Leah Huizar

Assistant Professor of English
Office Location: 224 Howard Hall
515-271-4530
leah.huizar@drake.edu

I joined Drake’s Department of English in the Fall of 2019. I am originally from California and after stops in the East Coast and the South, I look forward to many Des Moines adventures. 

I teach a range of writing courses including intro and advanced poetry creative writing. My office is in Howard Hall 224. I welcome both interested and reluctant writers to please stop by! Students can expect that in my writing courses, we ask questions, we inquire, we examine. We persist with curiosity, effort, and the desire to say something that matters. It is especially a place where our unique experiences and perspectives are valued. Join us! 

In my own work, I am a poet with interests in contemporary poetics, US Latinx Literatures, and print history and book culture. Inland Empire, published by Noemi Press, is my first book of poetry. These poems center on women, latinidad, and Southern California. It takes the language of history and myth to explore its landscapes.

Beyond writing, I am a lover of all things books. I spend much of my spare time bookbinding and printing on my collection of antique printing presses using wood and metal type. I am also always looking for a new podcast or audiobook.

I can be found online at leahhuizar.com.