Faculty Pages

Natashia López-Gómez

Core Faculty, Intensive Human Services Program

Natashia Lopez-Gomez Office location: St. Mary's Room 120 #8
Office hours: Tuesdays 5-6 p.m. and by appt.
Phone number: (650) 508-3672 /option 2
Email: ngomez@ndnu.edu
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Natashia López-Gómez, M.Ed. Chicana activist, poet and lecturer, is currently a Core Faculty member for the Intensive Human Services Program at Notre Dame de Namur University. She also directs several community based learning projects; including a partnership with the Samaritan House in San Mateo. She completed her graduate work at Harvard University in 1994, earning her M.Ed. in Risk and Prevention Education. She obtained her B.A. in Chicano Studies from the University of California, Berkeley in 1992. She has been published in several journals and anthologies including In Other Words; Literature by Latinas of the United States (1994), Broad Topics (1991) and CHISPAS,(1990). Her poem, All Body and No Soul won the Emily Chamberlain Cook prize for poetry in 1992.  Natashia was born in Portland, Oregon. The daughter of a single parent, López-Gómez was raised in a household where the income fell below the poverty line and she was the first in her family to graduate from college. López-Gómez has an extensive community service background extending back to her teens. At the age of 17, Natashia was an actress with Teens & Company, an educational theater company that performed across the state of Oregon. The show was eventually made into a television production and won an Iris Award. Since that time, López-Gómez has continued her work in the community, and has worked at various government and community agencies including: The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, San Mateo County Probation Department, ECHO Housing, The Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice, The San Francisco Victim/Witness Assistance Program, Asian American Communities for Education, and the San Mateo Medical Center. In 2005, she was named the San Carlos Police Activities League volunteer of the year. In 2009, the Women of Color in Action Network honored her as an outstanding mentor. In her free time she enjoys driving her teenage daughter around to all of her activities, running a support group for parents of special needs children, and taking long walks and watching films with her husband.

Education History

  • M.Ed. from Harvard University in Risk and Prevention Education 1994
  • B.A. in Chicano Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, 1992

Courses Taught

  • Management Principles and Organizational Behavior
  • Communication Internship
  • The Culture and Language of Latin America through Film
  • The Latino/Hispanic Experience in the United States
  • Human relations in Organizations
  • Managing Cultural Diversity
  • Spanish for a Bilingual World
  • Introduction to Spanish
  • Intermediate Spanish II

Research and Interests

  • Chicano/Latino identity, immigration, community activism and the history of race relations and women's issues. Currently working on healthcare policies in the State of California, the County of San Mateo in particular.
  • Racial Discrimination in Special Education.
  • Latinos/as and the criminal justice system.

Recognitions

  • Women of Color Action Network (WCAN) Mentor Award 7/09
  • San Mateo Medical Center Employee Recognition Award 11/06
  • Volunteer of the Year 2005 San Carlos Police Department 5/05
  • Chicano Studies Excellence Award for Outstanding Research 5/92
  • Emily Chamberlain Cook Prize for Poetry 2/92
  • Portland Rose Festival Princess 1988

Memberships and Professional Affiliations

  • Member: Harvard Club of the Silicon Valley
  • Faculty Advisor: Latinos Unidos. Notre Dame de Namur University
  • Founder: Parents of Special Needs Children Support Group San Mateo-Foster City School District
  • Member: Special Ed. PTA, San Mateo-Foster City School District
  • Volunteer: Peninsula Humane Society
  • Board Member: Samaritan House

Professional Experience

  • The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County. San Mateo, CA. (November 2007 - August 2008)
    • Advocate/Project Coordinator; The Health Consumer Center
  • San Mateo County Medical Center. San Mateo, CA . (December 2005 - August 2007)
    • Community Health Advocate
  • Midpeninsula Citizens for Fair Housing. Palo Alto, CA. (April 2005 - December 2005)
    • Fair Housing Specialist
  • San Carlos Police Department. San Carlos, CA. (July 2002- April 2005)
    • PAL Program Coordinator & Community Service Officer
  • San Mateo County Alcohol and Other Drug Services. Belmont, CA. (2001- 2002)
    • Social Worker II
  • San Francisco D.A.’s Office/Family Violence Project. San Francisco, CA. (1998 –2001)
    • Victim Advocate
  • San Mateo County Victim/Witness Center. East Palo Alto, CA.(1996 –1998)
    • Program Coordinator/Advocate

Publications

  • Poetry in Roberta Fernandez, ed. In Other Words; Contemporary Latina Writers of The U.S. Houston: Arte Publico Press, 1994.
  • Poetry in Broad Topics Magazine, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991.
  • Poetry in Chispas Magazine, Berkeley: University of California Press Spring 1990 Issue No. 2, and Volume 18 No.3
  • Poetry in smell this: women of color cultural production, Berkeley: Third Woman Press, 1990 & 1992.

Papers and Presentations

  • May 2011. “Live Your Life as A Leader” (invited speaker)
    Hillsdale High School, Padres Unidos Club
  • February 2011. “Living in the Time of Firsts” (invited speaker)
    Notre Dame de Namur University, Gen 1 Program Speakers Series
  • April 2011. Mistress of Ceremonies and co-producer. NDNU’s 2ndt Annual Latino/Latina Leadership Conference. Ralston Mansion, Belmont, CA.
  • April 2010. Mistress of Ceremonies and co-producer. NDNU’s 1st Annual Latino/Latina Leadership Conference. Ralston Mansion, Belmont, CA.
  • July 2009.  Mentor Award Acceptance Speech. Women of Color Action Network Annual Awards Dinner. Belmont, CA.
  • April 1998. Poetry Performance. A different light Bookstore, Readers and Writers Conference. San Francisco, CA
  • July 1996. Poetry Performance. The Bright Blessed Day, The Dark Sacred Night. New College of California. San Francisco, CA
  • September 1996. Poetry Performance. Kolored Ink. Writers of Color Collaborative. Oakland, CA
  • October 1995. Delivered my paper on multiracial identity, "Confessions of a Mexican-wanna- be black-white girl". The International House Outfest 1995. University of California, Berkeley.
  • September 1995. Poetry Performance. In God's Own Face. A benefit for El Movimiento para los derechos de los inmigrantes. Modern Times Bookstore. San Francisco, CA.
  • August 1994. Poetry Performance. La Peña Cultural Center. Berkeley, CA.
  • February 1991. Panel Speaker. From Migration to Margin, Literary work by women of color. Small Press Distribution Winter Series. Berkeley, CA.
  • Fall 1990. Guest Speaker. The First Annual Women of Color Retreat. University of California, Berkeley.
  • March 1989. Television appearance. KATU Channel 2 (ABC) television broadcast of Teens and Company. This broadcast was honored with the National Iris Award. Portland, OR.
  • 1987-1988. Actress with Teens and Company. Performed in 120 shows throughout the State of Oregon.