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…
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Saraliza Anzaldúa
Saraliza (ya) is a Chicana philosopher and an…
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Jade Begay
Jade (Diné and Tesuque Pueblo) is an Indigenous…
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Elena Botkin-Levy
Elena has worked at the intersection of audio…
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Heather Bourbeau
Heather is a writer whose poetry and fiction…
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Julian Brave NoiseCat
Julian Brave NoiseCat is a writer, filmmaker and…
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Susan Burton
Susan is a visionary, inspirational leader of the…
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Katy Butler
Katy Butler is a public speaker, journalist-author, and…
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Christina Castro
Christina (Taos Pueblo/Jemez Pueblo/Chicana) is a mother, writer,…
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Gina Clayton-Johnson
Gina is a Black feminist organizer, writer, and…
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Christine Cordero
Raised by a Filipino immigrant family in the…
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Samantha Culp
Based in Los Angeles, after a decade in…
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Malkia Devich-Cyril
Malkia is a writer, public speaker, and award-winning…
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Robeson Taj Frazier
Taj is a writer and associate professor in…
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Kenny Fries
Kenny is a writer who looks at how…
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Nataki Garrett
A change-maker and trailblazer, Nataki is CEO and…
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Shimica Gaskins
Shimica is the President and CEO of GRACE…
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Krea Gomez
Krea is a youth justice strategist and community…
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Sandra M. Gonzales
Sandra, Yaqui from Arizona, is a long-time mentor…
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Latria Graham
Latria is a fifth generation South Carolina farmer…
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Beth Howard
Beth is the Appalachia People’s Union Director for…
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Hannah Jayanti
Hannah is a documentary filmmaker, organizer and educator…
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Akemi Johnson
Akemi is the author of Night in the…
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Raha Jorjani
Raha is a managing immigration defense attorney with…
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Nour Joudah
Nour Joudah is an Assistant Professor in the…
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Julia Kihi-Coates
Julia is a descendant of Awanuiārangi, the eponymous…
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Erica Kohl-Arenas
Erica is associate professor of American Studies at…
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Annie Leonard
Annie is a tireless lifelong environmental campaigner, now…
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Otilia Lux de Coti
Otilia (she/her, Maya Quiche) is an Indigenous leader…
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Thomas McBee
Thomas wrote the Lambda award-winning memoir, Man Alive,…
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Marie Myung-Ok Lee
Marie Myung-Ok Lee is an acclaimed Korean-American writer…
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Rachel Neumann
Rachel Neumann is the President of Wave Literary,…
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Jessica Nowlan
Jessica is president of Reimagine Freedom Center, co-founder…
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Achy Obejas
Achy is a Havana-born author and translator. She…
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Sara Calvosa Olson
Sara is a Karuk food writer and editor…
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Juana Leticia Ovalle Tum
Juanita, Maya Kiche/Kaqchikel from Guatemala, is a lawyer,…
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Jacqui Patterson
Jacqui is the founder and executive director of…
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Sonia Paul
Sonia Paul is an independent journalist, writer, and…
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Lama Rimawi
Lama Rimawi, MD is a pediatrician, writer, researcher…
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Chérie Rivers
Chérie Rivers is a writer, teacher, Black farmer, and…
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Alejandro Rodriguez
Alejandro is a Cuban-American theater artist from Miami.…
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Daniel Rothberg
Daniel is an environmental reporter who aims to…
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Marlene Sanchez
Marlene is a proud San Francisco Native, Chicana,…
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Bhavna Shamasunder
Bhavna is an environmental justice teacher and scholar.…
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Terria Smith
Terria is a tribal member of the Torres…
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Rebecca Solnit
Rebecca is a writer, historian, activist and the…
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Octaviana Trujillo
Octaviana (Yaqui) is a researcher, educator and advisor…
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Taina Vargas
Taina co-founded Initiate Justice and Initiate Justice Action…
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Tamisha Walker
Tamisha is a founding member and executive director…
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Sabra Williams
Sabra is an actor, host, founder of The…
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