R. Joseph Rodriguez was born in Houston, Texas, in 1974. He has published various works as a poet, editor, essayist, literacy advocate, teacher educator, researcher, and translator. His poems have appeared in California English, English Journal, Flyway, New Square, Texas Observer, and various anthologies. He has held various occupations such as an advisor, busboy, butcher, community organizer, consultant, delicatessen clerk, editor, enumerator, food stocker, instructional coach, interpreter, landscape worker, literacy advocate, research analyst, school bus driver, teacher, and translator. Joseph earned degrees from Kenyon College, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Connecticut. Joseph is the founder of the literacy initiative named Libre con Libros. His recent work involves promoting more community poets in the schools for students and supporting teachers as scribes with their students. He is the recipient of awards and grants from the National Council of Teachers of English and National Endowment for the Humanities. Joseph lives in Austin and Fredericksburg, Texas. He can be reached via Twitter @escribescribe.
