Vanessa Lopez

E-mail

Vanessa Lopez was born in Miami, Florida and now lives in New York, pursuing "the dream" as so many New York transplants are wont to do. Though she's not entirely sure what "the dream" is, she hopes it's not the one where she is chased by a mob of angry church parishioners after she suggests Tito Puente lead the choir. Having done the starving writer thing for a while, she's now attempting the transition to successful writer and is therefore the eager recipient of rejection letters from major publications nationwide. Thus far, her works have been rejected by such powerhouse institutions as Time Magazine. She remains in the midst of obtaining an MA degree in literature from Hunter College, while studying creative writing in her free time as a non-matriculated student at NYU.

Hansel Castro

E-mail

Hansel Castro is a Cuban refugee living somewhere in Miami, as Cuban refugees tend to do. Having been both a Semi-Socialist Atheist and a Quasi-Fascist Born Again, Hans feels licensed to mouth off at the absurdities of extremes from his current stance in the (slightly left leaning) center.

Alexander Blanco

E-mail

Alexander Blanco is a writer in Miami who had to interrupt his education in the world to attend high school and college. Born and bred in Hialeah, Florida, Alexander has acquired a taste for Thai food, exquisite women and fine Portuguese literature. He does not drink merlot, chocolate milk or watches American Idol. Word once spread around town that he had died, and for many months it may or may not have been true. Word to the wise: keep your distance, for the Lexx has sharp teeth.

Alfred Soto

E-mail

Alfred Soto was born in Columbus, MS. He received his bachelor's degree in English at Florida International University, where he works as assistant director of student media and an adjunct professor. His work has been published in The Miami Herald, Miami New Times, Street Weekly, The Village Voice, and Stylus Magazine. Soto reveres the novels of Henry James and New Order's "Technique." He deplores the addition of the semicolon to the Endangered Species List. A resolute contrarian in politics and love, Soto is a bachelor and expects to remain so the rest of his life.

Phoebe Flowers

E-mail

Phoebe Flowers is a clerk.

Alex Segura Jr.

E-mail

Alex Segura Jr. was born and raised in Miami, FL. to Cuban immigrant parents. He has written or served as an editor for various local and national publications, both in print and on the web, including The Miami Herald, Street Weekly, Wizard: The Comics Magazine, Newsarama.com, The Great Curve, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Medios Magazine and Krause Publications. Currently, Alex spends his days as the Public Relations Coordinator (Direct Market) for Archie Comic Publications and serves as an Online Editor for The Miami Herald's website, Herald.com. When not at work, Alex enjoys reading, writing long e-mails, listening to good Talking Heads and bad Paul McCartney and spending time with his amazing girlfriend. His picture is not current. He takes great pleasure in the pretension of his fellow AGI bloggers. This is his first attempt at regular political writing.

Brad Bauman

E-mail

Brad Bauman is a Democratic political consultant in Washington D.C. specializing in communications strategy and polling. In 2004, Brad was chosen as a ‘Rising Star’ by Campaigns and Elections Magazine. The award, given to political operatives under the age of 40, highlights up and coming consultants and strategists who have made a splash for turning losing campaigns into winners and engineering innovative ways to get people out to the polls.

Brad is a native of Miami, Florida and has been active in politics since 1998. He has worked either on the ground or as a consultant for over 100 races across the nation at the local, state, Congressional and Presidential level.

Brad was awarded a Masters Degree in Political Management from the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University in fall of 2003. He was also named Democrat of the Year for 2003-2004 at the GSPM.

Brad serves on the Board of Governors for the National Democratic Club and has been active with many organizations within the Democratic Party. He is currently managing a statewide campaign in Maryland.

Jillian Horowitz

E-mail

Jillian Horowitz was born in New York and raised mostly in South Florida. She has no idea how she ended up living in Sarasota for eight months out of the year, but spends that time pursuing her bachelor's degree in literature and gender studies at New College of Florida. Most of her free time is wasted on 'living' but the rest of it is spent on persistent obsessions with Russian authors and pop culture. One day, in the very distant future, she might publish significant writings, but in the meantime is letting herself be sucked into this blogging nonsense. She also enjoys vodka. Perhaps too much.

Natalia Real

E-mail

Natalia Real grew up in Buenos Aires and Los Angeles, and currently resides in Miami and Sarasota, Fla., as she finishes up her degree in British and American literature and gender studies at New College of Florida. She has been a journalist since 2002; her work has been
published in CLOSER magazine, Rag magazine and El Nuevo Herald, among other publications. Natalia Real enjoys eating chocolate Newman'Os with Nutella, discussing feminist theory, playing tennis, documenting her conquests and watching Grey's Anatomy.

Josh Love

E-mail

Josh Love was baptized a Poptimist sometime around 2003 (not to be confused with the time he was regrettably baptized as an actual Baptist in '93), but continues to cling to some of his indie heroes and meat-and-potatoes rock idols either out of stubbornness or spite. He hopes to bring a sorely marginalized view to AGI – that of the domestic beer-swilling sports fanatic.

Josh’s two favorite things in the world (besides his fiancée) are quite possibly country music and the NBA. This might lead you to imagine he looks like Cowboy Troy, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Josh does not stand out at indie-rock shows. His work has appeared in the Village Voice, Athens Banner-Herald, Raleigh News and Observer, and Georgia Music Magazine, but his heart belongs to Stylus.