My Bio

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My Bio

Certificate in Teaching Postsecondary Reading - San Francisco State University
MFA in Creative Writing/English - University of Washington
B.A. in Theatre Arts - San Francisco State University


In teaching English, I always think of the class and the pursuit of a good grade as a temporary one-semester state of being. The goal of learning how to write well, is to be able to communicate eloquently in whatever field you choose. Writing well isn't just about where-to-put-commas, but is about being aware of what is going on in the world. The knowledge of cultures and issues beyond our borders is essential in our day and age. If you want to view some links to help you understand global issues better, click here for links to interesting websites.

I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but have lived most of my life in California. I was hired full-time at Skyline in May 2001 but taught English part-time for almost ten years. I have traveled to Europe, Brazil and Mexico. I also write and have published work in the Los Angeles Times, Michigan Quarterly Review, Boston Review, Américas, Gettysburg Review, TriQuarterly and elsewhere. In 2001 I received a community college grant from the Center for Latin American Studies at Stanford University to study Literatura de Cordel, folklore ballad poetry of Northeast Brazil.

My novel on Brazilian immigrants in the U.S., Samba Dreamers, (University of Arizona Press/Camino del Sol series), was nominated for the Northern California Book award and won a 2007 Pen Oakland Josephine Miles Award. To read more about it, and check out links for Latino writers and Brazil-lovers, check out my other website.

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