Cynthia Leitich Smith is a bestselling, acclaimed author of books for all ages, including Here Come the Aunties!, Firefly Season, Jingle Dancer, Indian Shoes, On a Wing and a Tear, Sisters of the Neve…
Tayari Jones is the author of the novels Leaving Atlanta, The Untelling, Silver Sparrow, and An American Marriage (Algonquin Books, February 2018). Her writing has appeared in Tin House, The Believer,…
Tia Williams began her career as a beauty editor for magazines including Elle, Glamour, Lucky, Teen People, and Essence. In 2004, she pioneered the beauty blog industry with her award-winning site, Sh…
Mia McKenzie is the award-winning author of The Summer We Got Free and the creator of Black Girl Dangerous Media, an independent media and education project that centers queer Black women and girls. S…
Known as "The Literary Drama Queen," Briana Cole is a multi-talented entertainment mogul in both the book and film industries. Authoring six novels, including the critically-acclaimed Unconditional se…
OYINKAN BRAITHWAITE is a graduate of Creative Writing and Law from Kingston University. Following her degree, she worked as an assistant editor at Kachifo, a Nigerian publishing house, and has been fr…
Liara Tamani grew up in Houston, Texas, where every spring meant one thing: rodeo season. She loved getting decked out in her best cowgirl gear and soaking up the music, food, and electric energy of the r…
Addie E. Citchens was born in the Mississippi Delta and lives in New Orleans. A graduate of Jackson State University, she studied at the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshop. Her work has appeared in Th…
Leila Mottley is the author of the novel NIGHTCRAWLING, an Oprah’s Book Club pick and New York Times best seller. NIGHTCRAWLING was longlisted for the Booker Prize, the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut N…
Lakita Wilson is the author of several novels and nonfiction projects for children and young adults, including What is Black Lives Matter? and Who is Colin Kaepernick? part of the New York Times bests…
Natalie Guerrero is a writer and producer based in Los Angeles. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Electric Literature, Byline, Goop, and Blavity. My Train Leaves at Three (2025) is…
Denne Michele Norris is the author of the chapbook Awst Collection—Dennis Norris II, named a best book of 2018 by Powell's. A recipient of fellowships from The MacDowell Colony, Tin House, VCCA, and K…
Joelle Wellington is the author of Their Vicious Games. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. When she isn’t writin…
Rosália (she/her) has been in the “immersive story” space for over 8 years, producing visitor experiences for museums and theme parks internationally. She now champions diversity, inclusion, equity an…
Pemi Aguda is a Nigerian writer known for her short stories and debut collection Ghostroots (2024). Her work often explores complex themes surrounding motherhood, identity, and the supernatural. Ghost…
For the last fifteen years, Tanya has been a columnist in a number of Irish newspapers and magazines, among them the Dubliner, STELLAR, U, Irish Tatler, and the Irish Times Magazine.
