Ernesto Quiñones

Ernesto Quiñonez was born in Ecuador. His parents immigrated to the United States when he was 18 months old, and he was raised in Spanish Harlem. Quiñonez’s mother was a Jehovah’s Witness, while his father was a devout communist. Quiñonez published his first novel, Bodega Dreams, in 2000. Critics hailed it an instant classic for its vivid description of Spanish Harlem’s turbulent street life and its exploration of oppressions faced by Latinx immigrants. Quiñonez’s subsequent novels Chango’s Fire (2004) and Taina (2019) were also met with substantive critical acclaim for their intimate depictions of immigrant life and Quiñonez’s biting critiques of urban politics, especially the racial dynamics of gentrification. Quiñonez has said that his writing is motivated by his own experiences growing up as an immigrant in a marginalized neighborhood, and by his desire to be a role model for aspiring Latinx writers. Quiñonez is also a renowned public essayist and is currently a professor at Cornell University.