This fall the Cache NHA hosted Kelli Lane, a current undergraduate student at Colorado State University in an internship funded by the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH).
Kelli’s work is part of a larger project funded by NEH to support our region’s historians, researchers, and interpreters in better understanding and telling historically under-told stories of the Cache NHA.
During her internship, Kelli has been combing through archives within the Cache NHA to understand what historic records have already been preserved on the stories of our regions Hispanic, Latino, and Mexican American families, individuals, and businesses.
This work will be compiled into a “Regional Guide on Hispanic & Latino Collections in the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area.” Once complete, the document will help researchers and interpreters understand what primary source material exists in our region’s archives and where to find it. It will also help archivists understand what gaps exist in collections to ensure the valuable stories of all the Poudre’s people are preserved. The research will also help inform future interpretive projects and partnerships through the Cache NHA as we work to amplify these historically under-told stories.
Q&A with Kelli Lane
Q: What is your favorite story you’ve uncovered?
A: So far, my favorite stories have been about beet farmers forming their own baseball league. They would carve out a spot in the already harvested fields, nail down rubber for home plate, the bases, and the pitcher’s mound. Their families would then come watch them play on Sundays with food and music and they would make a day of it.
Q: What are you studying at CSU? And what are your plans after graduation?
A: I am studying International Studies and History, both with a concentration in Latin America. I have no set plans after graduation, but I would love to do work with migrants in some fashion.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Colorado?
A: My favorite thing about Colorado is that there is always something to do. I have lived here my whole life, and I haven’t even made a dent in all the things I could do in Colorado.
I grew up in a southwest border town less than an hour drive from Juarez, Mexico. Las Cruces, New Mexico, is an area is rich with Latinx (Mexican) and Native American history and culture. As a child, I was exposed to my mothers Mexican and Native American heritage alongside my father’s Jewish and German heritage. Being multicultural with several intersecting identities has led me to champion diversity. Recently, I have served as president to Todos Juntos (Latinx Graduate Group), a founding member of Graduate Students of Color, a Diversity Coordinator for the Colorado State University Graduate School, the advisor to QWEEN (Queer Women Engaged in an Encouraging Nexus) and taken part in a plethora of multicultural events. Throughout my journey, I have striven to promote and support diversity while initiating inclusive policies.
