Mr. Burciaga was born in August of 1940, in El Paso, Texas. Despite being Roman Catholic, Mr. Burciaga’s family lived for most of his youth in the basement of a synagogue. This experience gave him a firm foundation in cross-cultural relations that would later manifest itself through his creative works. In 1966, Mr. Burciaga became a graphic illustrator and moved to Washington, D.C. where he met his wife, Cecilia. Mr. Burciaga then moved to California with his wife and began writing critical assessments for numerous newspapers and journals. Arriving at Stanford University, the Burciaga’s were integral in helping to develop and support numerous Hispanic organizations including El Centro Chicano, a local Latino student center. In 1985 the Burciagas became Resident Fellows at the University and lived in an apartment attached to a predominantly Chicano resident dormitory.

Throughout the years Mr. Burciaga wrote and published short stories and poems, and painted large murals. His most famous mural was the “Last Supper of Chicano Heroes”, which he painted at the University with the help of his students. The mural depicts people important to Hispanic culture including: César Chavéz, Robert Kennedy, Ché Guevara, and Martin Luther King, Jr. In his poems, short stories, and novels, Mr. Burciaga expressed the flaws of social and political systems, and used irony and satire to explore issues of racism and discrimination. His works include: Restless Serpents, Rio Grande, Rio Bravo, Drink Cultura, Spilling the Beans, “La verdad es que Me Canso,” “I Remember Masa,” and “For Emmy.”

Although Mr. Burciaga passed away on October 7, 1996, his works live on as an inspirational testament to the power of transcending cultures and barriers to reach equality.