Javier Zamora was born in El Salvador to parents who were forced to flee the country during the civil war, and he lived with relatives until age 9. His bestselling memoir, Solito tells the story of his journey to join his parents in America. He is also the author of a poetry collection, Unaccompanied. Fellowships from Colgate University, Harvard University, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the Lannan Literary Foundation are among his many awards and honors. Mr. Zamora lives in Tucson.

Co-sponsored by the Colgate Arts Council, the Arnold A. Sio Chair in Diversity and Community, the Program in Africana and Latin American Studies, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.