Mary Grueso Romero (1947) has a degree in Spanish and Afro-Colombian literature, graduated from the University of Quindío, specialist in Teaching Literature from the same university and in Recreational and recreation for social and cultural development of the Los Libertadores University Foundation, Colombian writer, poet and oral narrator. Born in Guapi, Cauca and based in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca. She has been honored with the title of almadre to female poetic excellence of the Rayo Museum.
At the age of 23, she married someone who could be considered the architect of Mary's subsequent artistic career, Moisés Zúñiga3 who, in what would be the beginning of her copious academic life, supports her to enter the Immaculate Conception National Normal School, from where she graduated as a high school teacher; then he entered the University of Quindío from which he received the title of Lic. in Spanish and Literature in 1999 and Specialist in teaching of literature in 2000.Zúñiga not only urged her to prepare academically, but she was also the one who led her to write, inspired by the love she felt for him and by the pain left by her death.
Thus, his second published book, The Sea and You is, in part, a reflection of that idyllic relationship.Between 2005 and 2007 she served as professor of literature at the Universidad del Valle, she has also taught at the Universidad Libre, the Universidad del Pacífico and in some Buenos Aires schools. She has been president and vice president of the Literature Council of Valle del Cauca.5 In 2011 she was appointed Technical Director of Culture of Buenaventura by Mayor José Félix Ocoro Minotta.
For her artistic and teaching work she has earned different honors among which the recognition as the First consecrated woman poet of the Cauca Pacific granted in 1997 by the National Normal of Guapi; the Woman of the Year Award in the Literary Aspect granted by the Santiago de Cali University and the Best Teacher Award granted by the Secretary of Education of Valle del Cauca in recognition of her ethno-educational project, both in 2007 year in which she is also decorated by the Rayo Museum with the title of almadre, awarded to women poets who have achieved excellence, which for this special edition is renamed almanegra because the three honorees of that year were Afro-Colombian poets.
Mary accompanied by María Teresa Ramírez and Elcina Valencia. In 2008, the television network Señal Colombia made two documentaries about his life and work, included in the program Vocation Master and Maroons. She was also included by the program Why believe in Colombia as one of the most recognized Colombians; Likewise, Yubarta Televisión, channel of the Universidad del Pacífico, has made three documentaries about her life in which her role as a poet, teacher and oral narrator stands out.
