Gabby Rivera, a Bronx-born Puerto Rican, was the first Latina to write for Marvel Comics. Her main character, America Chavez, an extra-terrestrial visitor to the Earth who is taken in by a Puerto Rican family, is also known as Miss America. She is the first Latina LGBTQ character in Marvel comics.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Public Library, Rivera described herself as Nuyorican. “I grew up like countless other Bronx Ricans, surrounded by Salsa music, marching in the Puerto Rican Day Parade, eating arroz con pollo and NYC style pizza. Me and my family made pasteles at Christmastime, singing ‘El Burrito Sabanero’ like old school, big family, big love Puerto Ricans, you know?”

Her debut novel Juliet Takes a Breath won the 2017 Silver IPPY Award for Best LGBTQ Fiction. Rivera has given a TED talk and is a frequent speaker on human rights issues.

On Puerto Rico

Her grandparents, who were born in Puerto Rico, gave Rivera a view of Puerto Rico’s history and politics. She said, “the United States has looted it for its natural resources.” She makes the effort to learn more about Puerto Rico, taking online classes and reading. Her work celebrates her own experience of Puerto Rican identity. “I do my best to fill my stories with goofy, big-hearted, curious, compassionate, and thick-bodied people of color, with specific love and energy to Nuyoricans.”

But she also looks at the dark side of Puerto Rican history. “Preserving heritage also means unpacking the violent realities of how the United States has gutted P.R. for its own gain and continues to do so.”

Rivera sees Puerto Rico as a colony of the United States.

Supporting youth

Rivera is involved in programs supporting LGBTQ youth in schools. She is Youth Programs Manager at GLSEN and works with a variety of art-focused programs in schools.

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