-
Edition 0 (2018) Winner
Laurie Ann Guerrero
ローリー・アン・ゲレロ
Rōrī An Guerrero
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Residence History
- San Antonio, Texas, United States → Austin, Texas, United States (residency/visit) → New York, New York, United States (residency/visit)
Career
- Occupations
- Poet, Writer, Educator
- Active Years
- 2008-
- Affiliations
- University of the Incarnate Word (faculty), University of Texas at El Paso (faculty), Palo Alto College (faculty/residency), Gemini Ink (community literary arts organization), Macondo Writers Workshop (served as director), CantoMundo (fellow/alumna)
- Memberships
- Macondo Writers Workshop, CantoMundo
- Influenced By
- Naomi Shihab Nye, Francisco X. Alarcón, Sandra Cisneros
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith College | — | — | B.A. | — | United States |
| Drew University | — | — | M.F.A. | — | United States |
Smith College
Degree:
B.A.
Country:
United States
Attended as an Ada Comstock Scholar
Drew University
Degree:
M.F.A.
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Panhandler Publishing Award | Babies Under the Skin | — | Panhandler Publishing | Winner |
| 2012 | Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize | A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying | — | Letras Latinas / University of Notre Dame Press | Winner (manuscript selected) |
| 2014 | International Latino Book Award | A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying | — | International Latino Book Awards | Winner |
| 2014 | Poet Laureate of San Antonio | — | — | City of San Antonio | Appointed (2014–2016) |
| 2016 | Poet Laureate of Texas | — | — | State of Texas | Appointed (2016–2017) |
Panhandler Publishing Award
2008
Work:
Babies Under the Skin
Organization:
Panhandler Publishing
Result:
Winner
Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize
2012
Work:
A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying
Organization:
Letras Latinas / University of Notre Dame Press
Result:
Winner (manuscript selected)
International Latino Book Award
2014
Work:
A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying
Organization:
International Latino Book Awards
Result:
Winner
Poet Laureate of San Antonio
2014
Organization:
City of San Antonio
Result:
Appointed (2014–2016)
Poet Laureate of Texas
2016
Organization:
State of Texas
Result:
Appointed (2016–2017)
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Babies Under the Skin
2008 Poetry (chapbook)A chapbook of poems that explores identity and coming of age through personal memory and family experience, marked by Chicana perspective, bodily imagery, and community-focused observation.
IdentityFamilyChicana experience
A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying
2013 PoetryA collection of poems centered on language, loss, and heritage. The work probes personal and communal memory through voice and mother tongue, blending powerful imagery with narrative elements.
LanguageLossMemoryCultural heritage
A Crown for Gumecindo
2015 Poetry (crown of sonnets)Using the crown-of-sonnets form, this book weaves family lineage, personal history, and regional culture into a poetic experiment of linked sonnets.
Family lineageTraditionRegional identity
Bibliography
- Babies Under the Skin (2008)
- A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying (2013)
- A Crown for Gumecindo (2015)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Colloquial yet lyrical poetic voiceBlend of narrative elements and personal experience
- Recurring Motifs
- FamilyChicana cultureDeath and lossLanguage and voice
Legacy
Served as Poet Laureate of San Antonio and Poet Laureate of Texas; known for community-based teaching, mentoring emerging poets, and raising visibility for Chicana literature. Contributed to preservation of regional culture and promotion of public poetry.
Academic Societies
- CantoMundo
Trivia
- In fall 2017 she became the first writer-in-residence at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
- Appointed Poet Laureate of San Antonio in 2014 and Poet Laureate of Texas for 2016–2017.
- Her first chapbook, Babies Under the Skin, won the Panhandler Publishing Award chosen by Naomi Shihab Nye.
- A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying was selected by Francisco X. Alarcón for the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize and published by University of Notre Dame Press.