Desiree Cooper was an Air Force brat who was born in Japan. After traveling the world most of her childhood, she spent her adult years raising a family in Detroit. There, she became a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, an award-winning author, and an activist for women’s rights.

Despite living in Michigan for 30 years, “home” always remained the birthplace of both of her  parents–a little town in the piney woods of central Virginia. Like so many other black families in the North, she took her children on the pilgrimage back South every summer to remain connected to their Southern roots. Nothing Special is an homage to that cherished tradition of returning home.  Six years ago, she moved back to Virginia permanently to caretake for her parents through their final years. She now lives near Virginia Beach in the family home, where she’s raising her three grandchildren.

Visit Desiree’s Website

Kim C. Lee is fascinated by capturing moments in time that celebrate joy, love, resilience, and the strength of community and family. She create’s work that is not just nostalgic, but a testament to the spirit of community, family and their role in shaping who we are. Her passion is creating energetic, expressive work full of personality, typically incorporating a vibrant and fresh color palette. Kim has had a love of art and drawing from an early age. She’s  found great inspiration growing up directly across from the Brooklyn Museum. She has a BBA in Marketing from Howard University and a BFA in Animation from the Academy of Art University. Kim loves to make art and lives in the Washington D.C. metro area with her husband and two dogs, Sugar and Spice.

Visit Kim’s Website

Benjamin Hicks founded Ingleside Press in 1995. His company is a publishing and graphic design company. The poetry he written were published in four anthologies. Over the years, He has self-published several books of poetry: Life Conflictions (1995), Distinguished Young Black Poet: Vol. I (1996), Diary Of Black Love (1998), Christmas Poems (1998), and Sexcrazy (2003). He was inspired to write three children’s books: Arithmecation (2003), 365 Days Of Blackness (2007), and Byron’s Tie (2019). He wanted to educate people about The Myths About Condom Safety in a book of essays (1999). Benjamin Hicks has a Bachelor Degree in Mass Communication concentration Film from Towson University and a Master of Arts in Publication Design from University of Baltimore. He currently resides in Baltimore.

Byron’s Tie is a children’s book that deals with a middle school student who’s being awarded academically. He wants to dress up, but he doesn’t know how to tie a tie. Sixteen Illustrated pages that help the writer to tell his well crafted story.

Byron’s Tie: 9 Steps On How To Tie A Tie For High Schoolers and Adults. This book is a picture illustration instructional manual on how to tie a tie in 9 steps.

 

Jerdine Noled was born in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, along with five sisters and two brothers. She and her siblings had a lot of fun together. Growing up in a large family she always had someone to play with. Jerdine says, “You could always get a good softball game going. Or, Red Rover, which was one of my favorites. We also loved going on exploring expeditions around our home. Even then, I had a wild imagination.”

Jerdine states thar she couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing and collecting words. Her Mother encouraged her to do that. Jerdine’s Mother was eager to hear my new list of “favorite words.” Cucumber was a word she preferred above the rest. Then, one day, she became smitten with the word chutney. “Chutney, chutney, chutney.” She would chant that one over and over again. She even made up a little chutney dance to go along with the chant.

Jerdine states, “Writing is fun work. I love it. It takes patience to get the right story. Once you have the story idea, it is important to revisit and revise the work to make it the best that it could be. It is like sculpting or wiring the pieces together in a way so the words on the page have enough life—they could stand up and walk around all on their own. That is why my motto is, Hold fast to your dreams as you would your balloons! In looking over the landscape that is my work so far, I think my stories are about possibilities—possible and impossible possibilities. Possibilities are sometimes born out of great needs. Stories help us examine and shape the world we live in. Stories give us hopeful answers and insights to questions no one person can answer on their own—stories help us share our lives. This is what I love about being a writer.”

Jerdine Nolen received a B.A. in special education from Northeastern Illinois University and an M.Ed. in interdisciplinary arts education from Loyola University in Chicago. She has been an educator for a number of years as a classroom teacher, curriculum writer, staff developer, family involvement specialist, and administrator. She also enjoys lecturing on a variety of topics related to books and the writing process. She loves living in Maryland and it was actually not part of her plan to live here for so long, but she fell in love with this beautiful state that is also rich in the history of our country. There is always something new to discover.

