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An Interview with Naomi Welikala, Herencia Crowdsourcing Intern

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A photo of Naomi Welikala with green leaves in the background.
Naomi Welikala, an intern working on transcribing the Herencia: Centuries of Spanish Legal Documents crowdsourcing campaign. [Photo provided by Naomi Welikala]
Today’s interview is with Naomi Welikala, an intern working on transcribing the Herencia: Centuries of Spanish Legal Documents crowdsourcing campaign at the Law Library of Congress

Describe your background.

I was born and raised in Southern California, so the blend of cultures here has really impacted my life. Growing up with a Black mother and a Sri Lankan immigrant father also greatly shaped the way I move through the world, and I am grateful for my parents’ sacrifices allowing me the opportunities I have today. I am a student, I love to cook and read, and I am passionate about issues of equity facing our nation.

What is your academic/professional history?

This coming fall will be the start of my senior year at Biola University, where I am double majoring in sociology and Spanish. I actually did not know about the disci