Karen M. Ugarte, MSW (She/her), received her undergraduate degree from CSUN in Gender and Women’s Studies and Chicane Studies in 2015. Her previous experience includes supporting and advocating for survivors of intimate partner violence, families and individuals experiencing homelessness, LGBTQIA+ individuals across the lifespan, and providing mental health services to children, youth, and families in the San Fernando Valley. Karen was Tia Chucha’s 2019-2020 Macro Social Work Intern. As a graduate student her research focused on giving voice to the experiences of LGBTQ+ Latinx women. She is an advocate for narrative, art, and creative expression as vital sources of community healing and care. She graduated in May 2020 from CSUN’s Master of Social Work program, with aspirations to continue working with and serving the community of San Fernando Valley, and became Tia Chucha’s bookstore manager that same year. In Summer 2024, Karen became the second certificated Professional Bookseller in the country and also completed the 2024 CABS-Minnesota Antiquarian Book Seminar as part of the 2024 Diverse Voices Fellowship.