Rudolfo Anaya (1937-2020) was born in the village of Pastura, New Mexico, and moved with his family to Albuquerque at the age of 14. His first and best-known novel, Bless Me, Ultima, was published in 1972. Adapted as a play, an opera, and a feature film, Bless Me, Ultima has also been subject to bans from the early 1980s to the 2010s in New Mexico, Colorado, California, and Arizona. His other novels include Heart of Atzlan (1976), Tortuga (1979), Alburquerque (1992), and a series of crime novels featuring detective Sonny Baca. His many awards include the National Humanities Medal, presented in 2016 by President Barack Obama.

Luis Alberto Urrea is a novelist, short story writer, poet, and memoirist who is currently distinguished professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago. His numerous prizes and awards include a Lannan Literary Award, the Kiriyama Prize, the National Hispanic Cultural Center's Literary Award, an Edgar Award, and a citation of excellence from the American Library Association. His most recent books are Good Night, Irene and Zebras in Tijuana.