Marissa López

“Picturing Mexican America” is a collaboration between UCLA and the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) to use geolocation technology to display historical images of Mexican Los Angeles relevant to a user’s coordinates through a mobile app. Guided by librarians at both institutions, student researchers will comb LAPL and UCLA archives for photographs, maps, and historical documents. In consultation with public outreach staff at both UCLA and LAPL, this project is developing user engagement strategies that digital humanities staff at UCLA are bringing to technical fruition. Collaborators will work with LAPL event coordinators and branch librarians on events designed to introduce library users of all ages to the app, inviting their reflections on Los Angeles’ rich, Mexican history and its relevance to both their own lives and contemporary politics.