Table of Contents
Why is Gary Soto important?
Gary Soto is the Young People Ambassador for the United Farm Workers of America (UFWA), which means that during his many visits to libraries and schools, he introduces kids to the legacy of the United Farm Workers organization. The UFWA is the largest organization of farm workers in the United States.
Did Gary Soto have any special skills?
Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California in 1952 to working-class parents who often struggled to find work. Soto worked in the fields of San Joaquin and the factories of Fresno as a young man. Soto’s skill with the figurative language of poetry has been noted by reviewers throughout his career.
What was the reason Gary Soto went to college?
Soto moved on from community college to California State University at Fresno, intending at first to study geography but switching to creative writing after he read a poem about alienation called “Unwanted,” by Edward Field.
What are five interesting facts about Gary Soto?
Awards and Accomplishments
- He was born on April 12, 1952 in Fresno, California.
- He is the son of Manuel and Angie Soto.
- He is Hispanic- American.
- His parents and grandparents worked as laborers.
- When he was 5, his father died from a work accident.
Who is Gary Soto and what does he do?
Gary Soto is a man who writes from experience. He grew up in one of the many barrios (poor Mexican American neighborhoods) of Fresno, California, and since the mid-1970s he has borrowed from that community to create an astonishing number of works. Soto, however, does not see himself as strictly a Chicano author.
Why did Gary Soto go to Fresno City College?
Soto was especially inspired by one book in particular, To Sir with Love, a novel written by E. R. Braithwaite (1920–) about a teacher who devotes himself to students at a school in the East End working-class district of London, England. Reading that novel prompted Soto to enroll at Fresno City College after graduation.
What did Manuel Soto’s death do to his family?
Manuel Soto’s death had a devastating effect on his family, both emotionally and economically. Gary was hit particularly hard and spent years brooding over the accident. And Angie Soto was left with three small children to raise: oldest son Rick, middle child Gary, and Debra, the youngest.
When did Gary Soto start writing short stories?
During the early 1990s Soto turned his attentions towards writing for children and young adults. A first volume of short stories for young readers, Baseball in April, and Other Stories, was published in 1990.