AWARDS
Little Bird/Pajarita, Commissioned concert and poetry by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (2016)
Won two consecutive Many Voices Fellowships for emerging playwrights through the Playwright's Center in Minneapolis, MN (2008-2009, 2009-2010); funded by the Jerome Foundation
Finalist, Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize, 2010
Awarded Blacklock Nature Sanctuary Fellowship in 2009; funded by the Jerome Foundation
Chosen as Loft Inroads mentor, Spring 2009
MN Slam! Champion and member of MN Slam! Team at the National Poetry Slam in Austin, Texas, 2007
Represented Minnesota at the Individual World Poetry Slam in Vancouver, Canada, 2007
Finalist in the Loft Mentor Series in Poetry, 2006
Recipient of a Cultural Community Partnership Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, 2006
Member of "Found in Translation," winners of the Minneapolis MOSAIC 2006 commission
Named one of the top 25 young Latino leaders in Minnesota by the MN Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 2005
PUBLICATIONS
& PRODUCTIONS
The Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States (Tia Chucha Press, 2017)
Theatre Under My Skin, Contemporary Salvadoran Poetry (Kalina Press, 2014)
2010: Staged reading of full-length play, I Was a Dove, Playwright's Center, Minneapolis, MN
2010: Produced Latino Arts: A Community Vision, a one-hour documentary in joint collaboration with Twin Cities Public Television, the MN Humanities Center and the MN Chicano Latino Affairs Council
2009: Staged reading of full-length play, Nina and the Devouring Ocean, Playwright's Center, Minneapolis, MN
2008: Commissioned by Teatro del Pueblo in St. Paul, MN to create original play, The Red Queen for their Vision-es New Works Series
2008: Featured in The Loft's debut Equilibrium CD ¿Nation of Immigrants?
Work has been published in Mizna and the Chicana/Latina Studies: the Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social
Telling Tongues: A Latin@ Anthology on Language Experience (Calaca Press & Red Salmon Press, 2007)
Contributed to and co-edited the 2007 Palabrista collection, Outside the Lines.
Contributed to and co-edited ¿Under What Bandera? Anti-War Ofrendas from Minnesota y Califas (Calaca Press, 2004)
AFFILIATIONS
Former board member, teacher and mentor at The Loft, the largest and most comprehensive literary center in the United States
High-profile member of Palabristas, a Minnesota-based Latino poetry collective.
Previous artist in residence at Intermedia Arts’ Moving Lives Speaker Bureau
Previous artist in residence at Young Audiences/Compas
PRESS, PERFORMANCES
& CONFERENCES
PRESS
Featured in the Star Tribune, Lavender magazine, The MN Daily, METRO magazine, and Pulse of the Twin Cities, featured guest on KFAI's "Write on Radio," and MPR's "In the Loop"
PERFORMANCES
Performs her work regularly for universities, organizations and institutions; featured poetry readings and performances include: University of St. Thomas, Macalester College, University of Minnesota, St. Cloud State University, Metropolitan State University, Hamline University, St. Olaf College, and Gustavus Adolphus College
CONFERENCES
Presented, AWP, Boston 2013
Presented, AWP, Minneapolis 2015
CURRICULA, TEACHING
& WORKSHOPS
Have facilitated numerous poetry and creative writing workshops, ranging in age from elementary age children to college students. Most of this work has been done independently, however some has been done through Young Audiences of Minnesota and Intermedia Arts
2009: Wrote and facilitated curriculum for intensive INROADS Latino mentorship at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis; 12 week seminar
2008: Wrote curriculum and facilitated "Poetry and Politics," a six-week class for adults at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, MN
2006: Wrote and facilitated poetry and creative writing curriculum at La Escuelita in Minneapolis, MN, teaching middle school to high school students in both English and Spanish; program lasted one full academic year
2004: Wrote and facilitated 8-week Spanish language poetry curriculum for middle school students at Folwell School in Minneapolis, MN
2002: Wrote and facilitated VOCES curriculum at Neighborhood House, St. Paul, MN to teach a wide variety of speaking skills to teens – from spoken word, to informative and persuasive speeches