American Mestiza

Bio for Public Use:

 

Sarah A. Chavez, a mestiza born and raised in the California Central Valley, is the author of the poetry collections, Hands That Break & Scar (Sundress Publications, 2017) and All Day, Talking (dancing girl press, 2014), selections of which were awarded the Susan Atefat Peckham Fellowship. She holds a PhD in English with a focus in poetry and Ethnic Studies from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Her most recent work can be found or is forthcoming in Xicanx: Mexican American Writers of the 21st Century, IDK Magazine, & Five:2:One #thesideshow. Her new poetry project, Halfbreed Helene Navigates the Whole received a 2019-2020 Tacoma Artists Initiative Award. She recently joined the faculty at the University of Washington Tacoma where she teaches creative writing and Latinx/Chicanx-focused courses. She serves as the poetry coordinator for Best of the Net Anthology and is a proud member of the Macondo Writers Workshop. www.sarahachavez.com 

 

Longer, More Full of Facts Bio: 

 

Sarah A. Chavez is a mestiza born and raised in the California Central Valley where she worked every job from farm laborer, to janitor and maintenance, to barista, to waitress, house-sitter, web editor, tutor, and administrative assistant for a Native American drug and alcohol recovery home. Deciding to go back to school to pursue writing and teaching, she earned a PhD in English with a focus in Creative Writing (poetry) and an interdisciplinary specialization in Ethnic Studies, with a focus on Chicanx/Latinx & Native American literature and culture, from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She has been the recipient of the Marshall University Faculty Women of Color Award (2017), the Fredrick A. and Minnie J.M. Stuff Memorial Placement Fellowship (2014), the Quercus Press Review, Fall Poetry Book Award, Honorable Mention (2013), Stuff Dissertation Fellowship (2013), the Susan Atefat Peckham Fellowship, Literary Contest (2013), the Arts & Letters/ Rumi Prize for Poetry, finalist (2012), the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Competition, Honorable Mention (2012), the Vreeland Award (2011), Chancellor's Doctoral Fellowship (2009 – 2011), and the Excellence in Education, 2007 – 2008 teaching award from Ball State University’s Correctional Education Program. In 2016, she was named one of the Top 10 "New" Latinos to Watch (and Read) by Latinostories.com.

 

Along with teaching poetry workshops, ethnic studies, and literature at Marshall University, she enjoys facilitating writing workshops and book clubs in the greater community which exists outside university walls. 

 

E-Mail: sarah.a.chavez7@gmail.com

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Short Keepin' it Real Bio:

 

While it would be accurate to say that I am a writer who enjoys drinking copious amounts of coffee, reading, and film, it would only be fair to confess that I am also a California-born/writer/liberal/hyper-educated stereotype -- riding bicycles as transportation, vegetarianism, yoga, cats, microbrew beer, & thrift store shopping. But if I'm being real real, I'd add being nosy, occasional bouts of insomnia, short as hell, sometimes caustic, foul-mouthed, closet lover of most things super hero-related who eats popcorn out of tiny baseball helmets while watching Guardians of the Galaxy for the ninetieth time.