Linda Tirado is an American writer best known for her candid exploration of poverty and working-class struggles. Her viral essay, "Why I Make Terrible Decisions, or poverty thoughts," garnered widespread attention after being published by The Huffington Post and The Nation, amassing over six million reads. This essay laid the groundwork for her debut book, "Hand To Mouth: Living In Bootstrap America," published in 2014, which further delves into the realities of economic hardship in America.
Tirado's writing is characterized by its raw honesty and unflinching portrayal of life on the margins. Drawing from her own experiences as a working mother balancing multiple jobs, she offers a firsthand perspective on systemic inequality. Her work resonates with readers for its accessibility and refusal to sanitize the challenges faced by low-income individuals. Tirado currently resides in Appalachia, where she continues to write with the same forthrightness that has defined her career.