In memoriam: Xavier Navarro Aquino, assistant professor of English

Xavier Navarro Aquino, assistant professor of English, unexpectedly died Wednesday (May 6). He was 36. An acclaimed novelist and beloved teacher, mentor and colleague, Navarro Aquino was a member of the Creative Writing Program and a faculty fellow of the Institute for Latino Studies and the Initiative on Race and Resilience. “Xavier’s writing and artwork communicate with absolute clarity his humane and painterly care for the world in all its damage and beauty,” said Joyelle McSweeney, chair of.