Macondo began over twenty years ago when author Sandra Cisneros gathered a group of writers, artists, scholars and activists around her dining table in her King William home to meet informally for rigorous writing workshops.
As such, Macondo has very established traditions and expectations that include a rigorous application process aimed at professional writers of all genres, and the "Compassionate Code of Conduct," a document drafted by a group of past Macondistas outlining the principles and ethics that govern our organization.
Cisneros has described Macondo's mission as supporting and uniting writers "who view their work and talents as part of a larger task of community-building and non-violent social change.
"[3] Noted past faculty members have included Ai Ogawa, Dorothy Allison, Julia Alvarez, Richard Blanco, Andrei Codrescu, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Joy Harjo, Tim Z. Hernandez, Cherrie Moraga, Manuel Muñoz, Naomi Shihab Nye, Elena Poniatowska,[4] Luis J. Rodriguez, Norma Elia Cantú and Helena María Viramontes.
[5] Writers and poets who have attended include: Pat Alderete, Francisco Aragon, Richard Blanco,[6] Sarah A. Chavez, Wendy Call,[2] Denise Chavez, Alex Espinoza, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Carmen Giménez Smith, Jose B. Gonzalez, liz gonzález, Reyna Grande, Laurie Ann Guerrero, Allison Hedge Coke, Joe Jimenez, Amelia M.L.