Joan A. Vargas was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She is the oldest of three raised in the Bronx. As a Bronx native, she grew fond of her culture and fast-paced lifestyle. Born a Latina, the art of expression was a seed planted at birth and watered by the Bronx. She grew up listening to Hip Hop and Spoken Word that resided right at her kitchen table where she found her father writing poetry. Her father introduced her to the lyrical poetry of Nuyorican Poet Caridad De La Luz AKA "La Bruja." The rest was history. 

After taking a public speaking course, she fought through the insecurities that came with speaking publicly and writing.  She had flourished into a poet. Poetry was her first love, but she was married to  the art of writing. Having completed her master’s degree in Criminal Justice and becoming a mother, she decided it was time to steer away from what was expected of her. 

Writing was her rebellion.

“My life was dictated by the social standards everyone needed me to fill. Get a degree, so you can get a good job and be successful. Writing taught me that the only thing that needed filling was me. That there was no one way to be successful, there was a world of opportunities through the art of writing. You cannot fit the character the world wants you to fill. Take pen to paper and tell them who your character is. It is solely your responsibility to leave your story behind, never leave it to someone else to write."

Joan currently lives in the Bronx where she can be found mothering her daughter, crime fighting,  reading, writing, running and creating. 

Joan is the creator and owner of Poetic Pottery an online clay store where poetic inspiration is found in unique clay creations. In 2023, Joan has expanded her store to feature paintings and other forms of art and downloadable products.

Joan has recently been featured in the poetry collection established by Train River Publishing Anthology Summer 2020, Latino Book Review Magazine 2021,  BX Writers Year Gone Hazy 2020 Edition.