Ayn Gailey

Ayn Carrillo-Gailey is a writer whose past work has been mostly autobiographical, including a three-year column for bicultural magazine Tu Ciudad; a memoir, Pornology, published by Running Press (U.S.) and Random House (UK) that has been translated into several languages; and cultural essays for Elle UK, Latina, Ōde, and Kinfolk. To her, art—including music, visual arts, culinary arts—is one way of ensuring that a culture’s or individual’s story doesn’t die with them.

In her current work, a novel series, she explores how three women use different forms of art to express grief and grapple with relationships, family and social challenges. In addition to winning an Artists Trust Gap Award, her work has earned a Push Cart nomination, a Nautilus Award, a 2022 residency at Mineral School and a 2023 residency at Hedgebrook.