About

Raquel M. Ortiz, Author and Educator
I create stories I find compelling and magical

My name is Raquel M. Ortiz. I am an Anthropologist, college professor and above all else, I am a storyteller. I create stories from information and experiences I find interesting and magical. As a mother of two I want my children to have the opportunity to enjoy stories about activities that are familiar and people that look like them. But, there aren’t many picture books available for children from Caribbean and Latina/o countries. I want to create stories that celebrate these traditions and histories, allowing all children and families to join in on adventures to new worlds within cities with which they’re familiar.

For these reasons, and many more, I decided to publish children’s books. I’ve published two books, most recently self publishing with the help of an amazing community of support on Kickstarter. This blog is my next attempt to capture the magic that makes a story come to life and will help me document my process of engaging Latina/o communities to elevate the stories of our heroes; the abuelitos, parents, teachers, mentors and giants whose shoulders we stand upon. I hope you bookmark the page and one day can help me tell a story or two.

Education

Ph.D. in Social Anthropology, Universidad de Salamanca
M.A. in Puerto Rican Studies, Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe

Documentary

Director, Memories on the Wall: Education and Enrichment through Community Murals. This documentary explores the creative process of artist María Domínguez and 8th-grade students from I.S. 406 in creating the story of their mural, and features select community murals created and directed by Domínguez.

Honors

Educational Leadership Award – National Puerto Rican Day Parade, May 2016
Special Recognition Award – New York League of Puerto Rican Women, June 2016