MK Chavez
MK Chavez is a mixed-race writer, educator, writing coach, and editor living in Oakland, the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people.
She is the author of Mothermorphosis and Dear Animal (Nomadic Press), as well as several chapbooks, including the lyric essay chapbook A Brief History of the Selfie. Chavez’s writing explores mixed-race identity, social justice, environmental resilience, horror cinema, magic, ritual, and the creative process.
As the co-director of the Berkeley Poetry Festival and curator of Lyrics & Dirges, Chavez creates spaces where the voices of BIPOC and LGBTQI communities are celebrated. Her curatorial work includes partnerships with the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, where she has designed events that integrate poetry with visual arts.
Chavez has taught at a variety of institutions, including Stanford University, San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, and Mills College. She currently teaches in the University of San Francisco’s Creative Writing Program.
In 2023, she founded Ouroboros Writing Lab, where she leads writing workshops that support writers and artists in developing their craft. The Lab provides a space for creative exploration, encouraging participants to expand their artistic boundaries within a supportive community. She also offers Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) consulting services to arts organizations. Her approach draws on years of experience in equity and inclusion work, including her background as a director within nonprofit organizations. She supports arts organizations in implementing initiatives that foster inclusive environments and brings meaningful, transformative change to their organizations.
Chavez’s contributions to the arts have been recognized with the Alameda County Arts Leadership Award, the San Francisco Foundation/Nomadic Press Award, the Ruth Weiss Maverick Award, and the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award.