Photo: Ariadna Rojas

A Puerto Rican poet, translator, and editor, Raquel Salas Rivera (b. 1985, Mayagüez) is the author of five full-length poetry books. Their honors include being named the 2018–19 Poet Laureate of Philadelphia and receiving the New Voices Award from Puerto Rico’s Festival de la Palabra, the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Poetry, and the Ambroggio Prize. Their sixth book, antes que isla es volcán / before island is volcano, is forthcoming 

They hold a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and now write and teach in Puerto Rico.