Grace Mary Perez, Neighbor

I grew up in the Fox Valley and graduated from Rosary High School. My mom was one of the first female attorneys in Kane county. She was, also, active in many political and social groups in the Fox Valley throughout the seventies and early eighties. She took my sister and I to political events, neighborhood festivals, plays, concerts and local attractions like Blackberry Farm (then Pioneer Park).  I knew the Oswego and Fox Valley area was a special place to grow up.

After high school, I went to Loyola University and graduated from their writing intensive program with a BA in theatre. I have lived in Chicago on and off since then, but keep returning home. I'm very happy to be reconnecting with my roots in the Oswego/Fox Valley community. Some things are different from when I was a kid, but a lot remains the same. There is still a zoo at Phillips Park, the Hudson Crossing Park lets people walk or bike across the Fox River and there are still outdoor festivals in every town during the summer. The differences seem surface and inconsequential. The people and communities are still vibrant and alive and it's still a great place to be a kid.

Professionally, I have held many positions in a lot of different industries. Writing has always been an integral part of my work. I have written marketing material, training manuals, news articles, fiction and nonfiction. For the last couple of years, I have worked part time as a free lance writer. My work can be found on the internet both credited to me and uncredited. I am excited to be writing for a e-zine focused on the community I love.  I have recently started a blog which can be read at http://artinthefoxvalley.blogspot.com