Visit Jerdine’s Website

LaToya Council was raised in a single-parent mother-headed home. She would often stare at her mother in awe of her super-shero abilities to manage so many family demands while holding multiple jobs to make ends meet. These memories inspired her vision for a more inclusive world and drove LaToya toward studying sociology at Spelman College, where she first learned about the concept of intersectionality.

After graduating from Spelman, she studied the inequalities in love and how race, gender, and class intersect to inform relationship experiences for her Master’s at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She is currently working on her dissertation at the University of Southern California, which examines time use and self-care among Black middle-class couples. Intersectionality and the power of love frame how she does allyship and research. When not researching, she enjoys practicing meditation, cooking and hanging with her cat Mimi.

Learn More about LaToya

Bryan Collier has always been a visual person. As a young boy in school he remembers how, when his teacher would talk, he “would see words float out of her mouth.” Since then, Collier has put his amazing visual talent to good use. He has illustrated numerous children’s books, including Rosa and Uptown, both of which netted him a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Rosa, which was written by Nikki Giovanni, also earned him his second Caldecott Honor.

Bryan Collier grew up in Pocomoke, Maryland, the youngest of six children. From an early age he was encouraged to read, but it was the illustrations in the books that drew him in the most. It was those pictures that inspired him to become an artist. By age 15, he was creating work in his unique mixed-media style — collage and watercolor. His style, he says, was inspired by the quilts he watched his grandmother make.

An honors graduate of Pratt Institute, Collier still had difficulty breaking in to the world of children’s book illustration. It was seven years before his big break — the publication of Uptown. Both written and illustrated by Collier, the book paid homage to his beloved hometown — Harlem.

Collier has always recognized the importance of community and connection. For twelve years he was Director of a program in New York that provides working space and materials for self-taught artists in the community. Today, he still volunteers with them. Even beyond the desire to create positive unity among his neighbors, Collier recognizes the importance of instilling a love of art in future generations.

Learn More about Bryan

Junita Banks-Whittington award winning children’s book author, Army Veteran, Social Worker, and Diversity Practitioner. Best known for “I Love My Daddy,” a heartwarming children’s book about the special bond between a little girl and her father. She specializes in writing children’s books that highlight positive relationships and bridge diversity gaps, aiming to introduce young minds to a future where they feel seen, valued, and represented within the pages of my books. 

She graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore with a degree in Social Work and hold certifications in Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Mediation. This gave her the unique ability to educate others on the importance of diversity and inclusivity. Her experiences have guided her towards a fulfilling journey of educating and promoting these values in children’s books.

Junnita particularly proud of the joy and admiration she sees on the faces of children and parents when they read “I Love My Daddy.” Outside of writing, she enjoys spending time with my family, traveling, bowling, and window shopping. She resides in Odenton, Maryland, with her husband Ian, daughter Zuri, and family dog Ivy, a Boston Terrier.

Visit Junita’s Website 

Charly Palmer is known for saying “Art should change the temperature in a room.” And for more than 30 years, his art has spoken for itself. In every painting, Palmer bears witness to African ancestry and contemporary experiences—rhythmic, visual stories that shift what each viewer believes. As a fine artist, he has an innate awareness of documenting the intricacies of Blackness with depth, patterns, symbols, and textures. By existing at the intersection of creative expression and the Black experience and accepting the guidance of his ancestors, he creates, authors, and magnifies the truth and depth of Blackness. From loose sketches and tight lines to blocks of color and nuances of mixed media, his art manifests in visual expressions to the questions, “What came before?” and “What truth must be told?” Palmer is the recipient of the 2016 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award.  He has worked with John Legend, Time Magazine and Los Angeles Lakers.

