Our Alums
Mesa Refuge alums Robin Kimmerer, Lauret Savoy and Rebecca Solnit at the Geography of Hope conference sponsored by Point Reyes Books.
The Mesa Refuge has been providing time and space to residents since 1997, hosting more than 1,000 writers, film makers, audio journalists and other creatives. To apply for your residency, click here.
As we continue to work on our website, we will add information about our early residents.
2024 Residents
Elmaz Abinader
Elmaz is an author and a performer. Her most…
Read more
Saraliza Anzaldúa
Saraliza (ya) is a Chicana philosopher and an…
Read more
Jade Begay
Jade (Diné and Tesuque Pueblo) is an Indigenous…
Read more
Elena Botkin-Levy
Elena has worked at the intersection of audio…
Read more
Heather Bourbeau
Heather is a writer whose poetry and fiction…
Read more
Julian Brave NoiseCat
Julian Brave NoiseCat is a writer, filmmaker and…
Read more
LaTosha Brown
LaTosha is an award-winning organizer, philanthropic consultant, political…
Read more
Katy Butler
Katy Butler is a public speaker, journalist-author, and…
Read more
Christina Castro
Christina (Taos Pueblo/Jemez Pueblo/Chicana) is a mother, writer,…
Read more
Gina Clayton-Johnson
Gina is a Black feminist organizer, writer, and…
Read more
Christine Cordero
Raised by a Filipino immigrant family in the…
Read more
Samantha Culp
Based in Los Angeles, after a decade in…
Read more
Malkia Devich-Cyril
Malkia is a writer, public speaker, and award-winning…
Read more
Robeson Taj Frazier
Taj is a writer and associate professor in…
Read more
Kenny Fries
Kenny is a writer who looks at how…
Read more
Nataki Garrett
A change-maker and trailblazer, Nataki is CEO and…
Read more
Shimica Gaskins
Shimica is the President and CEO of GRACE…
Read more
Krea Gomez
Krea is a youth justice strategist and community…
Read more
Sandra M. Gonzales
Sandra, Yaqui from Arizona, is a long-time mentor…
Read more
Latria Graham
Latria is a fifth generation South Carolina farmer…
Read more
Beth Howard
Beth is the Appalachia People’s Union Director for…
Read more
Hannah Jayanti
Hannah is a documentary filmmaker, organizer and educator…
Read more
Akemi Johnson
Akemi is the author of Night in the…
Read more
Raha Jorjani
Raha is a managing immigration defense attorney with…
Read more
Nour Joudah
Nour Joudah is an Assistant Professor in the…
Read more
Julia Kihi-Coates
Julia is a descendant of Awanuiārangi, the eponymous…
Read more
Erica Kohl-Arenas
Erica is associate professor of American Studies at…
Read more
Annie Leonard
Annie is a tireless lifelong environmental campaigner, now…
Read more
Otilia Lux de Coti
Otilia (she/her, Maya Quiche) is an Indigenous leader…
Read more
Thomas McBee
Thomas wrote the Lambda award-winning memoir, Man Alive,…
Read more
Marie Myung-Ok Lee
Marie Myung-Ok Lee is an acclaimed Korean-American writer…
Read more
Rachel Neumann
Rachel is a writer, literary agent, and mindfulness…
Read more
Jessica Nowlan
Jessica is president of Reimagine Freedom Center, co-founder…
Read more
Achy Obejas
Achy is a Havana-born author and translator. She…
Read more
Sara Calvosa Olson
Sara is a Karuk food writer and editor…
Read more
Juana Leticia Ovalle Tum
Juanita, Maya Kiche/Kaqchikel from Guatemala, is a lawyer,…
Read more
Jacqui Patterson
Jacqui is the founder and executive director of…
Read more
Sonia Paul
Sonia Paul is an independent journalist, writer, and…
Read more
Lama Rimawi
Lama Rimawi, MD is a pediatrician, writer, researcher…
Read more
Chérie Rivers
Chérie Rivers is a writer, teacher, Black farmer, and…
Read more
Alejandro Rodriguez
Alejandro is a Cuban-American theater artist from Miami.…
Read more
Daniel Rothberg
Daniel is an environmental reporter who aims to…
Read more
Bhavna Shamasunder
Bhavna is an environmental justice teacher and scholar.…
Read more
Terria Smith
Terria is a tribal member of the Torres…
Read more
Rebecca Solnit
Rebecca is a writer, historian, activist and the…
Read more
Octaviana Trujillo
Octaviana (Yaqui) is a researcher, educator and advisor…
Read more
Taina Vargas
Taina co-founded Initiate Justice and Initiate Justice Action…
Read more
Tamisha Walker
Tamisha is a founding member and executive director…
Read more
Sabra Williams
Sabra is an actor, host, founder of The…
Read more
Priscilla Ybarra
Priscilla is Associate Professor in the Department of…
Read more