Gina Valdés was born in Los Angeles and grew up on both sides of the United States-Mexico border.

Poetry spellbound her at the age of six and the enchantment never left. She received degrees in Writing and Spanish Literature from the University of California, San Diego and taught Literature and Writing at UCSD, UCDavis, UCLA,  SDSU, The University of Washington, and Colorado College. Her poetry has been widely published in journals, anthologies, and textbooks in the U.S., Mexico, and Europe, in five languages in ten countries. She has published two bilingual poetry books, a chapbook, Comiendo lumbre/Eating Fire and a song of the border, Puentes y fronteras/Bridges and borders. She resides in San Diego near family in the midst of diverse and abundant fauna and flora.