James E. Garcia is a playwright, journalist, university lecturer, and Phoenix-based media consultant. He is a co-founder of The Real Arizona Coalition (therealarizona.org). As a journalist, he has been a reporter, columnist, magazine editor, newspaper editor, foreign correspondent and television and radio commentator.

He currently serves as director of communications at the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise. Garcia is a founding member of the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center. He is the founder and producing artistic director of New Carpa Theater Co. (newcarpa.org) and the author of nearly 20 plays. His upcoming work, Amexica: Tales of the Fourth World, premieres Oct. 22 at the Mesa Arts Center and is a feature production of the CALA Festival. His recent theater works include American Pastorela: Show Us Your Papers (Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center, Dec. 2010); The Eagle and the Serpent: A History of Mexico Abridged (Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center, Sept. 2010); and The Manic Hispanic: On The Air (Herberger Theater Center, Nov. 2010). Garcia’s short play, The Crossing, won the national 10-minute play competition at the 2003 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

An educator as well, Garcia has taught creative writing, theater and ethnic studies and Latino public policy at Arizona State University since 2003. He is married and lives with his wife, two daughters, two nieces and one dog in the Ahwatukee Foothills.