Benjamin Garcia

Benjamin Garcia serves as a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Alma College, where he teaches within the MFA program. A son of Mexican immigrants, his work bridges academic and community spaces through poetry and advocacy.

Education

• B.A., University of New Mexico
• MFA, Cornell University

His creative practice centers on Latinx and queer experiences, exploring identity, sexuality, and immigrant narratives through poetry and flash fiction. Garcia's writing often intersects with social justice themes, informed by his parallel work as a sexual health and harm reduction educator in New York's Finger Lakes region.

His acclaimed poetry collection Thrown in the Throat (2019) exemplifies his focus on contemporary Latinx voices, with trends indicating strong emphasis on marginalized perspectives and experimental forms across his publications.

Awards & Honors

• 2019 Lambda Literary Fellow
• 2018 CantoMundo Fellow
• 2017 Latinx Scholar at Frost Place Conference
• 2018 Puerto del Sol Poetry Contest winner
• 2019 Julia Peterkin Flash Fiction Contest winner

Garcia's community engagement extends beyond academia through sexual health education, demonstrating applied scholarship. While no formal advising roles or research grants are documented, his fellowships reflect significant peer recognition within literary circles.