Learn More about Charly

Karida L. Brown is a sociologist, professor, oral historian, and public intellectual whose research centers on the ontologies of systemic racism and the fullness of Black life. An educator, public speaker, author, and humanist, she is known for empowering her readership, students, and organizations to be active participants in driving equity and justice. Dr. Brown’s body of work combines her expertise in data-driven social science research, her vast experience in navigating complex global organizations, and her love of the arts. These insights bring actionable and reparative knowledge to the public. Dr. Brown graduated from Uniondale High School in Long Island, New York and attended Temple University in Philadelphia, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in risk management and insurance. After a six-year career in the commercial insurance industry, Brown returned to school, and subsequently earned a master’s in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Brown University.​

She is a Professor of Sociology at Emory University where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on race and racism, sports and society, and historical archival methods. In addition to her books, her research is published in various peer-reviewed academic journals such as the American Journal of Cultural Sociology, Southern Cultures, and The Du Bois Review. Dr. Brown is a Fulbright Scholar, and her international research has been supported by national foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Hellman Fellows Fund. Brown currently serves on the board of The Obama Presidency Oral History Project. An educator, public speaker, author, and humanist known for her ability to empower her readership, students, and organizations to be active participants in driving equity and justice. She has been featured in such media outlets as Politico, Forbes, The LA Times, Sports Illustrated, and WUNC. Literary agency Serendipity represents her for book projects and Knowledge Arts Holdings manages her speaking engagements. ​Brown lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband, fine artist and illustrator Charly Palmer, and their two pugs, Pugsly and Blu.

Visit Karida’s Website

Keisha Morris is an illustrator living and working in Maryland. What she loves about her illustration process is getting to create characters whose personality jumps off the page and the need to tell their story. She earned her BFA in Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and mentored with illustrators such as Sean Qualls, Selina Alko and Dan Santat. She is a freelance writer and illustrator for picture books and a member of SCBWI. When she is not drawing, she loves spending time with her wife, daughter, and two crazy cats Elphie and Ollie.

Visit Keisha’s Website

 

 

More than three decades ago Wade and Cheryl Hudson were parents on a search for children’s books that reflected the diversity of Black history, heritage and experiences. Disappointed by the limited number and their unreliable availability, the couple embarked upon a mission: to produce the kind of positive, vibrant Black-interest books that they wanted for their own two children. Combining their professional experience in marketing and graphic design, Wade and Cheryl developed a number of manuscripts including the AFRO-BETS ABC Book, which taught the alphabet using Afrocentric themes and images. They began presenting their ideas to various publishing houses. Although most editors liked the concepts, the Hudsons received rejection after rejection. “There’s no market for Black children’s books,” one editor said. So in 1987 the Hudsons published the AFRO-BETS  A B C Book themselves. Thanks to targeted marketing and grassroots outreach, orders poured in from parents, teachers and Black bookstores before the book was even printed. In less than three months, 5,000 copies of the title had been sold. “The response was phenomenal,” recalls Wade. “We received so many letters from parents and teachers who said that the book was exactly what they were looking for.” Some of the most touching feedback came from children. We always knew that there was a tremendous need for books that Black children could relate to,” says Cheryl. “But when we received letters written in crayon from 3 and 4-year old children who couldn’t wait to show us that they could write the alphabet, or share drawings they did of their favorite AFRO-BETS  character, that really validated our belief and inspired us even more. 

The Hudsons were so inspired, in fact, that when they published their second title, the AFRO-BETS  123 Book a year later, they launched along with it their own publishing company. The couple had no prior experience running a company, but they stepped out on faith, withdrew all the money from their personal savings and set up shop in their home to start Just Us Books. With Wade serving as company president and head of marketing, and Cheryl leading the editorial and art departments, Just Us Books managed every aspect of publishing—from manuscript development and art direction to marketing, sales and distribution.It wasn’t long before the two-person operation grew, moving to a nearby office building, and adding more people to its staff. Prompting that expansion was the success of the company’s books, many of which quickly became staples in classrooms, libraries and home collections—within the Black community and beyond. Some books garnered prestigious industry honors, including the Publishers Marketing Association’s Ben Franklin Award for illustration given to Bright Eyes, Brown Skin in 1991 and From a Child’s Heart in 1994. By 1997, the company itself had won a number of awards, including the “Small Business Pioneer of the Year” distinction from Income Opportunities magazine in 1997 and the New Jersey Small Business Success Award in 1998.

Visit The Hudson’s Website 

Kelly Starling Lyons grew up in a family that encouraged creativity. Her mother, who sings, acts and writes plays, took my brother and her to productions at a children’s theater and made up bedtime tales. She inspired them to express ourselves through the arts. Kelly’s grandparents taught us old-school dances, crooned gospel tunes and showed their imagination through cooking and gardening. As if sprinkled by fairy dust, she became enchanted too and began to write. She started by penning entries in my diary. She unlocked the wooden box that safeguarded its secrets, slipped out the tattered maroon book and gave words to my feelings. Later, she wrote poems and fantasy tales. Her hometown of Pittsburgh provided the backdrop for some of my earliest stories.

