About Marcella

Marcella’s writing examines duality, culture, and the impact of US imperialism on Black and brown bodies. She is the author of the poetry chapbook Pan de Alma (forthcoming from Flowersong Press) and the memoir-in-progress Stroke! My Ego. Her nonfiction and poetry have appeared online or in print in Ploughshares, The Christian Science Monitor, Lion’s Roar, PANK, the Brooklyn Review, and more.

As an educator with 15+ years of experience as a formal educator, Marcella has taught creative writing, literature, and composition in college classrooms and community workshops. She holds a BA in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, and her doctoral research focuses on the impact of creative writing workshops on identity formation for displaced people. Her teaching philosophy is culturally rooted and anti-racist, building writing accessible classroom communities that empower students of all backgrounds. She extends this practice through one-on-one coaching and consulting, helping with everything from college entrance essays to grant proposals.

Beyond the page and classroom, Marcella's advocacy is hands-on. She serves as the Director of Access and Workforce Opportunity at a technical college, is a a Community Health Worker, a Rural Regenerator Fellow, and an Initiator Fellow. She is passionate about creating pathways for underserved communities. A sought-after speaker (including TEDx) and panelist, she brings humor, curiosity, and a fresh perspective to conversations about education, cultural identity, and rural life.

Marcella believes in the power of stories to change narratives, whether about Colombia, immigration, or generational healing. She extends that invitation to others within her creative and critical process. She lives with her partner and son on a farm in the Upper Midwest, on the ancestral and contemporary homelands of the Oceti Ŝakowiƞ, where she cares for bees and barn cats, grows food for her family, and continues the work of bringing together many practices for a generous and purposeful whole.