Marcelo Hernández Castillo

Marcelo Hernández Castillo is a poet, memoirist, and immigration advocate whose work explores identity, family, and the undocumented experience. Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, he immigrated to the United States as a child and became the first undocumented student to graduate from the University of Michigan's MFA program. His debut poetry collection, "Cenzontle," received the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize, while his memoir, "Children of the Land," offers a searing account of his family's struggle with deportation and displacement. Hernández Castillo cofounded the Undocupoets campaign and teaches creative writing, using his art to amplify marginalized voices.