SE Valley Times

Alexander Soto, the director of the Labriola National American Indian Data Center, recently showcased the center's new space at Arizona State University's Tempe campus. The expanded area in Hayden Library features a large mural by Indigenous artists Thomas “Breeze” Marcus and Dwayne Manuel, representing O’odham land. Soto explained that the art and design reflect the center's mission to integrate land, community, and arts within a library setting.

The renovated 6,000-square-foot space includes books by Indigenous authors, quiet study areas, and a multi-use section for events such as book talks and workshops. It also offers modern technology for Zoom calls or livestreaming. Soto envisions the center as an "Indigenous knowledge zone" that provides library services aligned with Indigenous research methodologies.

“Whether it’s President (Michael) Crow’s commitment to American Indian students or to show the history of Native people and where we are in 2024, library centers like this are needed to access Indigenous information,” said Soto. He emphasized that the all-Indigenous staff allows Native students to connect without needing to explain their backgrounds.

The Labriola Center will hold its grand opening on April 3 with tours, an open house from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Indigenous food offerings, and a performance by indie rock band One Way Sky. ASU President Michael Crow described the center as "a national model for Indigenous-led library services," highlighting its role in supporting Indigenous communities both locally and beyond.

In addition to expanding its physical space, Labriola has increased its staff fourfold over the past year and received a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation for a project titled “Firekeepers: Building Archival Data Sovereignty Through Indigenous Memory Keeping.” This initiative aims to assist tribal nations in establishing archival collections.

Jacob Moore, vice president and special advisor on American Indian Affairs at ASU, stated that "the expansion of the Labriola Center demonstrates a commitment to serving the needs of ASU Native students and tribal nations." Eric Hardy expressed his desire for the center to be "a place of community" through various cultural events such as poetry readings and music performances.

The expanded facility also aims to provide a culturally responsive environment for Indigenous students. Vina Begay noted that enforcing cultural protocols helps reconnect students with their tribal communities. The center is developing an archival collection focused on Arizona's federally recognized tribes.

As Alycia de Mesa pointed out, communities have autonomy over how they preserve their memories—whether through photographs or oral stories—and can choose whether or not to store them at Labriola. Hardy hopes this approach will broaden ASU's Native American students' understanding of knowledge beyond traditional formats.

Soto concluded by expressing gratitude toward initial donors Frank and Mary Labriola and acknowledging ASU leadership's support: “We are ready to show what Indigenous librarianship offers to higher education."