Carmen Tafolla
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Dr. Carmen Tafolla Summary Bio: Author of more than twenty books and inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters for outstanding literary achievement, Dr. Carmen Tafolla holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas Austin and has worked in the fields of Mexican American Studies, bilingual bicultural education, and creativity education for more than thirty- five years. The former Director of the Mexican-American Studies Center at Texas Lutheran (1973-75 and 78-79), she proceeded to pioneer the administration of cultural education projects at Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, KLRN-TV, Northern Arizona University, Scott-Foresman Publishing Company, and to be active in Latino Cultural education and community outreach for the last 35 years. An internationally noted educator, scholar and poet, Dr. Tafolla has been asked to present at colleges and universities throughout the nation, and in England, Spain, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. One of the most highly anthologized of Latina writers, her work has appeared in more than 200 anthologies, magazines, journals, readers, High School American Literature textbooks, kindergarten Big Books, posters, and in the Poetry-in-Motion series installed on city buses. Her children‟s works often celebrate culture and personal empowerment. Among her awards are the Americas Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Award for best children‟s picture book writing, two Tomas Rivera Book Awards, two International Latino Book Awards, an ALA Notable Book, a Junior Library Guild Selection, the Tejas Star Listing, and the Texas 2 by 2 Award. She is the co-author of the first book ever published on Latina Civil Rights leader Emma Tenayuca, That’s Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca’s Struggle for Justice, which Críticas Magazine listed among the Best Children‟s Books of 2008. In addition, Tafolla has been recognized by the National Association for Chicano Studies for work which "gives voice to the peoples and cultures of this land." In 1999, Dr. Tafolla received the Art of Peace Award for work which contributes to peace, justice, and human understanding, and has been inducted into the San Antonio Women‟s Hall of Fame. Tafolla‟s community and institutional projects, characterized by innovation, a valuation of diversity, and multicultural celebration, include the establishment of and curricular plan for Camino, a bilingual school for the gifted and creative child; the creation in 1973 of a humanitarian award/ scholarship, El Premio Salinas, an award still being given yearly as the culmination of the Honors Day Program at Texas Lutheran University; and the integration of cultural diversity policies and programming into the institutional structure of Northern Arizona University in 1990. An experienced educator, she has taught at numerous universities throughout the Southwest. Her writings are archived by the Benson Latin American Collection of the University of Texas Libraries. For more information, see www.carmentafolla.com DR. CARMEN TAFOLLA PERSONAL INFORMATION Fluent in English, Spanish, French. Mexican-American, Native of San Antonio, Texas. [email protected] www.carmentafolla.com EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND The University of Texas at Austin Doctor of Philosophy Degree, 1982 Austin, TX 78712 Foreign Language Education & Bilingual Education The University of Texas at Austin Graduate work, Mexican-American Studies, 1975. Austin, TX 78712 Austin College Master of Arts Degree, 1973. Sherman, TX 75090 Multicultural Education Austin College Bachelor of Arts Degree,1972 Spanish, French Texas Lutheran College Undergraduate coursework 1969–1971 Seguin, TX 78155 Spanish, French, Secondary Educ. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 1973 to Present Consultant & Keynote Speaker (for a list of agencies &universities on Cultural Diversity, see “Programs Presented” section) Multicultural Education, Dual Language Education, Poetry & Creative Writing. Fall 2009 to Present Visiting Faculty, Mexican American Studies University of Texas San Antonio Spring 2009 Visiting Writer Our Lady of the Lake University Spring 2008-Spring 2009 Adjunct Faculty Trinity University 1990 - present Dramatic Performance Artist to (See “Performances” section ) Universities, School Districts, Federal Agencies & Prof Organizations 1989–1990 Special Assistant to the President Northern Arizona University for Cultural Diversity Programming Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Spring 1989 Coordinator, Ethnic and Cultural Northern Arizona University Diversity Programming Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Fall 1988 Visiting Associate Professor Northern Arizona University Honors Program (Literature) Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Fall 1986 Associate Professor, Education Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Fall 