Kimberly Garza

Kimberly Garza is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and serves as Director of the Creative Writing Program. A core faculty member in creative writing, her work bridges fiction, nonfiction, and Chicanx literature, with a focus on Mexican-American and Texas narratives. She holds a Ph.D. in English-Creative Writing from the University of North Texas and earned both her B.A. in English and Spanish and M.A. in English-Creative Writing from the University of Texas at Austin.

• Ph.D., English-Creative Writing, University of North Texas
• B.A., English and Spanish, University of Texas at Austin
• M.A., English-Creative Writing, University of Texas at Austin

Her research interests include creative writing, contemporary fiction and nonfiction, Chicanx literature, ethnic and American literature, border literature, and place/space dynamics. Her work often explores Texas Gulf Coast communities, intergenerational memory, and the intersection of cultural identity with environmental change. Publications such as The Last Karankawas and essays like We Were Known For Our Rivers exemplify her focus on regional narratives, post-disaster resilience, and multicultural identity.

Her articles span themes from Chicanx family dynamics to environmental trauma and border identity, often published in journals like Copper Nickel, DIAGRAM, and Creative Nonfiction. She also contributes to literary anthologies and interviews, emphasizing cultural hybridity and personal storytelling.

• National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship (2024)
• Bread Loaf Environmental Writers Conference Scholarship
• Michener Center for Writers Scholarship
• Nieman Storyboard recognition (2023)
• International Regional Media Association Essay Awards (2023)

Dr. Garza actively engages with the San Antonio literary community through collaborations with Gemini Ink, the San Antonio Book Festival, and Verso Frontera. She advises UTSA’s student-run literary journal, Sagebrush Review, and serves as associate fiction editor for The Boiler. Her teaching includes courses in Advanced Fiction Writing, Creative Nonfiction, and Latino/a Studies.