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Tim Z. Hernandez

ティム・Z・ヘルナンデス

Tim Z. Hernandez

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Dinuba, California, United States
Nationality
United States
Languages
English, Spanish
Residence History
San Joaquin Valley, California → East Los Angeles, California → Dinuba, California → New Mexico (family roots) → Texas (family roots) → Boulder, Colorado (Naropa University / activities) → El Paso, Texas (University of Texas at El Paso)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Poet, Performer, Multidisciplinary artist, University professor
Active Years
1995-
Affiliations
University of Texas at El Paso (Associate Professor, bilingual MFA program), Poets & Writers, Inc. (collaborator for workshops), California Center for the Book at UCLA (collaborator)
Memberships
Texas Institute of Letters
Influenced By
Juan Felipe Herrera, June Jordan, Li-Young Lee, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Woody Guthrie (folk tradition / connection to 'Deportee')

Education

Naropa University
Writing and Literature
Degree: B.A.
Country: United States
Earned a B.A. from the first accredited Buddhist institute in the West.
Bennington College
Writing and Literature (M.F.A.)
Degree: M.F.A.
Country: United States
Holds an M.F.A. in writing and literature.
California State University, Long Beach (studies)
Poetry and performance studies
Country: United States
Studied with several poets and performance artists in the mid-1990s.

Awards

American Book Award
2006
Work: Skin Tax
Organization: Before Columbus Foundation
Result: 受賞
Premio Aztlán Literary Prize
2011
Work: Breathing, In Dust
Organization: Premio Aztlán organization
Result: 受賞
Colorado Book Award (Poetry)
2014
Work: Natural Takeover of Small Things
Category: 詩
Organization: Colorado Center for the Book / Colorado Humanities
Result: 受賞
International Latino Book Award (Historical Fiction)
2014
Work: Mañana Means Heaven
Category: 歴史小説
Organization: International Latino Book Awards
Result: 受賞
Luis Leal Award for Distinction in Chicano Letters
2018
Organization: University of California, Santa Barbara
Result: 受賞
Texas Institute of Letters (Inductee)
2019
Organization: Texas Institute of Letters
Result: 選出
Zora Neale Hurston Award
2006
Work: Skin Tax
Organization: Unknown
Result: 受賞
James Duval Phelan Award
2003
Work: Skin Tax
Organization: San Francisco Foundation
Result: 受賞
California Book Award (Finalist)
2010
Work: Breathing, In Dust
Organization: California Book Awards
Result: 最終候補
Split This Rock - Freedom Plow Award (Finalist)
2013
Work: Los Gatos plane crash research (historical recovery work)
Organization: Split This Rock Foundation
Result: 最終候補

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

They Call You Back

2024 Memoir / Non-fiction

A memoir based on research into the 1948 Los Gatos plane crash and personal memory; chronicles the process of restoring the names of victims and the families' stories.

recovering memoryimmigration and laborhistorical justice

All They Will Call You

2017 Documentary novel / Non-fiction

A record-based work about the victims of the Los Gatos plane crash and their families, weaving research and testimony to recover names and stories.

restoring namesworkers' historyrecord and testimony

Mañana Means Heaven

2013 Historical fiction

A novel depicting Chicano/immigrant community experiences, layering history and personal narratives.

immigrant experiencefamily historylabor

Breathing, In Dust

2010 Fiction

A novel focusing on agricultural laborers and community life, highlighting cultural roots and the realities of migratory work.

agricultural labormobilityidentity

Skin Tax

2004 Poetry

First poetry collection featuring poems about immigrant workers' voices, corporeality, names, and memory.

labor and the bodynames and memorysocial justice

Some of the Light: New & Selected Poems

2023 Poetry (Selected)

A selected volume collecting new and previously published poems, surveying the arc of his poetic work and central themes.

memoryimmigrationfamily

Natural Takeover of Small Things

2013 Poetry

Poetry collection that illuminates history and personal memory through small everyday events and landscapes.

everyday lifememorynature

Culture of Flow

2012 Poetry

A poetry collection exploring flow and cultural intersections.

flowcultural intersection

Bibliography

  • They Call You Back (2024)
  • Some of the Light: New & Selected Poems (2023)
  • All They Will Call You (2017)
  • Mañana Means Heaven (2013)
  • Natural Takeover of Small Things (2013)
  • Breathing, In Dust (2010)
  • Culture of Flow (2012)
  • Skin Tax (2004)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Colloquial and poetic voiceBlend of documentary research and fictionPerformative narration
Recurring Motifs
restoring namesmigration and labormemory and testimony

Legacy

Recognized for uncovering and restoring the histories and names of workers, bringing forgotten stories into public memory. His work connects regional history and personal narratives across poetry and non-fiction.

Academic Societies

  • Texas Institute of Letters
  • Poetry Society of America (New American Poets honoree)

Archives

  • University of Texas at El Paso (possible holdings / donations)
  • Personal archives (author website and donated materials)

In Popular Culture

  • His work recovering the names related to Woody Guthrie's song 'Deportee' has been featured in press and music projects.

Quotes

  • It all comes down to the same idea of why it matters that their names are even brought up. Our names are really what represent who we are. They're our stamp on the fact that we've existed here, at one point.
    Source: NPR interview (2013) (2013)

Trivia

  • Known for research identifying victims of the 1948 Los Gatos plane crash and campaigning for memorials.
  • Succeeded in having a monument installed at the mass grave site in 2013 and at the crash site in 2024.
  • Won the 2006 American Book Award for the poetry collection 'Skin Tax'.
  • Was mentored by Juan Felipe Herrera and studied with several noted poets and performance artists.