Education
Ph.D., English & Creative Writing, Expected May 2025
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Committee: Katie Cortese (Chair), Marcus Burke, Sara Spurgeon
Qualifying Exam Fields: Young Adult Lit, Indigenous Latine Lit, Pedagogy
Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing, Fiction, June 2020
University of California, Riverside
Thesis: “East of Salinas”, A Novel
Committee: Michael Jayme (Chair), Laila Lalami, Nalo Hopkinson, Alex Espinoza
Bachelor of Arts in Science, Technology, and Society, May 2015
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Selected Graduate Level Coursework
Power of Voice & Vernacular
Folktale Derived Sci-fi & Fantasy
The Art of the Essay
Stories as Collections
Chicana/os in Education
Borders, Borderlands, and Chicana/o Studies
Globalization & the Global South
Indigenous Futurisms
Research & Teaching Fields
Creative Writing, Indigenous Identity, American Indian Literature, Chicane & Latine Identity, Chicane & Latine Literature, Race in Mexico, Borderlands, Ecocriticism, Animal Studies
Publications
Fiction
“Indian Blood,” unnamed Latinx Horror Anthology, Arte Publico Press, Winter 2022
“two little brown girls,” Taco Bell Quarterly, August 2021
“The Wrestler,” The Monterey County Weekly, October 2019
“Pieces,” Acentos Review, August 2017
Non-Fiction
“Blusas,” under the gum tree, January 2018
Poetry
“cardboard fieldworkers,” 8 Poems, October 2020
Book Reviews
“I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat,” Latino Book Review, April 2022
Interviews
“Totally Grounded,” LA Review of Books, April 2020
Accepted Talks
“Who Gets to Tell Our Stories: Analyzing Power and Ethics of Storytelling”
Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Philadelphia, PA, March 2022
w/ Prisca Mojica Rodriguez, Raquel Reichard, Alan Pelaez, Ashia Ajani
Invited Talks
“Storytelling as Medicine”
Medicine Ways Conference. The University of California, Riverside, April 2021
w/ Allison Hedgecoke, Kyrie Eleison
Readings
“Emerging: Offsite at AWP”
Hosted by Natalie Lima at The Raven Lounge, Philadelphia, PA, March 24, 2022
“LHUCA Literary Reading Series”
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, December 2021
“LIVE ON INSTAGRAM: UC Riverside MFA Students read their work!”
Skylight Books, Los Angeles, CA, April 29th, 2020
“UC RIVERSIDE MFA STUDENTS READ FROM THEIR WORK”
Skylight Books, Los Angeles, CA, April 28th, 2019
“MFA Reading Series”
University of California, Riverside, October 25th, 2018
Teaching Experience
Graduate Instructor, Texas Tech University, August 2020 - Present
Introduction to Creative Writing—1 section
Advanced College Rhetoric—3 sections
Essentials of College Rhetoric—5 sections
Teaching Assistant, University of California, Riverside, September 2019 - June 2020
Introduction to Fiction—1 section
Introduction to Creative Writing—1 section
Cool & Exciting Contemporary Fiction—1 section
Other Experience
Assistant Director, August 2022 - May 2023
First-Year Writing Program, Texas Tech University
Assistant Director, May 2018 - July 2018
Voices of Monterey Bay, Salinas, CA
Crafted lessons & led discussions on journalism writing for low-income high school students. Edited stories & prepared them for print and online publication.
Tutoring Center Instructor, September 2017- May 2018
Oakland High School, Oakland, CA
Led classes through lectures, discussions, and individual assignments. Supported students who needed extra instruction one-on-one or in small groups.
Editorial Assistant, May 2017- May 2018
Mosaic Journalism Workshop, San Jose, CA
Crafted lessons & led discussions on journalism writing for low-income high school students.
Assistant Teacher, AP English, August 2016 - May 2017
Alisal High School, Salinas, CA
Prepared lectures and class activities focusing on English Composition for students at various levels of English Fluency.
Service Experience
Texas Tech University
First-Year Writing Planning Committee , 2021 - Present
University of California, Riverside
Liaison and Workshop Leader for the Office of Diversity, 2019 - 2020
Organized creative writing readings for graduate students, 2018 - 2020
Graduate Student Mentor, 2018 - 2020
Editorial Experience
Iron Horse Review
Associate Prose Editor, 2020 - Present
Santa Ana River Review
Fiction Editor, 2019 - 2020
Assistant Fiction Editor, 2018 - 2019
Awards and Fellowships
Sowell Collection Essay Contest, 2022
First place for the graduate student division of Texas Tech University’s Sowell Collection essay contest.Chancellor’s Diversity Fellow, 2019
Learned strategies for inclusive education and led workshops for departments at UCR as a representative of the Office of Diversity.Pushcart Prize Nominee, 2019
Nominated by under the gum tree for “Blusas”Gluck Fellowship, 2018
Taught poetry to elementary school students in underserved communities.Questbridge Scholar, 2011
Admitted to Vassar College as one of eight National College Matches