Claribel Alegría was a Salvadorian-Nicaraguan poet, essayist, novelist, and journalist who was a major voice in the literature of contemporary Central America. She has been called "one of the region's finest writers" by The Washington Post. Alegría published over forty books, including fifteen collections of poetry, and was a recipient of the Casa de las Americas Prize of Cuba. Her works in English include Ashes of Izalco, Luisa in Realityland, and Family Album. She was awarded the 2006 Neustadt International Prize for Literature. She died in 2018.

Carolyn Forché is an American poet, editor, translator, and activist. She is currently a professor at Georgetown University, and is a co-Chair, with Gloria Steinem, of the Creative Advisory Council of Hedgebrook, a residency for female authors. She lives in Maryland.