Digitization

Mercedes Barletta - Director

Born and raised in Boston, Mercedes began studying Latin in seventh grade, and her interest in the stories, art, and culture of the ancient world has never waned. Now living in Santa Monica, CA, she shares her passion for Classics with her students at Harvard-Westlake Middle School where she teaches Latin and serves as the Head of the World Languages Department. Holding a BA in both Classical Studies and Archaeology from Wesleyan University, Mercedes has participated in digs in Sicily and traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean visiting ancient Greek and Roman sites. As Director of Digitization, she brings her keen eye as an editor of Latin novellas and her experience in historical document preservation from internships early in her career, including one in the Art of the Ancient World department at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. When she is not reading or speaking Latin at home with her partner, who is a fellow Latinist, Mercedes enjoys photography, singing, and playing her ukulele.

Taia Cheng

Taia Cheng is a Comparative Literature & Classics joint concentrator at Harvard University. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California where she began studying Latin in seventh grade at Westridge School for Girls and continued throughout high school at Harvard-Westlake. Her love for Greek and Roman mythology, literature, and culture has been kindled by her phenomenal Latin and Ancient Greek teachers and professors. She loves traveling, and her favorite place in the world is the seaport town of Nafplio in the Peloponnese in Greece. Throughout high school, she was involved in Certamen the California Junior Classical League, serving on the state board as the Historian. Through her Comparative Literature Department research assistant position, she has developed the skills necessary for a close examination of handwritten Latin texts. She is thrilled to work with Project Nota and inspire the inclusion of a female perspective in Latin curricula. Outside of Classics, she enjoys baking, cooking, crocheting, rowing, and photography.

Kim Uyen Dang

Kim is a Middle School and High School Latin teacher in Weston, MA. She is from Boston where she started studying Latin in seventh grade. She was fortunate to have several inspirational teachers who encouraged her to pursue the Humanities in college. Kim earned a BA in Classics from Boston College and an MA in Classics from Tufts University, and from there went straight into teaching. At her schools, she enjoys introducing young learners to language, reading, history and art through the lens of the ancient Roman world. She also mentors students and celebrates culture as an advisor of the Asian Student Union. Out of the many joyful memories she has had the privilege of experiencing as a teacher, her favorite is leading students on trips to Italy, sharing with them her favorite sites as well as Latin jokes and puns. Kim is thrilled to work with Project Nota, as it brings together her passions for feminism, Latin, and the close examination of handwritten words and letters. In her other life, Kim is the proud parent of three truly awesome children. In her free time, she enjoys running, biking, yoga, cooking, and eating.

Martha Marchina Digitization Members:

Jacqui Bloomberg

Severine Tarantino