We are living in a political moment marked by the legitimation of bigotry, hate, and misinformation.
The University of Maryland English Department emphatically condemns all acts of racism, sexism, ableism, classism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia. We take heart in our common pursuit of literature and language as vital to crossing the boundaries of difference.
The discipline of English is a source of meaning and resilience at this time of misunderstanding and fear. It makes us discerning about language and its effects. It drives us to question ourselves and to empathize with diverse identities. And it helps us compose a better world.
We reaffirm our commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, critical insight, and shared understanding by affirming what we value: social justice, diversity, and open inquiry. And we stand together with all vulnerable members of the campus community and the University System of Maryland.
The University of Maryland English Department
February 6, 2017
Gabrielle holds a BA from Brown University, an MFA from University of Colorado, Boulder and is currently completing a Ph.D. in Creative Writing at the University of Georgia. Her first novel, The Sleeping World, published by Simon & Schuster in 2016, is set in post-Franco Spain and explores this historical moment through the lens of characters in the throes of protest and activism. The Sleeping World was described by Publishers Weekly as "an astonishing and haunting debut." Her dissertation Settler’s Point, a novel set on a religious commune in the Upper Midwest during the Great Depression, is work that distinguishes itself through its innovative engagement with various forms and genres, including myth, folklore, and religious texts. Gabrielle's essays and reviews have appeared in One Story, The Collagist, Western Humanities Review, among other places, and several have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes. She has received fellowships from Yaddo, the Millay Colony, and Blue Mountain Arts Center and was the Bernard O’Keefe Scholar in Fiction at Bread Loaf. Among her forthcoming projects, she is working on a third novel that expands her interest in socially engaged fiction and the Latina immigrant experience. She is also working on a nonfiction book about the Cuban performance artist, Ana Mendieta. When she joins us in the fall, Gabrielle hopes to launch a new press, Quince Perras, whose mission will be to publish chapbooks and novellas by Latina and Caribbean women, a project in which she’s eager to include students. In addition to her creative work, Gabrielle's research and teaching interests include Caribbean Literature and Latinx studies. 