In 2004, Just Us Books published her first book, NEATE: Eddie’s Ordeal, a title in their NEATE chapter book series. That story explores the relationship between a thirteen-year-old African-American boy who loves to play basketball and his civil rights veteran dad. A plot point was inspired by the sit-in movement led by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC was founded in North Carolina, on the campus of Shaw University.

Since then, Kelly has created many more titles including One More Dino on the Floor, easy reader A Girl Named Misty about trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland, the Jada Jones and Miles Lewis chapter book series, the Ty’s Travels easy reader series and picture books Going Down Home with Daddy, Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations, Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon, Tiara’s Hat Parade and My Hands Tell a Story. This year, she is celebrating her 20th anniversary as a children’s book author. She is also part of the Cynsations Survivors series that features long-time actively published children’s book creators.

Visit Kelly’s Website

 

Ashley Palmer is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Maryland, children’s book author, and an advocate of social awareness and liberation to address mental health challenges. As a Baltimore City native, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Towson University. Ashley utilizes a liberation focused framework when working with clients, while taking a trauma-informed, eclectic approach to therapy. She values increasing client autonomy, insight and awareness, within the system in which they live and operate.

Her eclectic approach is evident in her previous work experiences. She has worked as an advocate and change agent for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. She has provided mental health interventions to those experiencing and perpetuating intimate partner violence and in school based services. She also has a passion for guiding those with afro/coily/curly hair types through their journey of embracing their natural hair. Once a stylist and educator in this profession, it played a significant role in her decision on becoming a now psychotherapist. As a children’s book author her goal is to encourage and support communicating messages to children that help them develop integral social and emotional skills.

Visit Ashley’s Website

A Baltimore native David C. Miller uses his academic training and innate street skills to lead healing circles with men and boys, focusing on decision-making, impulse control, mental health awareness, and managing anger. Miller reconciled his issues with trauma and street violence growing up in West Baltimore to launch an innovative publishing company focused on children’s books. Miller aims to shatter the lack of diversity in the children’s book industry by creating stories with relatable characters that promote racial pride and contain fun storylines and rich illustrations. Khalil’s Way, Gabe & His Green Thumb, Brooklyn’s Finest: The Greene Family Farm, Winnie the Wizard of Wall Street, and Ida B., the Beekeeper are a few of Miller’s children’s book titles. Miller completed his Ph.D. in the School of Social Work at Morgan State University and lives with his family in Washington, DC.

Visit David’s Website 

Kerwyn Phillip, MBA is a Brooklyn, New York native who earned his undergraduate degree in Accounting from Morgan State University and his master’s degree in Business Administration from Averett University. He is the Founder/CEO of KHUFU Enterprises, LLC, an organization that teaches leadership, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy to youth in under-served communities. In addition, Mr. Phillip is a Hip Hop historian. He shares his passion for the genre through his “Hip Hop Youth Empowerment Workshops.” The purpose of these workshops is to highlight the impact that young people have had on the birth and growth of the billion-dollar Hip Hop music industry.

About the Book:

Maliks’s First Job: Financial Principles for Teens

By Kerwyn Phillip | Illustrated by Natasha Payne-Brunson

Malik’s First Job: Financial Principles for Teens” is set in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York. Young Malik is going on his first job interview at a local sneaker store owned by a business owner from the community. Although he believes that he is prepared for his first endeavor into the world of employment, Malik soon realizes that he needs some guidance on how to manage his money. He sits down with his father who provides him with tips to become more financially responsible. Malik’s First Job is a great resource for teens and young adults who want to get a good foundation on key elements of money management and financial education and planning.

Markette Sheppard is a marketing executive, Emmy-award winning TV host and author of Ninja Nate and the bestselling children’s books,  What Is Light? and My Rainy Day Rocket Ship (Simon & Schuster). She is also the creator of Alphabet in a Flash, multicultural ABC flash cards for early childhood learners.

