Vickie Vértiz was born and raised in southeast Los Angeles. Among many other publications, her writing can be found or is forthcoming in the Los Angeles Review of Books, KCET Departures, the Cobalt Review, and in the anthologies: Open the Door (McSweeney’s and the Poetry Foundation), and Orangelandia (from Inlandia Press).

Vickie has taught creative writing to adults and young people at places like 826 Valencia, the Claremont Colleges, and at UC Riverside. Her poetry collection from Finishing Line Press, Swallows, was released in 2013. She is at work on a memoir about her education titled: Smart: Growing up Gifted and Brown in Southeast Los Angeles.