Esmeralda Santiago

Esmeralda Santiago is a Puerto Rican author, screenwriter, and filmmaker recognized for her narrative memoirs and trans-cultural writing. Santiago moved to the United States at age 13, settling in Brooklyn, where she learned English and attended New York City's Performing Arts High School. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, earned an MFA in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College, and has received honorary doctorates from five universities.

Santiago gained national attention with her memoir "When I Was Puerto Rican," which was described by the Washington Post as the work of "a welcome new voice, full of passion and authority." Her second memoir, "Almost a Woman," received multiple "Best of Year" mentions and an Alex Award from the American Library Association. She adapted "Almost a Woman" into a Peabody Award-winning movie for PBS Masterpiece Theatre. Her third memoir, "The Turkish Lover," continued her exploration of identity, liberation, and the complexities of a bilingual and bicultural life. Santiago is also an award-winning screenwriter and essayist, and, together with her husband, founded CANTOMEDIA, a film and media production company recognized for excellence in documentaries.

In addition to memoir, Santiago is known for her work as a novelist. Her historical novel "Conquistadora" became a national best seller, with Publishers Weekly calling it "a Puerto Rican Gone With The Wind." Her novel "América's Dream" was praised by the Chicago Tribune as "thrilling and page-turning." Her novel "Las Madres," published by Alfred A. Knopf, presents an intergenerational saga set in New York City, Maine, and Puerto Rico, exploring the lives of five women against the backdrop of Hurricane María. Santiago has also co-edited two anthologies of Latino literature, "Las Christmas" and "Las Mamis," and authored the children's book "A Doll for Navidades."

Santiago's personal journey includes overcoming significant health challenges. After experiencing a stroke that resulted in aphasia, she relearned written language by connecting words to objects, mirroring her process of learning English as a teenager. Within 18 months, she completed her novel "Conquistadora." Her stroke recovery has been chronicled in neurology publications, making her a case study for strokes and stroke recovery.

Santiago has received the National Women of Distinction Award alongside Hillary Clinton, Katie Couric, Elizabeth Dole, Alma Powell, and Vera Wang, and has served as a cultural ambassador for the United States State Department. She has served on the boards of The Jacob Burns Film Center, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, PEN American Center, and The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. "When I Was Puerto Rican" is required reading in schools, and Santiago's work has been translated into numerous languages, establishing her as a writer whose stories of immigration, identity, and perseverance resonate with audiences worldwide.