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[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-ChronicleHear From Participants
Participants from María Fernanda’s programs share their experiences
Having been an educator for both kids and graduate students for over thirty years […], María Fernanda is a fantastic writing instructor. Her warmth and dedication to craft and to us were genuine and deeply felt. She created a safe and comfortable place for us to experiment with completely new forms. The conference we had together was one of the best one-on-one sessions I’ve had in ages. Balancing critique and praise in words that one can really comprehend and use, is a difficult concept to master. She did this brilliantly and motivated me to work on my revision. […] Since publishing my book in 2012, I thought I had said everything I wanted to say […]. But now, after being in this workshop, I am fascinated by the Zuihitsu form and am ready to keep going! —program participant
I've always been afraid of writing about certain topics. When I saw what Break a Vase was all about, it was a sign. Working with María Fernanda in this workshop has helped me to finally work through the feedback that I had received when I wrote about these topics. [...] I am so highly appreciative of what I have learned from María Fernanda. I am set to go to California College of the Arts to get an MFA in Creative Writing. My concentration is Prose, but this workshop has made me think of the possibilities of poetry, in many forms.
—program participant
I thoroughly enjoyed María Fernanda’s class. I loved its dynamism. I was not expecting so much interaction and participation from the very get go! I enjoyed the opportunity to create and explore on the spot and to hear other people's voices and ideas. I appreciate María Fernanda’s professionalism and her firm boundaries. Her rich knowledge and poetic spirit shined through in her comments, explanations and examples. Thank you. I particularly liked how María Fernanda had music playing at the beginning of the very first class, it set a relaxed vibe. I felt like I could've been sitting in a cafe or comfy arts space. Thank you. It was a pleasure to meet María Fernanda and work with her. I hope to have this opportunity again in the future.—program participant
I appreciated the collaborative exercise, the use of technology to facilitate engagement (breakout rooms, slideshow photos as writing prompts), and the 1:1 meeting to review the course assignment. I appreciated the peer review and the opportunity to receive feedback on my work. —program participant
I really enjoyed the course, and look forward to future courses. The virtual nature allowed me to participate in ways that I would not have been able to prior.—program participant
María Fernanda was an outstanding instructor. She quickly developed a warm and welcoming atmosphere allowing us to experiment freely with a new poetic form. Her knowledge of the subject and ability to maintain the excitement for the topic was excellent.—program participant
More from Listeners
María Fernanda makes the words on the page breathe. Her command of language and poetic structure gave us permission to explore and reflect deeply on what we wanted to create and say. Expressive, engaging, and dynamic…Absolutely magical.
— Guardian of a youth participantMaría Fernanda’s reading was a vulnerable and inspiring contribution. I would not hesitate to collaborate with her on future literary events.
— Charlotte Smith, Cultural Curator