Editing Julia Alvarez (section)

===Career===
After acquiring a [[master's degree]] in 1975, Alvarez took a position as a writer-in-residence for the Kentucky Arts Commission. She traveled throughout the state visiting elementary schools, high schools, colleges and communities, conducting writing workshops and giving readings. She attributes these years with providing her a deeper understanding of America and helping her realize her passion for teaching. After her work in Kentucky, she extended her educational endeavors to California, Delaware, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and Illinois.<ref name="sirias4">{{harvnb|Sirias|2001|p= 4}}</ref>

Alvarez was a Visiting Assistant Professor of English for the [[University of Vermont]], in [[Burlington, VT|Burlington, Vermont]], for a two-year appointment in creative writing, 1981–83. She taught fiction and poetry workshops, introductory and advanced (for upperclassmen and graduate students) as well as a course on fiction (lecture format, 45 students).<ref>[http://www.juliaalvarez.com/about/vita.php] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018175037/http://www.juliaalvarez.com/about/vita.php|date=October 18, 2019}} Julia Alverez Vita</ref>

In addition to writing, Alvarez holds the position of writer-in-residence at Middlebury College, where she teaches creative writing on a part-time basis.<ref name="sirias4" /> Alvarez currently resides in the [[Champlain Valley]] in [[Vermont]]. She has served as a panelist, consultant, and editor, as a judge for literary awards such as the [[PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award]] and the [[Casa de las Américas Prize]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.juliaalvarez.com/about/vita.php | title=Vita | publisher=juliaalvarez.com | access-date=September 20, 2014 | archive-date=October 18, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018175037/http://www.juliaalvarez.com/about/vita.php | url-status=dead }}</ref> and also gives readings and lectures across the country.<ref name="Day 2003 p= 41">{{harvnb|Day|2003|p= 41}}</ref> She and her partner, Bill Eichner, an ophthalmologist, created Alta Gracia, a farm-literacy center dedicated to the promotion of [[environmental sustainability]] and literacy and education worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cafealtagracia.com |title=Café Alta Gracia – Organic Coffee from the Dominican Republic |publisher=Cafealtagracia.com |access-date=October 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021220452/http://www.cafealtagracia.com/ |archive-date=October 21, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="Sirias 2001 p= 5">{{harvnb|Sirias|2001|p= 5}}</ref> Alvarez and her husband purchased the farm in 1996 with the intent to promote cooperative and independent coffee-farming in the Dominican Republic.<ref>{{harvnb|Coonrod Martínez|2007|p= 9}}</ref> Alvarez is part of Border of Lights, an activist group that encourages positive relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/celebrities/info-2018/julia-alvarez-hispanic-heritage-month.html?intcmp=AE-ENT-CEL-EOA1|title=Author Julia Alvarez on Having Dual Citizenship|work=AARP|access-date=November 26, 2018|language=en}}</ref>