ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ana Paula Rodrigues was born and raised in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey, a neighborhood steeped in Portuguese traditions and community pride. From a young age, she embraced her Portuguese-American identity, drawing inspiration from the resilience of Portuguese immigrants who navigated the complexities of living between two worlds.

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Rodrigues earned two bachelor’s degrees from Rutgers University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from New Jersey City University. She is a proud member of Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity, Eta Rho Chapter, and Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society.

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With over thirty years of experience as an award-winning Art Director, her design work has been featured in numerous publications. She has also served as a judge for design competitions and has written and lectured on graphic design. In addition to exhibiting her artwork, she has curated multiple exhibitions.

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Beyond her contributions to the arts, Rodrigues has been actively involved in politics, working on various campaigns and serving two terms as District Leader in Newark. While employed at a political firm in New York City, Rodrigues and her colleagues earned recognition in City & State magazine’s Top 75 Political Consultants and Political Consultants Power 75 lists, ranking 21st and 14th, respectively.

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Rodrigues is also passionate about education. She worked as an adjunct professor at several universities for over a decade. She is currently a faculty member at a high school in Newark, where she teaches graphic design. Her personal connection to the Portuguese-American experience, along with her extensive background in art, design, and politics, drives her work, including this collection of stories.