Professional profile María Nélida Mendoza

She received her M.A. in Modern Languages from San Jose State University.

She graduated from the Liturgical Ministry Institute of the Archdiocese of Seattle as a Liturgical Minister.

She has received awards as a poet and lecturer, and the most recent one from Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana "Eloy Alfaro Delgado" and Casa de la Cultura Ceibeña.

She has over 20 years Foreign Language teaching experience.

She is a Medical and Legal Interpreter and translator.

She also works as an independent journalist and has published her Her goal at work as a journalist is to promote the Hispanic American arts, culture and history by giving voice to the national, international and local Hispanic American artists and writers through her articles, interviews, art and literature critiques in Raven Chronicles, Persona, Sea Latino, El Mundo, Tú Decides, and other virtual literary magazines. She has participated as a journalist and poet at Rainbow Bookfest.

She is a co-founder of Centro Cultural Hispano Americano and works as the Executive Director. She created, together with her husband, a scholarship for low-income Hispanic American Youth towards the pursuit of college-level art studies, and also created the "Quimbaya" award to recognize and honor the Hispanic Americans who have contributed significantly to the understanding of the Hispanic American culture through the arts and education, and their achievements in the Northwest.

She is a Hispanic American art exhibits curator.

She is an Art and Literature critic; lecturer on Hispanic American art and culture.

She is an editor of Spanish books and book designer.

She has collaborated in musical showcases, and as a Master of Ceremonies in the Hispanic American Community.

She has assisted several organizations become non-profit by writing all the legal documents.

She is an accomplished poetry writer a painter and a folkloric dancer.

She has co-produced a Christmas CD in which there is a Christmas song written by her.

She is a card designer and painter in parchment paper.

She has also collaborated in many Hispanic American events: Spain in the age of exploration 1492-1819; (Seattle Art Museum 2004-2005); Four Hundred year celebration of Don Quixote (Seattle Repertory Theater and Seattle Public Library 2005 "From the page to the stage"); International Women's Day with the University of Washington and the Seattle Public Library; American Sabor: Latinos en la Música Popular Norteamericana (Experience Music Project 2007-2008); Seattle Latino Film Festival (since 2009), Fiestas Patrias, Cinco de Mayo, Coordinator for Hispanic American participation at the Seattle Seafair celebrations Torchlight Parade (since July 2003); Coordinator for the Hispanic Community for the Latin Baseball Night Tribute at Safeco Field (since July 2004), Coordinator of Flag Parade for Hispanic Seafair Festival; and in charge of searching for the featured artist for the Hispanic Seafair Festival poster; promoter of Hispanic American culture at local companies during Hispanic American Heritage Month (Boeing, Microsoft, Intel Corp., NOAA, etc.).

In the Hispanic Community, she has been instrumental in helping the needy find jobs, housing and food by referring them to the appropriate agencies and appealing on their behalf. She also works with the Hispanic community as the leader of the Hispanic Ministry in the Catholic Church, where she has been a Liturgist, Assistant to the priest, Teacher for ministers.

She is a Board Member of Cigarra (since 2002); Member of Sustainable Seattle Steering Committee; Member of Proyecto Amigos de Martin Chambi (since 2002); Member of Poetas del Mundo, Member of Mujeres del Northwest. She was the co-founder an Advisory Board Member of Asociación Club Ecuador; Vice-President of Asociación Colombiana; Member of Mujer Entre Letras, President of Aires Folclóricos de Colombia, and dance Member of Llactanchis (in California).

In "Rosario Castellanos: Prophecy of insurrection in Oficio de Tinieblas and Balún Canán,&quoy; an investigation of the rebellions of the Indians of Mexico, she portrays the insurrection of the indigenous people from the XVIII century to the XX century, and how they continue to struggle for peace and justice as long as there are no Human Rights for the marginalized classes. "Songs of a Gypsy Soul" is her first poetry book, where she talks about social injustice and the rebellion of the Americas, the search for freedom and love.

Her poetry as been published in Quinceañera: A Legacy of Faith and Culture; Poetic Anthology: Chile, Poetas del Mundo; Cálida Esperanza; Caminos Inciertos; Nueva Poesía y Narrativa Hispanoamericana del Siglo XXI; Hybrido; Detenidas, No Olvidadas; Estancias de Muerte. She has participated as a poet and lecturer at International Bookfairs of Guadalajara, Bogotá, and New York.

In Seattle she has participated as a poet and lecturer at the Rainbow Bookfest, Seattle Public Library and non-governmental institutions, Universidad Católica in Honduras, and La Casa de la Cultura "Eloy Alfaro Delgado" in Ecuador where she has participated as a poet.