Cathy Arellano is an author who writes passionately about her beliefs and values and what it means to be Chicana in America. She has written hundreds of poems and short stories as well as one chapbook. Arellano is inspired by her family, community, and people who are true to who they are, especially when faced with oppression. She writes about people who are usually ignored and addresses issues surrounding immigration and cultural acceptance. Some themes that she incorporates into her work include justice, love, sexuality, and family. Arellano cites Ana Castillo, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Suheir Hammad, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Cherríe Moraga, James Baldwin, and Audre Lorde as some of the authors that have inspired her work.