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Sandra Cisneros is a writer, novelist, and American poet, whose work explores her Mexican heritage. From a young age, Cisneros discovered her passion for writing, feeling the spark of creativity in school after sharing some of her writing inspired by her school teachers.
Cisneros then joined her school magazine, becoming its editor. Her decision to continue to write has been consistent through the course of her life, pursuing writing at the University of Loyola in Chicago, where she graduated with a degree in English. Later, she acquired a Master's Degree in Creative Writing.
Her talent and perseverance resulted in her winning a fellowship at the National Endowment for the Arts, allowing her to have the time to create stories that slowly paved her road to fame.
"My life didn't change overnight. It was a long road to success."
Cisneros career developed gradually, as she wrote poetry and short stories, all the while working as a professor and advisor. Her writing took her to various universities, where she motivated students and shared some of the lessons she'd learned over the years.
In 1984, Cisneros published "The House on Mango Street," a book that won her the American Book Award prize. It tells the story of Esperanza, a young teen who discovers herself as she begins to get glimpses and different perspectives of her family and the people that surround her. Since then, the book has become required reading for schools and universities in the US, selling over six million copies.
Nowadays, Cisneros has amassed a notorious string of literary achievements, including best fiction by PEN America, the Premio Napoli award, the PEN Center USA Literary Award for creative nonfiction, and more.
"I've had highs and lows, especially lows. But that's not the reason why we create art. We make art to heal ourselves and to heal with those with whom we share our art. And my book is still doing that 40 years later."
Cisneros is also the founder of various organizations, including the Macondo Foundation and the Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Foundation, where she supports the development of writers.