February 24 – Happy Birthday, Judith Ortiz Cofer

Posted on February 24, 2019

She said she grew up in a family of story tellers...

Judith Ortiz Cofer, who was born on this date in 1952, in Puerto Rico, came to the mainland U.S. when she was just four years old, but her family made back-and-forth trips between New Jersey and Puerto Rico all during her childhood.

When Ortiz Cofer was a teen, the family moved to Georgia, and although she hadn't wanted to move to the South, Ortiz Cofer loved the colorful and greenery-filled city of Augusta.

Above, Paterson, NJ.
Below, next 3 photos, Augusta GA.



Ortiz Cofer drew on her experiences in all three places - including her experiences as a teenage girl and woman of color in the South - as she wrote poetry, prose, YA ("young adult," but we really mean teens), and children's literature. Ortiz Cofer also taught writing at the University of Georgia.

Unfortunately, Ortiz Cofer suffered from a rare type of liver cancer and died at the age 64.

Check out Ortiz Cofer's books, or listen to her read "Who Is the Alien?"










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