Cynthia Leitich Smith is a bestselling, acclaimed author of books for all ages, including Here Come the Grandmas!, Here Come the Aunties!, Firefly Season, Jingle Dancer, Indian Shoes, On a Wing and a …
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,…
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…
I'm a stay at home mom of 4 kids and have been happily married to my husband for 11 years and counting. I lead a pretty basic and straightforward life and use writing and reading as my escape.
Ruben Reyes Jr. is the son of two Salvadoran immigrants and the author of the story collection, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, which was named a finalist for The Story Prize. He holds degrees from H…
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…
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…
I am a writer, teacher, and editor. I have an MFA in Fiction from Brooklyn College, a PhD in Comparative Literature from Brown University, and was a Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellow at the Center fo…
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…
Rasheed Newson is the author of the national bestseller "My Government Means to Kill Me." The novel was a Lambda Literary finalist for Gay Fiction and was named one of the “The 100 Notable Books of 20…
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…