As a TV Host, Markette won an Emmy award for her role as host and moderator of a morning show on the CBS affiliate in Washington, DC. She was nominated for back-to-back EMMY awards in 2018 & 2019. On the national stage, Markette has been featured on top-rated national morning shows as a lifestyle expert, including NBC’s TODAY Show, VH1’s Big Morning Buzz Live and ABC’s Live! with Kelly. She is also the host and creator of The Glow Girl’s Guide to Life, a 12-part social media series on Glow Steam TV. Markette is also founder of The GLOW Brands, a digital marketing & consulting company aimed at illuminating brands around the world. She was awarded a full scholarship to the 2021 Vital Voices Grow business accelerator program for entrepreneurship.

Markette earned a digital marketing strategy certification from Harvard, an M.A. degree in interactive journalism from American University in Washington, DC and a B.A. in communications & French from California State University Dominguez Hills.

 Visit Markette’s Website

 

Melissa Munro Boyd, PsyD, ABPP is a wife, mother of 3, clinical psychologist, and officer in the United States Army. Dr. Boyd has spent much of her clinical career treating service members with behavioral health disorders, to include PTSD. Prior to the military, Dr. Boyd worked with children in the Philadelphia School District. God and her family have been a constant source of strength and motivation.

“On February 28th of 2019, I published my first book B is for Breathe, with the goal being to inspire children to discuss their feelings, learn positive behaviors, and practice calm down strategies. The publication of B is for Breathe is a dream come true. I have always wanted to write a children’s book, and the process of writing was inspired by being a clinical psychologist and a mom.

Whether it is deep breathing, muscle relaxation, art, or writing about emotions, I wanted B is for Breathe to reflect a variety of different coping strategies and techniques to help children find their own special way of managing big emotions. As a clinical psychologist, I’ve learned the importance of healthy coping skills and the value of children developing coping skills at an early age. I am a psychologist in the army, and I primarily treat soldiers with behavioral health conditions, such as PTSD; however, I always seek opportunities to see family members.  Through counseling children, I often hear parents say, “kids have nothing to be worry about,” “they should not be stressed,” and “they should be fine.” Nevertheless, I recognize children have a lot on their plate and do experience mental health concerns in response to personal, school, social, and family stressors, much more than some parents are aware of.”

Learn More about Dr. Melissa 

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of several children’s books, including Makeda Makes A Birthday Treat, Operation Sisterhood, an IndieNext Pick, It Doesn’t Take A Genius, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, 8th Grade Superzero (an Amazon Best Book of the Month, a Notable Book for a Global Society by the International Reading Association (IRA), and a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for the Social Studies and CBC), Two Naomis, co-authored with Audrey Vernick, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, Saving Earth: Climate Change and the Fight For Our Future, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and YALSA nominee for Excellence in Nonfiction, as well as the picture book Someday Is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-Ins (a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for the Social Studies and CBC), and Mae Makes A Way: The True Story of Mae Reeves, Hat and History Maker, a RISE Feminist Book Project winner. Her recent release: The Sun Does Shine: An Innocent Man, A Wrongful Conviction, and the Long Path to Justice (Young Readers Edition); it was a YALSA nominee for Excellence in Nonfiction, a School Library Journal and Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, with Anthony Ray Hinton and Lara Love Hardin.

She is the editor of the We Need Diverse Books anthology The Hero Next Door, and has contributed to several collections, including We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices (edited by Cheryl and Wade Hudson of Just Us Books), The Journey Is Everything: Teaching Essays That Students Want to Write for People Who Want to Read Them, edited by Katherine Bomer; and Imagine It Better: Visions of What School Might Be, edited by Luke Reynolds. She’s written for various outlets, including PBS Parents, Read Brightly, American Baby, Healthy Kids, and some of her childhood favorite hip hop fanzines, like the iconic Right On! Magazine.

Olugbemisola has worked extensively in youth development and education, and was twice awarded a public service fellowship by the Echoing Green Foundation for her work on a creative arts and literacy project with adolescent girls. Olugbemisola lives with her family in New York City where she writes, makes things, and needs to get more sleep. Olugbemisola is a former member of The Brown Bookshelf, a Web site dedicated to amplifying Black and Brown voices in children’s literature, and a former We Need Diverse Books Board member.

