An (Im)possible Life: Poesia y Testimonio in the Borderlands - Paperback

by Elvira Prieto (Author)

Poetry and Prose. Chican@/Latin@ Studies, Women and Gender Studies, Autobiography, Life Journey, Trauma, Truth-telling and Healing, Immigrant Experience, Bilingual. "Reading this book, you will wonder which took more courage and intelligence: living Elvira Prieto's life, or writing about it. From the grape fields to the ivy league, in poetry and prose, Elvira Prieto tells her dramatic story, of a family where love, work and trauma intertwine, of the search for selfhood and liberation, sustained by an endlessly renewing love of the world. A valuable addition to the rich genre of Chicana life writing." - Mary Louise Pratt, New York University "Elvira Prieto's courageous book of poems and prose tells a searing story of pain and pride. Both abuse and inspiration in equal parts come from supposedly safe spaces, her family and her schools. Her writing has an intensity and honesty that is compelling and revealing. Readers will want to know and will learn from this vivid life story." - Renato Rosaldo, New York University "Profunda es su poesia. Elvira's prose, poetry and her public readings, are an honest and revealing journey peppered at times with humor, with healing, with nostalgia and always, with truth. he perceived vulnerability of her every word is, on the contrary, a valiant journey where we see Elvira reclaiming and rebuilding. In doing so, Elvira assures her readers and her audiences, intentionally or not, that each of us is meant to learn and grow from commonplace vignettes that in time reveal themselves as the profound experiences that have contoured our life's path." - Victor M. Madrigal, Stanford University "This book is painfully, truthful with beautifully written prose. It speaks to the open wounds and the process of healing as a woman in a Mexican family. This book beautifully exemplifies a reflection of the self, the human experience, self-hate, self-love, gender biases and forgiveness." - Maria Elena Cruz, San Jose State University "La poes a de Elvira es transcendente ya que muchos se pueden identificar con ella. Su poes a esta llena de palabras sensoriales que nos hacen experimentar sus experiencias sin haber estado presentes. El compartir poemas de lucha, de la importancia del papel de la mujer y de muchos temas m s nos transmite fuerza para seguir abriendo caminos y oportunidades como ella lo ha hecho para las mujeres latinas." - Erica Fernandez, Stanford University "El trabajo de Elvira toca el alma de sus lectores y oyentes, en espa ol and in English. La habilidad de trascender idiomas y llegar a las emociones de una audiencia multiling e no es f cil de lograr. Sin embargo, Elvira es capaz de hablar directamente con nuestros corazones e inspirarnos a continuar nuestra lucha diaria a trav s de sus poemas y ensayos."- Diego Rom n, Southern Methodist University "Elvira's words have drifted into my mind and embedded themselves in my soul. Every sentence is gently crafted with love and a fiery spirit that can affect even the hardest of hearts. Her stories tell the sometimes difficult, the sometimes beautiful, and overall necessary perspective that needs to be told." - Norma Gonzalez, Stanford University

Author Biography

Elvira Prieto was born and raised in California's Central San Joaquin Valley working alongside her parents and siblings in the grape fields and fruit packing sheds of Reedley, CA and surrounding communities in Fresno County. She is the first woman in her family to attend college, receiving her B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University and an Ed.M. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Elvira's has worked in higher education, student affairs, academic advising, policy analysis and implementation, and community-based education for over fifteen years and she is currently the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Director of El Centro Chicano y Latino and Resident Fellow of Casa Naranja at Stanford University. Elvira's writing is focused on the retelling of life recuerdos (memories) with the intention of creating spaces of light, love, and healing for individuals and community.