We are honored to share that Dr. Lidia Marte, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Puerto Rico–Río Piedras, recently donated a selection of her published works, including her MFA thesis, to the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library.

This generous contribution includes books authored by Dr. Marte, academic journals featuring her articles, and creative works that span both scholarly and artistic disciplines. These materials offer unique insights into her expansive and interdisciplinary body of work, and they will become a valuable resource for students, faculty, and researchers exploring themes in Dominican studies, visual culture, and anthropology.

Dr. Marte personally brought the materials from Puerto Rico. Her message ahead of the donation, offering us “first choice” of the materials, was emblematic of the care and intentionality behind this gift. She shared not only published books and her MFA thesis, but also journals, handwritten materials, and creative writings.

In addition to the books and thesis, Dr. Marte has also donated a portion of her personal papers to the CUNY DSI Archives, which will be processed separately in the future. These papers include fieldwork notes, drawings, early writings, and other creative and scholarly materials that will further illuminate her contributions to Dominican intellectual and cultural life.

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Marte to both the Archives and Library, where she signed her books, and later joined our team for a meaningful lunch. This time together allowed for rich conversations about her work, her vision, and the shared mission of cultural preservation and knowledge-making.

We are deeply grateful for Dr. Marte’s generosity and the trust she has placed in our Archives and Library. Her donation enhances the visibility of Dominican scholars and artists and will serve as an inspiring resource for future generations.

Stay tuned as we continue cataloging and integrating these materials into our collections — and sharing the stories they carry.