hou ettes , ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁her ▁father . ▁As ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁Inc arn ate ▁Word ▁College , ▁N igg li ▁was ▁prompt ed ▁by ▁her ▁teachers ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁writer , ▁leading ▁to ▁awards ▁from ▁Lad ies ' ▁Home ▁Journal ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Catholic ▁College ▁Po etry ▁Award . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁N igg li ▁wrote ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁five ▁one - act ▁pieces , ▁Mexican ▁Fol k ▁Pl ays , ▁which ▁was ▁published ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Press . ▁This ▁collection ▁touch es ▁on ▁them es ▁N igg li ▁frequently ▁addressed ▁in ▁her ▁writing , ▁r anging ▁from ▁pieces ▁foc using ▁on ▁pre - Col umb ian ▁Mexico ▁to ▁more ▁contemporary ▁history ▁of ▁Mexico ' s ▁revolution . ▁ ▁N igg li ▁was ▁h ired ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁by ▁N BC ▁International ▁to ▁write ▁Spanish ▁language ▁messages ▁for ▁Latin ▁American ▁radio . ▁N igg li ▁became ▁active ▁as ▁a ▁writer ▁and ▁producer ▁for ▁San ▁Antonio ' s ▁K T SA ▁radio ▁station ▁and ▁studied ▁play ▁writing ▁at ▁the ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Little ▁Theatre , ▁eventually ▁joining ▁the ▁Carolina ▁Play m akers ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁at ▁Chap el ▁Hill , ▁where ▁she ▁earned ▁her ▁M . A . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁she ▁continued ▁to ▁write ▁about ▁Mexican ▁fol kl ore ▁and ▁history , ▁such ▁as ▁her ▁play ▁Sold ad era , ▁which ▁dep icted ▁women ▁soldiers ▁( s old ader as ) ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican