24) You can't erase who you are. You can't erase what you know. -- Sandra Cisneros (born December 20, 1954), Mexican-American writer of novels, poems and short stories, teacher, counselor, founder of the Macondo Foundation, a group of poets, novelists, journalists, performance artists, and creative writers of all genres who focus on strengthening their communities and changing the world through their writing, and founder of the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation, which awards money to writers of exceptional talent and commitment who were born in Texas, are writing about Texas or who are living in Texas. She was the first female Mexican-American writer to have her work published by a mainstream publisher.