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Women of Distinction

she led me with excitement. "Look! Here
are the big rocks I mentioned in Dreaming
with Mariposas. The connection I see and
feel between her work, spirit, and the big
boulders is incredible.
Gutiérrez admits to not having
enough exposure to Chicano literature
when she was in school and later in life
when she began teaching. This was part
of the inspiration behind Dreaming With
Mariposas. Gutiérrez expresses, "Follow-
ing a template was not for me. I needed
to teach my students real writing and in
the Chicano theme as well. "The process
of completing Dreaming With Mariposas
took place over a decade. "The progress
was challenging because I was raising
my firstborn. I would put her to bed and
continue writing until two o'clock in the
morning— even on weekdays— when I
had to work the next morning," Gutiérrez
shares.
In the short time since its publica-
tion, it has been named the winner of
the Tomás Rivera Book Award for older
readers. Soon, she will be traveling to
San Marcos, Texas, to receive the honors
associated with this award. This novel is
short and great for anyone to enjoy, as
I certainly have. I got laughs, wonders,
and learned a lot from this great piece of
literary art.
The Purpose of for the 2020 Associate Faculty Senate
Gutiérrez has also been nominated
Representative position, MiraCosta Col-
Dreaming with Mariposas lege, and was previously presented with
the 2007 Distinguished Faculty Award
for Excellence in Teaching from Palomar
Story and Photos by Maggie Ramos College.
Nobody can ever say they are too old
or too young to write. Gutiérrez began
uring my journey, I have met many Gutiérrez is the author of Spider writing in her mid-twenties. All you really
Dwonderful people. Many of whom I Woman/La Mujer Araña and most recently need is the desire to do it. You grasp an
have been introduced to while attending published Dreaming with Mariposas. idea, an inspiration like Gutiérrez did.
MiraCosta College. My Spanish Professor, Sonia Gutiérrez resides in San Diego You start writing and write until you feel
Paulino Mendoza, was generous enough County and is a daughter, sister, partner, it is complete.
to direct me to his partner, Sonia Gutiér- and mother of two wonderful children, Gutiérrez, besides her inspiration,
rez when he learned I was also a creative Quetzal and Paulina Xitlalli Mendoza. also pursued a dream-like vision that she
writer. Sonia Gutiérrez is a wonderful col- Gutiérrez is very humble. We made a had about her grandmother, Aurora. She
lege instructor who teaches at MiraCosta stop at Live Oak Park for a walk and pho- had envisioned her grandmother as part
College, Palomar College, and California toshoot and at The Grand Tradition where of the book. Something that eventually,
State University San Marcos. we took a nice break to chat and laugh. Gutiérrez listened to and included her
Gutiérrez has many skills, one of Gutiérrez takes a lot of pride as a Mexican name as one of the characters.
which is her talent as a writer. I would American/Chicana. She definitely shows Her bilingual poetry collection, Paper
like to share some of my friend's personal it in her style. Birds / Pájaros de Papel, is forthcoming
experiences, achievements, accomplish- During our walk at Live Oak Park, in 2022. Presently, she is returning to her
ments, and writings. Gutiérrez's interests she shared information with me about the manuscript, Sana Sana Colita de Rana,
include teaching Women’s Gender and big boulders imprints, who the character moderating Facebook’s Poets Respond-
Sexuality Studies, Critical Thinking and Sofía had learned that the "holes" were ing, and teaching in cyberland. Dream-
Composition, Introduction to Literature, from when and where Natives used to ing with Mariposas is available through
Creative Writing, and Chicanx/Latinx prepare their dishes with acorns. We took FlowerSong Press, Barnes and Noble, and
Feminism. a walk and I followed behind Gutiérrez as Amazon.
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