C.L. Braghini is a Cartoonist and writer, editor, and Instructor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley She holds degrees in both Fine Arts and English, and works at the intersection of image and story.

Her creative work spans prose, comics, and film. She has published poetry and graphic lit, written and produced short fiction films entered into multiple festivals, and is currently completing a full-length speculative graphic novel. Her work often explores emotional inheritance and strange beauty.

Braghini is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Meat Puppet, a nationally distributed art and literature newspaper carried by independent bookstores including Skylight Books and Chevalier’s. Across five issues, she has served as lead editor, curating and refining original short fiction and graphic narrative while shaping the publication’s thematic vision. She has edited work by nationally recognized cartoonists and conducted long-form interviews with contemporary writers and artists.

Beyond the page, she actively builds literary community. She has moderated public conversations with writers such as Eleanor Davis, presented at literary festivals and university events, hosted open mic readings, organized cross-disciplinary fiction programming for STEM communities, and leads weekly writing-focused discussions as President of The Gutter Syndicate. Her work has also been featured in local media, where she advocates for student writing and creative engagement.

At the heart of her editorial vision is a belief that fiction is a living thing. It mutates. It contradicts itself. It leaks into film, comics, classrooms, and conversations... even into this bio. Who am I? Why am I narrating this woman’s bio? I am not wearing pants. The Meat Puppet exists, Long Live The Puppet.