Brenda S. Banks Travel Award: Marisa Ramirez

Marisa Ramirez, processing archivist at the William H. Hannon Library at Loyola Marymount University, is the 2023 recipient of the Brenda S. Banks Travel Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award, which recognizes individuals of color who are employed in archives and show interest in becoming active members of SAA, provides attendance to the 2023 Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and SAA, as well as a complimentary one-year membership in SAA.

Ramirez holds a master of library science and graduate certificates in archival management and digital content management from the University of North Texas. As a processing archivist, her primary interests include responsible and reparative archival description that incorporates and honors historically marginalized groups in archival collections. She recently co-presented the sessions “Working Together to Mentor BIPOC Archivists” at the 2022 Society of California Archivists conference and “Documenting the Forces of Social Justice: Communities and Archives” at the 2021 CSJ Center for Reconciliation and Justice Symposium. Additionally, Ramirez was a part of two teams that were awarded an Inclusive Excellence Grant in 2017–2018 and again in 2022–2023 from Loyola Marymount University for their work in collection assessment through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens and library-wide de-escalation training.

Ramirez participated in the inaugural SAA BIPOC mentoring cohort and currently serves as a steering committee member for the SAA Archivists and Archives of Color Section. In her personal essay, Ramirez states: “Knowing that others like me are capable of leadership and innovation is of the utmost importance for my professional development.” The SAA Awards Committee was impressed by Ramirez’s strong commitment to SAA and ongoing development as a leader in the profession.