lisa@lisaalvarado.net
Professional Summary:
Lisa Alvarado is an educator, poet, novelist, and journalist, the founder of La Onda Negra Press, author of Reclamo and The Housekeeper's Diary; originally a book of poetry and now a one-woman performance. Her first novel, Sister Chicas, Penguin/NAL, was released in April 2006. The novel is a coming of age story concerning the lives of three young Latinas living in Chicago. It won 2nd place, Best First Novel in English. (Latino Literacy Now/2007)
Her book of poetry, Raw Silk Suture, with a forward by Juan Felipe Hererra and released by Floricanto Press in 2008, was reviewed by Rigoberto Gonzalez. She has curated multimedia exhibits, mounted her own multimedia piece, Reclamo in the Pilsen art corridor in Chicago; and is currently a contributor to the nationally touring exhibit, Re-imagining the Distaff Toolkit, curated by Ricki Solinger/SUNY.
Lisa is the recipient of grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs, The NEA, and the Ragdale Foundation. In Fall, 2009, she was awarded Hispanic Author of the Year by the State of Illinois. In 2010, she contributed to HaLapid, The Journal for the Study of Crypto-Judaism. In 2011, she contributed to Me No Habla with Acento, edited by Emanuel Xavier, and released by Rebel Satori Press, and authored Still, Life, a volume of essays and poetry. In 2015, she curated and edited an anthology of on line jazz-inspired poetry, Love You Madly.
Education
B.A. in Writing Vermont College
M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts Goddard College Vermont
Faculty Status
2009 Adjunct Faculty, Department of English, Columbia College Chicago
2008 Adjunct Faculty, Department of English, Columbia College Chicago
2008 Adjunct Faculty, Department of English, North Park University, Chicago IL
Undergraduate courses: Introduction to Literature and Introduction to Latin American Music, Art and Literature, Introduction to Poetry and Introduction to Fiction Writing
Publication
2015 Love You Madly - on line poetry anthology, Editor, http://loveyoumadlypoetry.com
2014 Light Sleeper, creative nonfiction, Memoir Magazine
2011 Still, Life, essays and poetry, CreateSpace
2011 Me No Hablo with Acento, contributor/poetry anthology, Rebel Satori Press
2010 HaLapid, Journal for the Study of Crypto-Judaism, poetry
2008 Raw Silk Suture, Floricanto Press
2007 La Bloga, and Blogcritics.org, online literary criticism, book reviews, interviews and cultural commentary
2006 Sister Chicas, Penguin/NAL (written with Ann Hagman Cardinal
and Jane Alberdeston Coralin)
2004 Mexico, 90 days and counting, poem, Derriva, literary journal, Mexico City, D. F.
2000 Dark Water Speaking, Editor
1999 The Housekeeper's Diary, Author, Editor, Publisher
1995 Reclamo/Reclamation, Author, Editor, Publisher
Panelist
1999 Grant Evaluation, Neighborhood Arts Program, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
Curation
2006 Woman Made Galley's annual calendar/Poetry submissions
1997 Video Reclamo, Centro de Bellas Artes de Ajijic (CABA), Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
1995 Menarche, Menses & Menopause: Women and the Way of Blood, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
1995 Festival Latino: A Showcase of Latino Poets, Chicago Public Libraries, Chicago, IL
1994 Five Women In the Tenth Month, Women At the Crossroads, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
1993 Five Women in the Tenth Month, Women at the Crossroads, Woman Made Gallery,
Chicago, IL
Awards
2009 Hispanic Author of the Year, State of Illinois, Hispanic Heritage Month
1999 Community Arts Assistance Program, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
1997 Community Arts Assistance Program, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
1996 Community Arts Assistance Program, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
1996 Regional Artists Program, National Endowment for the Arts
1995 Community Arts Assistance Program, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
1995 Artist Residency Scholarship, Ragdale Foundation
Visual Arts/Installation
2008-09 Mexican Maid's Toolkit, Sin Fronteras part of Reimaging the Distaff Toolkit, a multi-artist installation traveling the U.S., curated by Rickie Solinger/SUNY
2001 Chicago Pageant: A New Day, Field Museum, Chicago, IL
1997 Installation Reclamo, Casa de Arte y Cultura / Calles y Sueños, Chicago, IL
Related Experience
1995-2008 Founder & Publisher, La Onda Negra Press, Chicago IL
April 2003 Facilitator, Writing and Movement Workshop for About Face Theater,
Chicago IL
Spring 1997 Lead Artist, Gallery 37, Chicago IL
Winter 1996 Assistant Producer, WBEZ Radio, Chicago IL
Summer 1996 Artist Instructor, General Woods Boys & Girls Club, Chicago IL