[5] Tafolla's poetry is heavily influenced by her ethnic background, and often focuses on Chicana characters, or on themes and images which are important to Chicano culture.

[6] Tafolla’s poetry began as one of the early feminist voices in the Chicano Movement, and often focuses on themes, characters, and images richly imbedded in a Chicanx cultural setting.

In addition, her works have touched on national and international issues with a pronounced emphasis on the affirmation and celebration of individual and cultural diversity and human value.

Her themes in both poetry and prose have ranged from cultural to socio-educational issues; have deepened feminist, ecological, and multicultural perspectives; have emphasized the indigenous roots of the Americas; and have challenged sexist, racist, classist, Eurocentric, and homophobic stereotypes.

Often called one of the madrinas of Chicana literature, her early poetry gained her renown as a master of code-switching and featured the introduction of numerous “voice poems” which monologues later developed into a dramatic medley in her one-woman show.