2025 Project Award

Gabriela Olmos Rosas will write stories told by Latinos living in Juneau, the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak as part of a larger documentary about the contributions of Latinos who have migrated to Alaska. Olmos Rosas wants to relay how people carry their memories and traditions into new terrain, how they adjust their identities, language, and sense of belonging, what they mourn, and what they reimagine. She seeks to capture these nuances through the stories of everyday people.

When asked what she would like the public to know, Rosas responded, “Since migrating to Alaska in 2016, my work has centered on capturing the lives of Latinos who, like me, have made this northern landscape their home. Coming from tropical and temperate regions, many of us have had to reinvent daily routines and find new ways to feel at home. The creativity required to make Alaska familiar never ceases to amaze me; it’s visible in small but powerful gestures that are true acts of cultural resilience. What moves me most are the emotional nuances of this transformation. Migration is not just about crossing borders—it’s about losing and recreating parts of yourself. I am interested in how people carry their memories and traditions into new terrain, how they adjust their identities, language, and sense of belonging, what they mourn, and what they reimagine. I seek to capture these nuances through the stories of everyday people. Through my work, I aim to listen closely, document, and honor their voices. At its heart, my work is about presence. It is about saying, “We Latinos are here, and we matter.”

Gabriela Olmos Rosas Writing Samples:

(Left to right) Gabriela Olmos Rosas holds up her most recent books; Rosas at the “Nuestra Huella” exhibit at the Anchorage Museum, which she curated.

(Left to right) Gabriela Olmos Rosas presents in Portland, OR; Rosas with books she has authored.