Carlos Rodriguez, MA

Carlos studies and teaches his two great passions: reading and writing. He has studied these dual interests – literature and creative writing – at three different universities with top-tier literature and writing programs (University of Arizona, UC Davis, and Stanford University) and under the tutelage of top scholars and renowned writers (Jon Anderson, Leslie Marmon Silko, Sandra Gilbert, Sandra McPherson, Arturo Islas, Julie Jensen, Octavio Solis, and Lauren Gunderson). 

In his undergraduate years, he searched for Ethnic American courses, then rare and limited. At first, he looked for his Mexican American reflection in works, mostly. Over the years, the search became intersectional and broader, looking at ethnic and racial groups other than my own. This search became his lifelong study and professional focus, adding more groups to his interest.

His creative writing has also broadened. From poetry/prose to playwriting/screenwriting, my works and publications have expanded with practice and exploration. 

Education

Stanford University, ABD 

UC Davis, MA

University of Arizona, BA

Research Interests

Current interest in social anatomy (the study of the body through socio-cultural lenses), trans studies/literature, psychoanalytic theory, and ethnic genre writing (detective fiction, fantasy, and futurism). Continued interest in contemporary textual/cinematic narratives and poetry by ALANA artists with additional focus on less often represented groups: Asian American (Filipino, Southeast Asian), Pacific Islander American (Hawaiian, Samoan, and Tongan) and Latino (Dominican and Central American). 

Honors and Awards

  • Teacher of the Year, Dominican College of San Rafael, 1999
  • "A Place You Can Go" staged reading by Playwright’s Foundation in San Francisco, Spring 2006
  • Wrote, staged, and directed a one-act play, "A Place You Can Go," for Fringe of Marin: A Festival of New Bay Area One-Act Plays and Solo Performances, Spring 2003
  • Wrote, staged, and directed a one-act play, "Manorexia," for Fringe of Marin: A Festival of New Bay Area One-Act Plays and Solo Performances, Spring 2004
  • Participant NEH Summer Institute “African-American Struggles for Freedom and Civil Rights 1865-1965” – Harvard University, DuBois Institute (Summer 2011) 
     

Contact Information