About

A Story of Immigration

A Story of Determination

Biographical Information: Jose B. Gonzalez is one of the most sought after speakers in the U.S today. He was born in San Salvador, El Salvador and immigrated to New London, Connecticut at the age of eight.  He knew no English and now holds a Ph.D. in English. A nationally known speaker, Dr. Gonzalez has presented at various colleges such as Harvard, Rutgers, and Cornell University; countries including Mexico, Spain, and El Salvador; and institutions including the Smithsonian Latino Center and the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. He has been a contributor to National Public Radio and has published poetry in such journals as Boston Review, Quercus Review, Callaloo, and Acentos Review, and anthologies including the Norton Introduction to Literature,  Theatre Under My Skin: Contemporary Salvadoran Poetry, Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States, and Latino Boom: An Anthology of U.S. Latino Literature, which he also co-edited.

A Fulbright Scholar, he has received national and regional awards for his teaching, for his efforts to improve the conditions of Latinos pursuing a college degree or a career in higher education, and for his poetry. One of the major Salvadoran-American poets in the U.S., he is the author of the poetry collections, Toys Made of Rock (Bilingual Press), and When Love Was Reels (Arte Publico), and is the founder and editor of LatinoStories.Com.

Dr. Gonzalez infuses his presentations with a mix of poetry, humor and social commentary. He holds a Master’s in Teaching English from Brown University and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rhode Island and is an alumnus of Sandra Cisneros’ Macondo Writers Workshop.

For information on scheduling him for a speaking engagement, e-mail jgonzalez@latinostories.com.

He is available for the following keynote lectures, presentations, and workshops (as well as for poetry readings) and other talks, as requested:

• Latinidad Means Perseverance: Why Pride Should be the Central Theme of Every Hispanic Heritage Month

• Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Latin American: And What Difference Does It Make Anyway? (Ideal for Hispanic Heritage Month and other culture-themed functions)

• Latinx Cultures, Values, and the Impact on Career (Ideal for Companies)

• From No-English to Professor of English: What Educators Should Know About a Former ESOL Student’s Journey

• Poetry Readings & Customized Presentations