Vermont notable latinos
Alvarez, Julia (1950-). Julia Alvarez, a noted novelist, is a writer in residence at Middlebury College. Alvarez was born in New York City but raised in the Dominican Republic. She is a writer of essays, fiction, and poetry. She graduated summa cum laude from Middlebury College and later earned a master’s in creative writing from Syracuse University. She taught writing at several colleges and universities before coming to Middlebury College. She resigned her tenured faculty professorship in 1998 to write full time but remains a writer in residence at the college. Her most notable works are How
the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (1991) and In the Time of Butterflies (1994). Her most recent publication is Once Upon a Quinceahera: Coming of Age in the U.S.A. released in 2007.
Guzman, Luis (1956-). Luis Guzman is an actor most noted for playing Pachanga in Carlito’s Way. He was born in Puerto Rico and lived in New York City before moving to Vermont. He worked as a social worker in New York, also working part time as an actor. He has moved beyond a stereotypical Latino character role to his more recent work in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events and Fast Food Nation. He presently lives in Cabot.
Monroig, Glenn (1957-). Glenn Monroig is a musician who recorded the first Spanish language rap song in 1983, No Finjas. He was born in Puerto Rico and is the son of Gilberto Monroig, the renowned bolero singer. He is a guitarist, singer, and composer. In addition to rap, Glenn Monroig is recognized for a variety of music styles, including boleros, rumba, and salsa. He lives in Stowe.
Cardinal, Ann Hagman (1962-). Ann Hagman Cardinal coauthored Sister Chicas, a novel about three young Latinas growing up in Chicago, with Lisa Alvarado and Jane Alberdeston Coralin. She was born in New York and earned a bachelor’s degree in Latino studies from Norwich University and a master’s degree in sociology and creative writing from Vermont College of UI&U. Her monthly column, Cafe con Lupe, appears in Vermont Women. She lives in Morrisville.
