Linda Tirado

Linda Tirado (born ) is an American author, freelance photographer and political activist. Her memoir Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America is about her life as a member of the working poor. She has also written articles for The Guardian, The Daily Beast and other online periodicals. In 2014, she was included in the BBC's 100 Women.

Early life and education Tirado attended Cedar City High School and Southern Utah University. She did not finish her college degree. Marcia Kaye from the Toronto Star also gave a favorable review, concluding the book was "provocative and controversial, and I wouldn't be the least surprised to see Tirado, in her thrift store sweater and ill-fitting jeans, running for office one day soon."

Shortly after Tirado's Killer Martinis post, an article in the Houston Press argued she had had a comfortable life, working in politics since 2004. Tirado had disclosed this background herself on a GoFundMe page she was running; while she described her essay as "impressionistic" she made public records showing that for several years she and her family had received Medicaid, welfare and WIC. Tirado filed suit against the Minneapolis Police Department around June 14, 2020. On May 26, 2022, in the protest aftermath, the Minneapolis City Council agreed to a $600,000 legal settlement. She gave $120,000 away to people and community organizations in Minneapolis.

Personal life Tirado wrote Hand to Mouth while living in Utah. As of 2014, she lived in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two daughters. Tirado later confirmed she was not in hospice.