María Fernanda at a retreat she created for herself.
María Fernanda is a poet.
Her work explores the intimacy of sisterhood, the anchor of intergenerational coexistence, and grief.
“We have to protect our storytellers. In a world where people are moving so fast, they don’t want to be taken away. We don’t realize that we want to slow down. María Fernanda and her work remind us to do so.”
—Terry Lovette, Math + Music
A published contributor of the Library of Congress, she is the founder of several independent interview series, including a poetry garden, where Black poets and gardeners discuss their creative and historic connections to gardens.
María Fernanda is a Callaloo fellow. Her poems appear in the Hill Rag, The Rumpus, The Breakbeat Poets, Cheryl Clarke's born in a bed of good lessons inspired by Lucille Clifton, Cave Canem's Dogbytes, and elsewhere. [Literary Awards/Honors here.]
She has appeared at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC, Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona, The Denton Black Film Festival in Texas, The Massachusetts Reading Association, The Broadway League’s Annual Spring Road Conference, and more.
She recently collaborated with global platform Black Girls in Arts Spaces to lead a literary experience hosted by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.
“We were delighted with Maria Fernanda's moderation. She injected so much intellect and enthusiasm. Thanks for connecting us to her.”
—Guest Speaker, Politics & Prose
“[María Fernanda’s] activism and artwork offer various insights into the question of justice. It was important to me to gather a group of writers whose craft extends to multiple genres, and who are active literary citizens. .”
— Maya Marshall, Haymarket Books for Denton Record-Chronicle