Bio: Morgan Strand is the Teen Services Specialist at the Nyack Library. She has worked at Nyack Library for over 15 years in different capacities. Before this, she was a Special Education Teacher. She is the Vice President and Co-Chair of DEI Training for the Coalition for Library Workers of Color. As a community activist, Morgan does lots of volunteer work with different organizations in her hometown including The Nyack Center, The Rockland County Pride Center, and the SOAR Mentorship program at Nyack Middle School. As Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Leadership Rockland, she is able to help community members build leadership skills. In 2017, she was the guest on the Newbery Medal-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander's web series "Bookish."

Outreach Co-Chair - Yoly Avella

Collection Development Librarian at Newburgh Free Library

Candidate Statement: Working in libraries for over 15 years has opened my eyes to the lack of diversity in the workplace. There aren’t always many people who look like me, which is why creating a safe space for library workers of color is so important to me. Having my own experiences and extensive DEI training has thoroughly prepared me for the role of Chair of DEI Training for the Coalition of Library Workers of Color Roundtable. This would be my second term in this role. I am also one of the founding members of CLWCRT, and I have a deep commitment to the roundtable, and to our members. I am proud to also be currently serving as the Vice President of the CLWCRT board. Equity, diversity, and inclusion in librarianship is a passion of mine. It is an ongoing process of education and service that cannot be addressed solely through an annual webinar or a single session at a conference. It requires continuous appraisal and revision as our understanding and compassion increase, and I hope that I can continue to be a part of creating real opportunities for work with libraries so that all workers feel like they truly belong.

Candidate Bio: Morgan Strand is the Teen Services Specialist at the Nyack Library. She has worked at Nyack Library for over 15 years in different capacities. Before this, she was a Special Education Teacher. She is the Vice President and Co-Chair of DEI Training for the Coalition for Library Workers of Color. As a community activist, Morgan does lots of volunteer work with different organizations in her hometown including The Nyack Center, The Rockland County Pride Center, and the SOAR Mentorship program at Nyack Middle School. As Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Leadership Rockland, she is able to help community members build leadership skills. In 2017, she was the guest on the Newbery Medal-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander's web series "Bookish."

Programming Co-Chair - Dax Parasnis-Samar

Instructional Technologies Librarian at Monroe Community College

Candidate Statement: I would love to continue serving on the board of the Coalition of Library Workers of Color as Programming Co-Chair. I see programming as an important way to build community, and if reelected, I look forward to continuing to run reading groups, discussions, and other events for the Coalition.

Candidate Bio: Dax Parasnis-Samar is the Instructional Technologies Librarian at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY, where they serve as co-chair of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability (IDEA) Council and as co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Employee Affinity Group.