Consuelo Manríquez
Consuelo Manríquez de Beltrán, known as Chelo by her family and friends, is a Cachanilla by birth and a Chicana by choice. Born in Mexicali, México, she holds dual Mexican and US citizenship. She is the fourth of five children.  She graduated with a BA from the University of San Diego, and a Bilingual Teaching Credential and MA from San Diego State University. Ms. Manríquez started her educational career in 1989 at a private school in Los Angeles and since then has taught in San Diego Unified for over 14 years and is currently a Vice Principal at Correia Middle School in Point Loma.
With a commitment to justice, human rights and the arts Chelo has played active roles in various organizations including the Chicano Park Steering Committee, the Voz Alta Project and the Red CalacArts Collective among others. She is co-founder and co-owner of Calaca Press, an independent, Chicano, small press dedicated to publishing socially conscious bilingual writers. Since 1998 she has helped organize over 100 cultural events including annual celebrations honoring the achievements of women and Dia de los Muertos. She lives in Calacalandia in National City with her husband.

“Es algo difícil crecer sabiendo que la cosa de donde podemos agarrarnos para enraizar está muerta.”

Language has always been part of my life. As a child in Mexico, I was always pressured to learn English since we lived so close to the border of San Ysidro and Tijuana. At the age of 13 years, my family moved to from Playas de Tijuana to San Ysidro. This is where language became my companion for life. Years later I became a teacher, a language teacher. Then, my partner Brent Beltran and myself started a bilingual press called Calaca Press promoting voices not heard.