Diego Vázquez Jr

Diego Vázquez, Jr.                           Literary Arts Residencies:

Fiction  Poetry  Spoken Word         Creative-Nonfiction  Storytelling

During my school residencies, I challenge students to explore the voice that they carry inside their heart.

I was born in Chicago, but raised in the town of El Paso, Tejas. I began writing to explore the experience of inheriting two worlds. Much later, I published Growing Through the Ugly (W.W. Norton, 1997), a novel about a Chicano Vietnam War vet killed in action. Recently I co-authored Twelve Branches: Stories from Saint Paul (Coffee House Press 2003). I am also a published poet and the founder of Minnesota Poetry Slam, having competed in two national contests.

In poetry residencies, I like to share a poem I wrote called "The Importance of Butterflies." Then I ask students to write about what is important to them in their world and in themselves. In short story residencies, the students and I analyze a short story to co-create a structure that launches their original work. In bookmaking residencies, students explore form and color as they work toward creating an original booklet that underscores themes from their writing. By the end of all residencies, every student has had a chance to develop their body of work as a writer and to consider their best writing to be worthy of publication consideration.

Fiction  Poetry  Spoken Word  Creative-Nonfiction  Storytelling

I was born in Chicago, but raised in the southwestern desert town of El Paso, Tejas. In schools on this side of the border, we were not allowed to speak our Mejicano Spanish. I began writing to explore the experience of inheriting two worlds. I published Growing Through the Ugly (W.W. Norton, 1997)—a novel about a Chicano Vietnam War vet killed in action. More recently I co-authored Twelve Branches: Stories from St. Paul (Coffee House Press, 2003). In residencies, I challenge students to explore the voice that they carry inside their heart. A classroom is a world of unique inhabitants so my approach will vary from residency to residency. In poetry residencies, I like to share a poem I wrote called, “The Importance of Butterflies.” Then I ask students to write about what is important to them—in their world and in themselves. In short story residencies, the students and I analyze a story to co-create a structure that launches their personal work. In book-making residencies, students explore form and color to create a booklet that underscores themes from their writing.

Writing residencies provide opportunities for students to explore the full range of imaginative writing experiences. Program writers work in poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, journals, essays and memoir.

COMPAS publishes an annual Anthology of Student Writing. One student from each week of a writing residency will be selected for inclusion.