About

Dr. Karla J. Strand is an information specialist, freelance writer, historian, and budding astrologer dedicated to liberation for all people. 

While she applies critical, queer, feminist, anti-racist, and anti-colonial values and analyses to any/every topic and in all the labor she performs, Karla is particularly focused on:

– white women’s roles in (deconstructing) white supremacy, (anti)colonialism, and attempted Indigenous genocide;
– intersections between Native American, Black, and white women’s histories and feminisms;
– Missing and murdered Indigenous women and people;
– Intergenerational trauma and healing; and
– Critical genealogy and astrology in healing and empowerment. 

As an academic librarian for 20 years, Karla has mastered the art and science of locating, evaluating, interpreting, distilling, and providing accessible, accurate, and robust information to people from all walks of life. Karla is skilled in database and archives use, information literacy instruction, collection development, bibliography and resource guide creation, research consultations, interviewing, storytelling, editing, proofreading, publishing, citations, and working with faculty, students, volunteers, activists, and community members alike. She has also had the opportunity to grow invaluable leadership, management, supervisory, budgeting, communication, strategic planning, assessment, conference planning, project management, and team-building skills. Karla is an experienced educator, trainer, and mentor in her areas of expertise and in what is referred to as “diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Also a freelance writer, Karla has two regular columns with Ms. Magazine: “Ms. Feminist Know-It-All” online and “Bookmarks” in the print publication. She has articles, book reviews, and interviews published and forthcoming in Ms.; The Progressive; Sierra: The Magazine of the Sierra Club; Knovvmads; Gay & Lesbian Review; Foreword Reviews; Pulp Magazine; Farewell Alarms; The Startup; Fearless, She Wrote; Invisible Illness; Library Management; Canadian Journal of History; Resources for Gender and Women’s Studies: A Feminist Review; and Journal of American History. Karla is also the reviews editor for the Coordinating Council for Women in History.

Karla’s historical research and writing are focused on the intersections of white, Native, and Black women’s histories, feminisms, and genocide, as well as histories of race and racism more broadly. Her book reviewing is centered on books by women, femmes, trans and gender-expansive writers, and writers of the global majority. If you are interested in having Karla examine your book for review or list inclusion, please see the Book Consideration Policy.

In all her free time, Karla is studying for her genealogy accreditation and is an aspiring astrologer. Karla is a critical genealogist focused on connecting anti-racist and anti-colonial genealogy and family history (for families of origin and chosen families) with the healing power of storytelling and astrology. Karla now offers limited research and genealogical services through her new business, Origins Historical Research.

Karla is of mostly Norwegian and German descent. Her ancestors settled on lands that belonged to many Native peoples in the areas now known as Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota. A resident of Wisconsin for her entire life, she honors the Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk peoples on whose lands she resides and works while attempting to live in harmony and reciprocity with the people, the land, and the four-legged beings that were here before her. Karla has earned a doctorate in Information Science (2016, University of Pretoria, South Africa), a Master’s in Library and Information Science (2006, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and a bachelor’s degree in history and women’s studies (2003, Carroll College, Wisconsin).

Download Karla’s full CV here. You can also read more about Karla’s Values, useful Resources, and favorite People.