The Astonishing Life of Gabriela Mistral - 784 Words

Known for her passionate words, outstanding leadership, and personal touch to each work, Gabriela Mistral is one of the most famous and respected World Poets of her time. Her success is measured not only through her incredible works of poetry, but also her leadership as a woman in Latin America. By the end of her life, Mistral was a part of the United Nations, Chilean Government, received the Nobel Prize in Literature, and played a key role in reshaping schools and libraries in Mexico. She is most known for her love for children and the intense passion she pours into her works. Her constant love and passion for both education and writing is admirable and sets a tremendous example for young writers even today. Mistral was born into a family of educators in Chile on April 7, 1889. Her father, a local teacher, abandoned her family when she was three-years-old, thus she was primarily raised by her mother, Petrolina Alcayaga de Molina. Mistral’s birth name is actually Lucila Godoy Alcayaga; however, when she began writing, she chose the pen name of â€Å"Gabriela Mistral† which means Mediterranean Wind. In her early life, Mistral was expelled from secondary school for Paegan ideas and then attended the Pedagogical College in Santiago. Directly after college, Mistral began her teaching career as a teacher’s assistant for pre-school (Howard 457-461). Working her way up the educational totem pole, Mistral received her teaching certification in 1910 and eventually taught secondary