1984 to 1985 Associate Professor California State University Fresno Women's Studies Fresno, CA 93740 1980 to 1984 Vice–President for Operations Creative Educational Enterprises Austin, TX Summer 1982 Assistant Professor Sul Ross State University Education Uvalde, TX Graduate Program 1981–1982 Associate Project Director Information Systems Textbook Development Austin, TX 78704 1980–1981 Asst. Instructor The University of Texas Ethnic Studies & Radio/TV/Film Austin, TX 78712 1978–1979 Head Writer, KLRN–TV The University of Texas Sonrisas Bilingual Austin, TX 78712 Educational TV Series 1976–1977 Coordinator, Multi-Media Southwest Educational ParentTraining Packages Development Laboratory 211 East 7th Street Austin, TX 78701 1973–1976 & 1978–1979 Director Texas Lutheran College Mexican American Studies Center Seguin, TX 78155 & Assistant Professor of Spanish 1972–1973 French Teacher, I-IV Sherman High School Sherman, TX 75090 1972 Folklore Researcher & Compiler Creative Arts of San Antonio "Project Cuentos" Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio, TX 78207 AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS: *Charlotte Zolotow Award for Best Children‟s Picture Book Writing of 2010 *International Latino Book Award, 2010 *Americas Award for Best Children‟s Book 2010 *Tomas Rivera Mexican American Book Award for Best Children‟s Book 2010 *Inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters, 2009 *San Antonio Women‟s Hall of Fame *ALA Notable Book 2009, Pura Belpre Honor Book for Illustration, Junior Library Guild Selection, Texas 2 X 2 Reading List and Tejas Star Reading List for What Can You DO with a Rebozo? *Entertainment Award 2009, Salute to Outstanding Women in Action, La Prensa Foundation. *”Best Books 2008”, San Antonio Express-News, for The Holy Tortilla and a Pot of Beans. *Featured Author, Texas Book Festival, & Featured Children‟s Author, 2008. * Best Children‟s Books of 2008, Criticas Magazine, for That’s Not Fair!/No es Justo! *Author-Interviewee on the Las Comadres National Teleconference for Book Selection of the Month, 2008, for That‟s Not Fair!,Emma Tenayuca‟s Struggle for Justice, first children‟s book ever selected for the Las Comadres Teleconference. *Featured Poet, Langdon Weekend, Langdon Review of the Arts in Texas, 2007. *Distinguished Alumnus, Texas Lutheran University, 2005 *Selected as one of 5 writers to present at UNAM‟s First Simposio de Escritoras Chicanas, Mexico City, 2005. *Featured Author, Texas Book Festival, 2001. “Arts and Letters Award 2001” Friends of the San Antonio Public Library. Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee for Baby Coyote and the Old Woman. “Outstanding Hispanic Women” IMAGE de San Antonio, 2000. “Yellow Rose of Texas”, State of Texas 2000. The Art of Peace Award, President‟s Peace Commision, St. Mary‟s University, March, 1999. Notable Hispanics 1997, Rio Grande Valley. Arroz con Leche Children‟s Literature Award, Second Prize 1995. International Authors and Writers Who's Who, 1990 First prize, Poetry Division, National Chicano Literary Contest, U.C.Irvine, for Sonnets to Human Beings, 1987. Awarded "Contribution to Understanding" Certificate, Consulado de Mexico, San Bernardino, 1987. Foremost Women of the Twentieth Century, Cambridgeshire, England, 1985. Outstanding Woman of the Year, Mexican American Business and Professional Women's Association, Austin, Texas, 1983. Educational Policy Fellowship, Institute for Educational Leadership, (Kellogg Fellow ) Washington, D.C., 1981–82. Contemporary Personalities, 1981, Academia Italia delle Arti E del Lavoro, Rome, Italy, 1981. Who's Who of American Women, 1981, 1982, 1983. "Minorities & Women in Research Fellowship", University of Texas, Austin, 1980–81. Archivization of papers by U. T. (Benson) Library, 1980 (see last section). Nomination for "Peabody Award" for writing "El derecho de Estar" children's TV show, 1980. Outstanding Young Women of America, 1976, 1977. U.S. Office of Education Title VII Fellowship in Bilingual Education, U.T., 1976, 1977, 1980. World Who's Who of Women, 1977, 1980, 1989, 1990. Faculty Growth Award, Texas Lutheran College, June 1975; June1976. Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans, 1976–77. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Founding Member & Co-Conceptualizer, CantoMundo, Latino Poets Creative Space, 2010. Invited Featured Author, International Conference on the Short Story in English, Cork Ireland, 2008. Luminaria City-Wide Arts Night, San Antonio: Participating Artist, 2008; Literary Committee, 2009; Co-Chair, Literary Committee, and Luminaria Steering Committee, 2010. The Academy of American Poets, New York. Board of Directors, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2007-2009. Invited Featured Author, Wellington International Poetry Festival, Wellington, New Zealand, 2005. Founding Board of Directors , San Antonio Gifted Education Foundation 2000-2004, and Head of School, Camino, a dual-language