José B. González ’89, Ph.D., earned a 2025 Pushcart Prize for his work, “A Skillet Poem,” which delves into themes of heritage, memory, and the everyday objects that connect people to their roots. This recognition places González among the year's most esteemed voices in independent literature.
González’s journey from a young immigrant from El Salvador to a celebrated poet has been marked by resilience and dedication. Arriving in the U.S. at age eight without English proficiency, he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business Communication at Bryant, where he discovered his passion for literature and storytelling.
He continued to nurture this calling during advanced studies at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island.
Now a distinguished professor of English at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, González continues to inspire others through his teaching, writing, and public speaking. His previous poetry collections, including Toys Made of Rock and When Love Was Reels, have garnered critical acclaim, and he also founded LatinoStories.com, a platform dedicated to promoting Latino literature.
“A Skillet Poem” appears in The Pushcart Prize XLIX: Best of the Small Presses 2025 Edition and is available via all major booksellers. A new poetry collection by González will be published in 2026.