Selected Prior Work
A selection of earlier work across culture, heritage, public humanities, and international exchange. Together, these experiences reflect a long-standing engagement with cultural interpretation, education, and public-facing work, and provide context for the collaborations and projects I am developing today.
Cultural Heritage, Language & Public Humanities
Kaypi, Chaypi, Waypi collaboration with The Quechua Project
A foundational collaboration exploring cultural location and linguistic heritage through the Quechua lens, fostering communal knowledge and intergenerational exchange.
The Quechua Project
Co-founded an initiative supporting intergenerational Quechua language learning, cultural education, public engagement, and cross-cultural exchange. Work has included educational programming, cultural presentations, language-focused initiatives, and collaboration with cultural and academic institutions.
Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) / J. Kislak Collection
Detailed description of the initiatives, research processes, and collaborative outcomes developed through this specific cultural project.
Smithsonian Institution | National Museum of American History
Supported cultural-history programming through public lectures, symposia, research, educational initiatives, and work connected with Smithsonian Folklife Festival activities. Projects included public-facing work related to American history, Latino history, civil rights, and cultural interpretation.
Indigenous Cultural Education & Quechua Film Showcase
Developed cultural learning activities focused on Indigenous Peoples, language, identity, cultural continuity, and storytelling. Work included a Quechua Film Showcase and leadership of an Indigenous Peoples technical working group supporting institutional learning, dialogue, and knowledge-sharing.
Bolivian Folkloric Dance & Cultural Programming
Co-founded a Bolivian cultural association and helped develop cultural and educational programming through performances, workshops, speakers, campus events, folkloric dance, and public cultural education.
Cultural Diplomacy, Public Humanities & Dialogue
Prior experience
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP)
Public Diplomacy
Designed and managed customized international exchange programs for professionals and leaders participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Programs included cultural, educational, institutional, and community engagement and were developed from initial research and program design through implementation.
Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders
Designed and implemented academic and cultural exchange programming for Latin American scholars and student leaders through programs funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Work included leadership curricula, cultural programming, Indigenous cultural heritage content, and learning experiences connecting history, society, governance, and culture.
Academic Exchange & Cultural Diplomacy
U.S. Federalism: Monuments & Memorials
Place-based Public Humanities
Led hundreds (not exagerating) of U.S. Federal tours of Washington, DC for international participants exploring U.S. history, the federal system of government, civic institutions, monuments, memorials, and the ways national history is interpreted through public spaces. Delivered in both English and Spanish.
Training for International Development
Training
Developed in-person and digital learning experiences involving cross-cultural communication, leadership, instructional design, facilitation, and international development.
Dialogues on Culture, Conflict, and Language
Cultural Dialogue & Language
Developed and supported cultural dialogue and learning initiatives across international and community settings, including work connected to Turkey and Bolivia and language revitalization through The Quechua Project. This work has included intercultural dialogue, cultural education, museum and community collaborations, and hosting an international language educator from Cambodia who contributed to the development of Quechua learning resources. Formal training in cultural diplomacy and mediation further informs this approach.
TBD
Cultural Diplomacy
Fostered dialogue between academic institutions, museums, and community organizations to develop sustainable models for cultural exchange and knowledge-sharing. This included organizing cross-sector symposia and technical working groups focused on heritage preservation and community-led education.
TBD
TBD
TBD
Curatorial Research & Archival Strategy
Memory & Heritage Records
Conducted extensive curatorial research and developed archival strategies for preserving oral histories and physical records of cultural movements. This work emphasizes the link between memory and identity, ensuring that marginalized narratives are documented and accessible for future public interpretation.
These experiences form part of the foundation of my cultural practice today. Across international exchange, cultural diplomacy, museums, language initiatives, community programs, and public education, I have worked with different ways of interpreting and sharing culture. They shaped my interest in memory, language, cultural transmission, dialogue, and the relationship between research and public engagement—questions that continue through my current writing, archival research, and collaborative work.
Foundations of Practice
Context
Across the Work
Across very different settings, several practices continue to reappear: interpreting culture for new audiences, designing learning experiences, working across languages and disciplines, connecting research with public engagement, and creating spaces where people can encounter histories and ideas from another perspective.
These experiences continue to inform the research, writing, cultural projects, and collaborations taking shape through TAWA Practice.