I finally made it to my first ALA in Washington, DC. I presented a poster on inclusive marketing strategies (unfortunately my collaborator, Kenya, couldn't make it). I met old and new library friends and mentors. I toured the Library of Congress Manuscript Division.

I also got to see George Takei speak! As a person of Japanese heritage, he has always been a big role model to me. He has been such an important advocate for civil and gay rights. Even though it's the 21st century, it's rare to see Japanese Americans, or even Asian Americans, in the spotlight. I hoped to meet Takei and pick up a copy of his graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy, but after waiting almost an hour in line, had to be somewhere else. (My husband later gifted the book to me, which was a teary read.)