Lorena Duarte

Lorena Duarte was born in El Salvador, raised in Minnesota, and educated at Harvard University. She is a poet, playwright, performer, and speaker with a passion for fostering personal expression, social justice, and creative innovation.

Lorena has been published numerous times as a poet in journals as well as in The Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States (Tia Chucha Press, 2017), Theatre Under My Skin: Contemporary Salvadoran Poetry (Kalina Press, 2014), and Telling Tongues: A Latin@ Anthology on Language Experience (Calaca Press & Red Salmon Press, 2007.)

She has won two consecutive Many Voices Fellowships for emerging playwrights through the Playwright’s Center (2008-2009, 2009-2010,) She was a finalist for the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize (2010,) was the MN Slam! Champion and member of MN Slam! Team at the National Poetry Slam (2007,) and has won numerous other fellowships and grants such as the Cultural Community Partnership Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board (2006).

Lorena was on the board of The Loft Literary Center for six years and graduated from Harvard University (1998) with a degree in Hispanic Studies/Romance Languages and Literature.