"Connie Hales (aka Corrinne Clegg Hales) — She is one of my favorite writers of all time. I never had the opportunity to take a class with her while she was teaching at Fresno State, but she's taught me so much about writing and life, nonetheless. Her artistic skill pushes me to always try to better my own, while making my artwork a place to take on political issues as well as personal issues—her work exploring the effects of the cold war and second wave feminism among other societal issues alongside investigation of family memory and personal traumas. Connie is also one of the most politically aware and engaged people that I know in the community, having lived through decades of major historical events and actively taking a stand on campus during the political unrest of the 60s/70s—she was one of the faculty members to be locked out of the department during campus protests. Additionally, Connie is one of the most kind, generous people that I've met in the writing/art world. She offers so much of her time and energy in an effort to guide others to their fullest potential, myself included. She embodies so much of what I wish to be, both as an artist and personally."
