Author/Speaker CONTACT STELLA  Stella Pope Duarte began her literary career in 1995 after she had a dream in which her deceased father related to her that her destiny was to become a writer. Her first collection of short stories, Fragile Night, (Bilingual Review Press, 1997) won a creative writing fellowship from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and was named a candidate for the prestigious, Pen West Fiction Award. In 2001 Ms. Duarte was awarded a second creative writing fellowship for her current novel, Let Their Spirits Dance. (HarperCollins, 2002). Harper Collins has described Ms. Duarte as a “major, new literary voice in America.” Ms. Duarte's work has won awards and honors nationwide, including a nomination for the Pushcart Prize in Literature. Let Their Spirits Dance is on the Book Sense List, and was awarded the AZ Highways Fiction Award for 2003, and nominated as a ONEBOOKAz in 2004. Ms. Duarte won the 2003 Excellence in Latino Arts & Culture Award, presented by Valle del Sol. In 2004, she received the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund Award for an excerpt from her current work, If I Die in Juárez, (2008 Spring release), and in 2005 she was honored with the Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award by the American Association of Community Colleges. Governor Janet Napolitano appointed Ms. Duarte as a member of the Arizona Commission on the Arts in 2006, and her term will run for three years. Ms. Duarte is also on the Artists Roster for the Arizona Commission on the Arts, serving as a resident artist in creative writing for students in elementary through high school. She is a highly sought-after inspirational speaker for audiences of all ages, on topics related to her work, as well as on issues related to: women's rights, culture, diversity, leadership, education, literacy, Chicano/Latino history, writing, and storytelling. Ms. Duarte was born and raised in la Sonorita Barrio in South Phoenix. HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS: *Published Author *University Professor *Educational Consultant *Community Advocate *Motivational Speaker EDUCATION: PHOENIX COLLEGE *AA Degree ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY *B.A. in Education *MAEd. Counseling *School Counselor Certification *Bilingual Endorsement *Certified English/Second Language Instructor *Certified Community College Instructor EMPLOYMENT: *ASU West, Creative Writing 2006-Present *Phoenix College, Creative Writing 2006-Present *Educational Consultant 1995-Present *Phoenix Union H.S. District 1992-2004 *University of Phoenix 1991-Present *Jewish Family & Children's Services 1991-1993 *Phoenix South Mental Health 1989-1996á PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Job responsibilities have included the following: Instructing in BLE/ESL classes ranging from elementary to university settings; facilitating and managing district-wide educational programs; coordinating a school-wide counseling program as Chair of Counseling at the high school level; serving as clinician in crisis, individual, family, and grief and loss counseling; teaching education ESL, and masters of counseling classes for Arizona State University and the University of Phoenix; teaching Creative Writing, conducting workshops and seminars related to educational and counseling issues, women's rights, writing, literacy, culture, Chicano/Chicana history, and storytelling. Serving as an Artist in Residence for elementary and high school students. FROM DREAM TO REALITY My literary career began by way of a dream of my deceased father in 1995. In the dream, my father related to me that I was destined to write. One year after the dream, I signed my first book contract for Fragile Night, a collection of short stories. In 2002, Let Their Spirits Dance, was released for publication by HarperCollins. My father was right...the salmon-colored staircase he led me to in the dream was immense, reaching into the Heavens. It has become my way into the writing world, and so much more. PUBLICATIONS: *If I Die in Juárez, (Paperback) 2008, University of Arizona Press. (Tucson, Az) *Let Their Spirits Dance, (Paperback) 2003, English & Spanish, HarperCollins. (New York City) *Let Their Spirits Dance, (Hard-bound) 2002, HarperCollins. (New York City) *Fragile Night, 1997, Bilingual Review Press. (ASU), 2002.. *Arizona Highways, 2005, December Issue. “The Star That Followed El Niño.” *BorderSenses, 2004, vol. VIII, "El Callejòn" University of Texas at El Paso. *In My Mother's Closet, 2003. "Rosanna Pope" Anthology edited by Eugenia Zukerman, Sorin Books, Notre Dame, IN. *River City, 2001, “Benny.” Judged/selected by, Richard Ford. *Colorado Review, 2000, “Two Doors Gospel.” Excerpt from Let Their Spirits Dance. Editor, Alberto Rios. *Stories in the Stepmother Tongue, 2000, (Univ. of Hawaii). “Homage.” Editor, Dr.Robert Shapard. *Hayden's Ferry Review, 2000, (ASU) “La Norteña.” Editor, Salima Keegan, (2000). *Short-listed in 1998-99 Fish Anthology. Editor, Frank McCourt, “Benny's Pinkie.” *Vista Magazine of Florida, 1999, “En Busqueda del Espiritu de la Malinche.” (In Search of the Spirit of La Malinche.) *Az Republic Newspaper Articles: “On A Ticket to the World,” (March 25, 2001), “Alley turns into symbol for love in a harsh world,” (April 16, 2004), “Segregation on Cave Man Row,” (June 4, 2004), “Passion vine a metaphor for new openings in life.” (December 17, 2004), “Juárez women deserve justice.” (March 25, 2005.), “Giving thanks for all that is good should be done all year.” (November 18, 2005), "See Beauty, not shame in use of native tongue," (January 19, 2008) FELLOWSHIPS *2001 recipient, AZ Arts Commission Creative Writing Fellowship for, Let Their Spirits Dance. *1998 recipient, AZ Arts Commission Creative Writing Fellowship for, Fragile Night. HONORS & AWARDS 2006, Induction into the Phoenix College Hall of Fame. 2006, Appointment by Governor Janet Napolitano as member of Arizona Commission on the Arts 2005, American Association of Community Colleges, “Outstanding Alumni Award.” *2004, “Barbara Deming Memorial Fund Award,” for an excerpt from If I Die in Juarez. *2003, Valle del Sol Award, “Excellence in Latino Arts and Culture.” Profiles of Success Award. *2003, AZ Highways Magazine, “Fiction Award for 2003.” * 2003 Let Their Spirits Dance, nominated by AZ librarians as a ONE BOOKAz selection. *2002, Let Their Spirits Dance, nominated to Book Sense List. *2002 recipient, “Hispanic Women's Corporation, Community Award in Literature.” *2002 recipient, “Phoenix College Alumni Association Citation of Merit for Literature.” *2001. Second Place in River City Writing Awards. (Univ. of Memphis) “Benny.” Published in River City. Judge, Richard Ford. * 2000, Pushcart Prize Nomination for “La Norteña,” creative non-fiction. *1997. First Place in 17th Annual Az. Authors Literary Contest, “Benny's Pinkie.” PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; ASU Alumni Association; Phoenix College Alumni Association, Chicano/a Faculty & Staff of ASU West; LULAC (League of Latin American Countries); Southern Poverty Law Center; FOMA (Friends of Mexican Art); Hispanic Education Forum, LULAC, Cesar Chavez Council #1086, American Association of Poets.. |