Andrea V. Duarte-Alonso
A multidisciplinary writer, educator, and cultural worker based in rural Minnesota whose work centers storytelling, education, and community care to preserve immigrant and rural voices and create spaces where lived experience is honored as knowledge.
First Generation Latina
Rural Minnesota
Andrea Valeria Duarte-Alonso (she/her) is the daughter of Mexican immigrants from the ancestral lands of the Nahua (presently known as Guerrero) and Purépecha (presently known as Michoacán) people. Andrea grew up across the Midwest in small-town meatpacking communities, such as Dodge City, Kansas; Postville, Iowa; Otsego, Michigan; and Worthington, Minnesota. She is a multidisciplinary cultural worker, writer, and educator based in rural Minnesota. Rooted in her experience as a first-generation Mexican American, her work centers storytelling as a form of cultural preservation, collective care, and social change, particularly within immigrant, rural, and BIPOC communities.
Her practice weaves together writing, teaching, and community care to build spaces where lived experience is honored as knowledge. Through oral history, liberatory education, mentorship, and facilitation, Andrea creates pathways for intergenerational memory, healing justice, and grassroots power. She approaches language as a tool that can shape possibility, archives as living systems, and collaboration as a relational process grounded in trust.
Andrea’s work is guided by a belief that meaningful change happens slowly and collectively. Whether in classrooms, community spaces, or creative projects, she works at the intersection of place, story, and care, tending what already exists and helping it grow with intention.
Andrea holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science, English, and Women’s studies from St. Catherine University. She made a short arrival to the University of Wisconsin Law school, and made the choice to exit and instead pursue her Master’s of Science in Teaching Secondary Education at College of St. Scholastica. She teaches English Language Arts at the Worthington Learning Center. She’s a proud alumna of the Jay and Rose Phillips Scholarship and the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. She lives in her childhood neighborhood with her long-time partner, Roque. Andrea can be found cozying up in her den watching Youtube or hiking on a Minnesota trail.
Writing, Teaching & Community Work
Writing &
Storytelling Focus
The work spans poetry, freelance journalism, and creative nonfiction, with future focus on children’s and young adult literature. As an oral historian, the work centers on documenting stories and lived experiences from immigrant communities in the region.
Mentorship for Emerging
Writers & Educators
Relationship-based mentorship supports youth, first-generation writers, and emerging educators through consistent guidance and encouragement. The approach focuses on building trust, strengthening confidence, and supporting long-term creative and personal growth.
Youth & First-Generation Support
Programs are designed to support youth and first-generation students through writing, storytelling, and identity-centered learning. The goal is to build confidence, voice, and a strong sense of belonging.
Fellowships &
Community Leadership
Experience in fellowships and community-based initiatives supports projects rooted in storytelling, collaboration, and cultural preservation. The work emphasizes community leadership and shared knowledge.
Community Care
& Facilitation
Facilitating workshops, story circles, and public humanities projects are facilitated through deep listening, shared learning, and collaborative reflection. Each space is designed to support meaningful dialogue and strengthen connections across communities.
English Language Arts & Ethnic Studies
Culturally sustaining curriculum is developed around literature, identity, and student voice. Lessons are designed to help students see themselves in what they read while strengthening critical thinking and communication skills.
Curriculum Design & Educational Consulting
Curriculum support focuses on writing, oral history, and culturally responsive teaching. Projects are created in collaboration with educators and organizations looking to strengthen storytelling and student engagement.
Wellness &
Healing-Centered Practice
This practice integrates yoga, meditation, traditional Mexican herbal knowledge, and trauma-informed care. The focus is on creating supportive spaces that nurture reflection, resilience, and well-being.
Skill-Sharing &
Public Learning
Skill-sharing sessions focus on writing, oral history methods, and storytelling practices that communities can use and carry forward. Each session is designed to be practical, accessible, and rooted in lived experience.
Stories From
Unheard Voices
Stories from Unheard Voices is an online storytelling platform sharing the histories and lived experiences of immigrants and children of immigrants across Greater Minnesota, amplifying voices and preserving stories that shape our communities.
Soy La Misma
Newsletter
In the Soy la Misma newsletter, Andrea reflects on her upbringing in the rural Midwest as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, sharing stories about education, culture, identity, and the experiences shaping her life.
Connect
With Me
Have a question, idea, or collaboration in mind? Reach out to connect about writing, storytelling projects, speaking opportunities, or creative partnerships. I’d love to hear from you and explore ways we can work together.