Charlene Garcia Simms

Charlene Garcia Simms grew up in Garcia, Colorado.{{cite book |last1=Martinez Martinez |first1=Deborah |title=Chicana Activists of Colorado: Powerful women paper dolls and their stories |date=2020 |publisher=Vanishing Horizons |location=Pueblo, CO}} She is a relation of Maria Josefa Jaramillo Carson, the third wife of Kit Carson.{{cite web |title=Susan Lee Johnson & Charlene Garcia Simms |url=https://www.historycolorado.org/bold-women-change-history#event=susan-lee-johnson-charlene-garcia-simms;instance=20230927190000?popup=1 |website=History Colorado |access-date=10 March 2023}}

She was married to Eduard Simms.

She received an MBA from Colorado State University Pueblo, and earned her Master's of Library Science from the University of Arizona. While at Arizona, she was a Knowledge River Scholar.

Garcia Simms and her husband are the co-owners of El Escritorio Publishing. The company has published 15 books with a focus on Southwest history and geneaology.{{cite web |title=Charlene Garcia Simms |url=https://www.calmaco.org/charlene-garcia-simms |website=Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors |access-date=25 May 2022}} They published Colorado State Fair Fiesta Day magazines for over 20 years, and her private collection has been used to research Pueblo's music history.{{cite news |last1=Baltazar Martínez |first1=Sandra |title=NEH grant helps research Pueblo, Colorado’s music history |url=https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2022/05/18/neh-grant-helps-research-pueblo-colorados-music-history |publisher=University of California, Riverside |date=May 18, 2022}} She also has a collection at CSU Pueblo on Olibama Lopez Tushar.{{cite web |title=Charlene Garcia Simms |url=https://csupueblo.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=creators/creator&id=80 |website=Colorado State University Pueblo Library}}

In addition to publishing poetry and books, she has coordinated public art shows focusing on Hispanic artists with masterpieces but no place to showcase them. She published Spanish/Mexican Legacy of Latinos in Pueblo County and an inspired mural called "Corazon de Pueblo."

Garcia Simms worked at the Bruce Randolph School in Denver for 3 years, then in June 2008 returned to Pueblo to be the Hispanic resources librarian at Robert H. Rawlings Public Library.{{cite news |last1=Porter |first1=Mary Jean |title=Mining for gold |url=https://www.chieftain.com/story/lifestyle/2008/09/16/mining-for-gold/8853948007/ |publisher=Pueblo Chieftain |date=September 16, 2008}} She is currently the Genealogy and Special Collections Librarian at the Pueblo City-County Library System, and was previously the President of the Genealogy Society of Hispanic America.

Garcia Simms has been part of the Fray Angelico Chavez chapter of the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America. She was the Chairperson of the 2015 National Conference Team for the organization, and she edited their official newsletter.{{cite web |title=Noticias de Nuestras Raices |url=https://www.gsha-sc.org/uploads/4/4/9/9/44996551/26-3_nnr.pdf |website=Genealogical Society of Hispanic America}}

In 2021, Garcia Simms received a research grant from the Aztlán Center at CSU Pueblo to explore the historical lives of Chicana women in New Mexico and Colorado.{{cite web |title=Aztlán Center |url=https://www.csupueblo.edu/library/aztlan-center.html |website=University Library |publisher=Colorado State University Pueblo |access-date=10 March 2023}}

In 2019, Simms was inducted as a Corn Mother for her social justice work and community support.{{cite news |title=Charlene Garcia Simms |url=https://www.cornmothers.com/Charlene-Simms.php |publisher=Return of the Corn Mothers}}

• Geneaology and the Librarian, Perspectives on Research, Instruction, Outreach, and Management
• [https://www.worldcat.org/title/pueblo/oclc/1145596128 Simms, Charlene G, Maria S. Tucker, Jeffrey DeHerrera, and Pueblo C.-C. L. District. Pueblo. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing Inc, 2017. Internet resource.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/title/spanish-mexican-legacy-of-latinos-in-pueblo-county/oclc/1051058036 Sandoval, David A, and Charlene G. Simms. Spanish / Mexican Legacy of Latinos in Pueblo County. Pueblo City-County Library District, 2012. Internet resource.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/title/orphan-stalk-growing-up-adopted-in-a-manito-culture/oclc/1286899018 Simms, Charlene G. Orphan Stalk: Growing Up Adopted in a Manito Culture. 2021. Print.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/title/east-and-west-of-the-sangre-de-cristos/oclc/31525310 Márquez, Joseph A, and Charlene G. Simms. East and west of the Sangre de Cristos. Pueblo, CO: El Escritorio, 1991. Print.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/title/familia-de-cordoba/oclc/25857438 Márquez, Joseph A, and Charlene G. Simms. La Familia De Córdoba. Pueblo, CO: El Escritorio, 1991. Print.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/title/images-of-america-pueblo/oclc/1122756369 Simms, Charlene G, Maria S. Tucker, and Jeffrey DeHerrera. Images of America: Pueblo, 2017. Print.]

• [http://faculty.csupueblo.edu/Alegria.Ribadeneira/HispanicExperience/2008-09/pdf/Garcia%20Simms-Aireando%20el%20frijol-short%20story.pdf Airando el Frijol]
• [http://faculty.csupueblo.edu/Alegria.Ribadeneira/HispanicExperience/2008-09/pdf/Garcia%20Simms-Mana%20Timotea-short%20story.pdf Mana Timotea]
• Eres Chicana Tummy Tales - Chicos Deliciosos del Horno{{cite web |title=CHAC kicks off Latinx Heritage Month honoring Familia and Food |url=https://yourhub.denverpost.com/blog/2022/09/chac-kicks-off-latinx-heritage-month-honoring-familia-and-food/295963/ |website=Your Hub |publisher=Denver Post}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.elescritorio.org/ El Escritorio Publishing]
• [https://archives.mountainscholar.org/digital/collection/p17393coll34/id/104 Charlene Garcia Simms Oral History Interview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia Simms, Charlene}}

Category:1952 births

Category:Colorado State University Pueblo alumni

Category:University of Arizona alumni

Category:Living people

Category:American people of Mexican descent

Category:Educators from Colorado

Category:Librarians from Colorado