Thanks to support from the San Jose State University travel grant, I had the opportunity to travel to Brooklyn, New York, and present at the REFORMA Northeast Joint Mini-Conference. As an MLIS student, this experience was especially meaningful because it was my first time presenting at a professional conference outside of California and my first visit to New York City. My presentation, Archiving Through Vision: Storytelling, Disability, and the Sensory Legacy of Belonging, explored how family archives, disability, and emerging technologies can shape more inclusive approaches to memory and cultural preservation. The project was inspired by my father’s collection of home videos. For more than thirty years, he documented birthdays, celebrations, conversations, and everyday life while experiencing progressive vision loss. Reviewing these recordings revealed that they were much more than family memories, they had become an archive preserving relationships, cultural traditions, and moments that might otherwise have been lost.

Building on this foundation, I shared my research into multisensory access and haptic technologies. Using TouchDesigner and a prototype haptic glove, I explored how visual information might be translated into tactile experiences through vibration patterns. While the project remains exploratory, it encouraged me to think about accessibility not as an accommodation added after the fact, but as a creative design practice that expands how people engage with information, art, and cultural heritage.

Presenting this work was both exciting and intimidating because it was deeply personal. The project combines my family’s history, my interests in archives and accessibility, and my own creative practice as an artist. One of the most rewarding parts of the conference was speaking with attendees after the presentation. Several people shared how the themes of memory, disability, family history, and belonging resonated with them, leading to thoughtful conversations that extended beyond the presentation itself.

In addition to presenting, I attended sessions led by librarians, archivists, and information professionals from across the region. These discussions provided valuable insights into community engagement, accessibility, cultural heritage, and the evolving role of libraries and archives. The conference also gave me the opportunity to connect with professionals whose work inspires me and to expand my professional network.

Most importantly, this experience strengthened my confidence as an emerging information professional. What began as a personal exploration of family home videos developed into a broader conversation about accessibility, storytelling, and cultural memory. I left the conference feeling inspired to continue this work and grateful for the opportunity to share it with such an engaged and supportive audience.

I am thankful to San Jose State University and the travel grant program for making this experience possible. Attending and presenting at the REFORMA Northeast Joint Mini-Conference was not only a professional milestone but also a reminder that some of the most meaningful research begins with the stories closest to home.