Gary Soto is a contemporary Mexican-American writer who is known for writing about the lives of the poverty-stricken laborers and Chicano youth. Soto was the first Mexican-American to earn an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of California-Irvine. Much of Soto’s early poetic work—and later his novels and stories for young adults—centers on the landscape of Fresno, a city that rests in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Soto gained acclaim for capturing small details of everyday experience, accurately rendering both the produce fields surrounding the city and the stark urban neighborhoods inside it. He’s been commended for his honest portrayals of human resilience in the face of racism, the struggles of the working-class, and the desperation associated with crime in a poverty-ridden world. Soto’s ability to realistically critique, yet also sympathize with, the characters he develops has also been admired. On his website, Soto has said, “as a writer, my duty is not to make people perfect, particularly Mexican Americans. I’m not a cheerleader. I’m one who provides portraits of people in the rush of life” (“I Can Answer That.” Gary Soto). Soto is proud of his heritage, serving as the Young People Ambassador for the United Farm Workers of America, and often addressing tough political subject matter.