Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Writer and the author

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio is an Ecuadorian-born writer, scholar and professor. She is an award-winning essayist and author of six books, including the critically acclaimed novel The Undocumented Americans and the recently published book of essays titled Backsnatchers. Cornejo has been widely published in many of the top venues including The New York Times, the Huffington Post, and the Guardian. She is a professor at Yale University where she teaches classes in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Cornejo’s writing draws on her experiences as an undocumented immigrant in the United States and as a DREAMer. Through her works, she seeks to give a voice to those who are not able to speak for themselves and calls for change in regards to the immigration debate. Cornejo is considered one of the most influential Latinx scholars in the world, receiving numerous awards and honors from prestigious organizations such as the National Book Critics Circle Awards. Cornejo’s work is widely acclaimed for its groundbreaking approach to difficult subjects such as immigration and racial justice. Her writing frequently intertwines her personal experiences with her perspectives on politics and media. Cornejo is widely respected for her activism and articulate stance on important and often overlooked issues. Karla Cornejo has established herself as a powerful and important voice in immigration debate and is inspiring a new wave of Latinx writers to speak up and make a difference.