SURVIVAL INSTINCTS by Rainy Dawn Ortiz

Rainy Dawn Ortiz was born July 5, 1973 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to her mother Joy Harjo (Mvskoke) and her father Simon J. Ortiz (Acoma). She first started writing in elementary school because she wanted to write novels like Stephen King. Her first poems were published in a Teenage Parent Program student publication in Tucson 1990. She performed her poetry at Salt of the Earth Books in Albuquerque, University of Rochester, NY, and the University of New Mexico Gallup Branch. She wrote poetry inspired by her family which included her children Krista Rae, Desiray Kierra, Tayo Chayton, Chayson Rain, Shayla Jewel, Kaiya Feather, and Natasha Arielle, and Tamarin. And was inspired by her many grandchildren including Sebastian and Theo. Rainy Dawn passed from this world December 6, 2023