Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada facts for kids

Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada is an American librarian who helps people find books and information. She is currently the acting director for the Glendale Public Library in Southern California. In 2021, Lessa was chosen to be the president of the American Library Association (ALA) for 2022–2023. This is a big deal because she is the youngest person ever to be elected ALA president. She is also the first person from the Pacific Islands to hold this important role.

Who is Lessa Pelayo-Lozada?

Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada was born in Southern California. She has a diverse background, meaning her family comes from many different places. She describes herself as "half white and half Hawaiian-Filipino-Portuguese-with a smidge of Chinese." Her background as a Native Hawaiian person, raised in mainland America, has greatly influenced her work. She cares deeply about making sure everyone feels welcome and included. This is often called "diversity, equity, and inclusion."

Growing Up and Learning

Lessa grew up in the California cities of Torrance and Gardena. She finished high school at Bishop Montgomery High School in 2003.

Her College Journey

After high school, Lessa went to El Camino College. She earned a degree in philosophy in 2005. She then continued her studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. There, she earned two more degrees. In 2007, she got a bachelor's degree in sociology. Later, in 2009, she earned a special degree called a Master of Library and Information Science. This degree teaches people how to become librarians and manage libraries. For her master's project, she studied how Hawaiian culture is shared and kept alive by Hawaiians living in Southern California.

Working in Libraries

Lessa Pelayo-Lozada has worked in many public libraries around Los Angeles. She started as a library aide at the Los Angeles Public Library from 2006 to 2010. From 2009 to 2015, she worked as a youth librarian. This means she helped kids and teens find books and learn. She worked at the Redondo Beach Public Library, the Glendale Public Library, and the library in Rancho Cucamonga.

In 2016, she joined the Palos Verdes Library District. She started as a youth services librarian there. By 2018, she became the assistant manager for adult services. This role involves helping adults with their library needs.

Helping Libraries Grow

Lessa Pelayo-Lozada has taken on many leadership roles within the American Library Association (ALA). The ALA is a large group that supports libraries and librarians across America. From 2016 to 2017, she led a special committee. This committee focused on making libraries more diverse and welcoming for everyone. She has also been a member of the ALA Council for several terms. She served on the ALA Executive Board from 2017 to 2020. These are important groups that help guide the ALA.

Leading the American Library Association

In April 2021, Lessa was elected to be the president of the ALA for 2022–2023. After winning, she shared her plans. She wants to make the ALA a more inclusive and fair organization. She also aims for it to be a great example of how an organization should work. As mentioned, she is the first Pacific Islander and the youngest person to become ALA president.

Supporting Asian Pacific American Librarians

From 2016 to 2017, Lessa was also the president of the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association. She later became the Executive Director for this group. She also helped create a special reading program called "Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture." This program helps Asian Pacific American and American Indian/Alaska Native children learn to read and share their stories.