Meet the writer, facilitator and coach.

Meet Albuquerque's new Poet Laureate — at Jules' Poetry Playhouse! FREE — refreshments

Reading and discussion — what is Michelle up to?

Michelle Otero is the Poet Laureate of Albuquerque 2018-2020. A writer, facilitator, and coach, she utilizes creative expression and storytelling as the basis for organizational development and positive social change. Her process of engaging individuals and communities through the expression of shared story has found a wide range of applications, from helping conservation organizations better understand the priorities of traditional land based communities to helping people heal from trauma.

She is the author of Malinche's Daughter, an essay collection based on her work with women survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Oaxaca, Mexico as a Fulbright Fellow. Her work has appeared on the Modern Love Podcast and in New Mexico Magazine, Brevity, and El Malpaís Review. She is a member of the Macondo Writers’ Workshop and a founding member of the TIASO Artist’s Cooperative and Hembras de Pluma, an indigenous and women of color theatre group.

Originally from Deming, New Mexico, Michelle holds a B.A. in History from Harvard University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College. She lives in the South Valley where she works with fellow artists and local farmers to implement the Community Table project, which combines art, local agriculture, and economic development as a platform for neighborhood revitalization.