Yamile Saied Mendez


Yamile 'Saied Méndez' is an Argentine American author of picture books, children's books, young adult books, and adult romance. She is a Pura Belpré gold medal winner for her young adult novel, Furia. She is a founding member of Las Musas collective.

Background

Méndez was born in Rosario, Argentina. Méndez grew up attached to the culture of one grandfather, who was Syrian Lebanese; her mother was an orphan but knew she was a descendant of indigenous people from Argentina. Her father drove a taxi and her mother worked as a nanny. The first among her extended family members to attend college, she went to Brigham Young University where she studied international economics. Méndez received an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Méndez lives in Utah with her husband and five children.

Awards and recognition

Articles