1972- Received her M.A. in English and Education

1977- Moved to California where she supported herself through her writing, lectures, and occasionally taught at San Francisco State University, the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Florida Atlantic University, among other universities.

1981- Co-edited This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color with Cherríe Moraga

1984- Became a contributing editor for the journal Sinister Wisdom

1986- Won the Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award for This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color

1987-Wrote Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza

1987-Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza was recognized as one of the 38 best books of 1987 by Library Journal and 100 Best Books of the Century by both Hungry Mind Review and Utne Reader

1990- Wrote Making Face, Making Soul/Haciendo Caras: Creative and Critical Perspectives by Feminists-of-Color

1991- Wrote children’s book Prietita Has a Friend/ Prietita Tiene un Amigo

1991- Won a National Endowment for the Arts award for fiction

1991- Won the Lesbian Rights Award

1991- Was a Rockefeller Visiting Scholar at the University of Arizona

1992- Was awarded the Sappho Award of Distinction

1993- Wrote children’s book Friends from the Other side/ Amigos del Otro Lado

1996- Wrote children’s book Prietita and the Ghost Woman/ Prietita y La Llorona

1996- Wrote the foreword to the Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit

1997- Wrote the story titled La Prieta

2000- Wrote Interviews/Entrevistas

2002- Wrote This Bridge We Call Home: Radical Visions for Transformation

2004- She passed away on May 15, 2004 in her home in Santa Cruz, California

She has also been awarded:

• The Lambda Lesbian Small Book Press Award