Born in Manati, Puerto Rico,& raised in Springfield, MA, Mar�a Luisa Arroyo Cruzadoearned a BA (Colby) & MA inGerman (Tufts), her thirdlanguage; & an MFA from theSolstice MFA Program. Mar�aLuisa writes poetry & creativenonfiction prose that code-switchbetween English, Spanish, German, & Farsi-thecultural languages of herexperiences.Mar�a Luisa's poetry collectionsinclude Landscapes: photos & poems (2023), Destierro Means Morethan Exile (2018); & Gathering Words: Recogiendo palabras (2008).Resistencia: Resilience (2023) is her first collection that contains bothpoetry & creative nonfiction essays. In March 2024, she edited &published her first anthology, P�n-o-ply, through her literary imprint, MultiCreative Wisdom, which focuses on creative writing byindividuals who self-identify as BIPOC & female or non-binary.In recognition for her literary citizenship as a poet & intersectionalfeminist educator, Mar�a Luisa was named a 2008 MassachusettsUnsung Heroine & the inaugural poet laureate of Springfield, MA(2014-2016). Mar�a Luisa was also awarded a 2014 Carlos VegasSocial Justice Award & a 2018 NEPR Arts &Humanities Award.Receiving an honorary doctorate from Smith College in May 2024continues to recognize Mar�a Luisa for her two intersecting practices.As a Clark Diversity Fellow, Mar�a Luisa is joyfully pursuing herPhD in Comparative Literature at Binghamton University.