Hi!

My name is Zaira Gomez. I grew up in rural Maryland and Pennsylvania communities. I obtained my bachelor's degree in 2017 from Ithaca College in Psychology and Latinx Studies. After, I served in non-profit communities ranging from Gettysburg and Chambersburg, PA, Silver Spring, Frederick and Hagerstown, MD. I've worked with Domestic Violence survivors, Spanish speaking families, Brown and Black youth, and Unaccompanied minors in the past 10 years.

Last year, I decided to leave my non-profit career in hopes of figuring out what was next for me. In July of 2024, I knew I was ready to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing. In September, a family emergency halted my plans and presented challenges I could not predict. In December, I decided to commit to my decision and apply to fully funded MFA programs. These programs are incredibly challenging to get into, and I was honored to receive an acceptance to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I was selected to enter the 2025-2026 non-fiction cohort for the Fall under a fully funded GA ship.

For the next three years, I will have the opportunity to dedicate myself to the written word and develop a full-length manuscript for publication. I will be writing a reported memoir about intimate partner violence centering women loving women (WLW).

I have been a creative all of my life, and to be able to pursue a childhood dream feels surreal. I've been working towards this goal for many years, and I'm a big believer in divine timing. While it is a fully funded program (tuition remission + stipend), I need assistance to help me get to Las Vegas. Money raised will go towards moving expenses (~$1000-$2000), a down deposit on rent (~$1000), and student fees (~$1000).

As someone who has been self-sufficient and has had difficulty asking for help in the past, this is me stepping into vulnerability and truth. I feel honored to have been chosen to join faculty and students at UNLV that share an overall commitment to excellence, knowledge, and integrity. In a time where the arts are being defunded and attacked in our current state, creating is my way of fighting against this censorship. As a thanks to each donor, you will be receiving one of my personal poems I've created. Language has always been my saving grace, and I hope to continue to use it as my tool in this ever-changing world.

Below is a link to the MFA program for those curious/needing more information:

https://www.unlv.edu/degree/mfa-creative-writing

Many thanks,

Zaira