Fernando Cabrera (writer)

Fernando Cabrera (born May 30, 1964 in Santiago de los Caballeros) is a Dominican-American poet, essayist, visual artist, songwriter and professor. He is a National Poetry and Literary Essay Prize Winner.

Early life
Cabrera (full name Fernando de Jesús Reynoso Cabrera) was born in El Ensanche Libertad, a neighborhood of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. He was the first child in a family of five.

Cabrera graduated from Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra as PhD in Spanish Studies: Linguistics and Literature. His thesis "Utopian Writing of America: Dialogue between Walt Whitman and Pablo Neruda in Leaves of Grass and Canto General.", Was defended on June 15, 2018, with an outstanding cum laude rating. In addition, he is a graduate in Systems Engineering and Computing, and Master of Business Administration, at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, an institution where he has taught since 1991. In 1996 he took specialization courses at the University of Kentucky.

Career
Cabrera is founding member and leader of the Collective of Artists of Santiago. Founded and directs the International Festival of Arts Arte Vivo. Cabrera has served several stints as president of the arts center Casa de Arte Inc. He is journalist of national and international magazines and newspapers specialized in arts and literature. The author is Member of the National Council of Culture of DR and of the House of the Dominican writer, and is a Corresponding Member of the Dominican Academy of the Spanish language.

Fernando Jesus Reynoso Cabrera is the recipient of a number of honors for his artistic and social work including the following: Distinguished Visitor of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, 1998; Distinguished Visitor of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, 2000; Distinguished Son of the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, 2004; Guest of Honor, XIV Santo Domingo International Book Fair, 2011. Among the awards received for his literary work are: Casa de Teatro Poetry Prize 1992, Pedro Henríquez Ureña Poetry Prize 1996, National Poetry Prize UCE 2001, National Essays Award Pedro Henríquez Ureña 2008 and National Essays Award Pedro Henríquez Ureña 2010.

As visual creator have done covers and interiors illustrations for his books: Exile, Utopia and postmodernity, Four-leaf clover, and the collective book titled Johnny Pacheco in Outside Voices. He has performed individual and collective exhibitions in the art center named Casa de Teatro, Cultural Center of Santiago Ercilia Pepín, Museum of the Dominican Man, Consistorial Palace, Dominico-American Cultural Institute, Alliance Française and the National Dominican Library.