ANEL I. FLORES was born and raised in South Texas between homes in the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio. Tejana, lesbiana, writer and artist earned her BA in English and MFA in Creative Writing. Anel's fiction and art have been published, produced and exhibited in anthologies, journals, theaters, galleries and museums. In addition to her work as a community artist, activist and writer, she has been an educator and administrator in San Antonio's public schools, and also curated and facilitated many creative arts partnerships. Her awards include the Mentorship and Leadership Initiative Award from the National Performance Network. She is a member of Sandra Cisneros' Macondo Writer's Workshop.