Visit Olugbemisola’s Website

 

Kim C. Lee is the author of Meet Frankie Jordan, Grand Joy, and The Night Owl series. Her journey as a children’s book author began with a gift of love for her son. She continues to write as a way to promote diversity in literature and ensure that all children know their perspectives and experiences are valued. In 2022, Kim founded Hoot Off the Press, a publishing company which serves as the home for her individual and co-authored literary works.

When Kim is not writing, she facilitates workshops to help authors learn content creation skills and enjoys spending time with family and friends. Kim is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Maryland Writer’s Association. A native of the DMV area, she currently resides in Maryland.

Visit Kim’s Website

A dancing duo, that’s become popular, not only in Baltimore, but all over the world through social media, is trying to reach a new audience. Ryan “Shaggy” Dailey and Kenneth “Flash” Worsley have become a some of the most recognizable faces in the Baltimore dance scene. They remember just being two kids from Essex who became best friends at Kenwood High School after bonding over sports and of course dance culture. They also have the same motivation to make an impact on their city

“We’re not really in competition with anybody. We’re doing it for the city, we’re doing it for the world to see what Baltimore can really bring, because we don’t just do negative things,” Dailey said. “We have a real positive light in this city and not a lot of people on the outside see it.” Now, years later, the same imagination they use to come up with the latest dance challenge, is what they’ve used to create their first children’s book. “Shag and Flash and The Dance Against Doom” is their first project combining their passion for dance and their love for working with kids. Plus, they hope to be a part of solving a very real issue in the city of Baltimore; literacy. The title “Shag and Flash and The Dance Against Doom” gives the book a super hero feel, while representing a fight against the negative narrative that often hangs a dark cloud over Baltimore. “Baltimore gets looked at in such a negative light and we’re bringing such a positive,” Dailey said. ‘Dance Against Doom’, it makes perfect sense. Like their viral videos have connected them with people across the city and beyond, they’ve found themselves in the middle of another growing community of young authors.

Read the article about Ayo Shag and TSU Flash

 

A young African American father of 3, Stephen McGill graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Morgan State University. His mother, an English teacher in Baltimore City for over 30 years , introduced him to literature at an early age. He read a book to his class in kindergarten and has had a passion for reading and writing ever since. Currently, he works for the Federal Government in the IT field and is a personal trainer. He spends his free time lifting heavy objects, listening to good music, watching super hero movies and organizing his sneaker collection.

“Reading to my kids, I notice there aren’t enough books where the characters look and speak like us. I want to give the kids something they can enjoy while teaching them life lessons in the process. I also created The Electrifying Adventures of Mr. Powers to show everyone that Black Men can be great fathers and still be cool. I pulled from my own experiences to show how great dads and superheroes are synonymous. The idea is to give kids inspiration to use their imaginations to create while putting smiles on the faces of parents everywhere.”

Visit Stephen’s Website

 

Donnita Fowler’s life is an amazing story of survival. As a widowed mom of five at age 27 who survived many struggles, challenges and faced with grief and loss early in life, Donnita turned to her faith, family and friends to overcome obstacles and transformed her pain into perseverance. Despite her obstacles, Donnita Fowler is a loving Christian, daughter, sister and community advocate. She married her Boaz thirteen years later and is the proud mother of six biological children and two bonus children. She is also an author, works in commercial property management and she proudly founded and serves as CEO/President of the nonprofit organization Live 2 Give, Inc., which provides resources to underserved families, seniors and the homeless community in the Greater Metropolitan area of D.C.

As a young believer in Christ, Donnita turned to journaling and writing to assist her in her difficult life as a young widow. This introduction to writing has led to writing her memoir, Survivor: My Journey From Tragedy to Blessing. Donnita published “I Survived: A Guided 31 Day Prayer Journal to Unlock’s God’s Promises Through Intentional Prayers” in early 2021. The Adventures of Ponytail Noelle: Ponytail Noelle Joins the Choir is the first of her children’s book
series. She hopes to spread love, joy and fun with families through her enriching stories. Donnita grew up in Southeast, Washington, D.C. and graduated as a high school honor student. Donnita now sees her purpose in life is to inspire others to evolve by learning how to “Just Say No to Giving Up!” Donnita hopes that her readers will utilize the power of prayer to help them find their peace and own it.

Visit Donnita’s Website

Shadra Strickland studied design, writing, and illustration at Syracuse University and later went on to complete her M.F.A. at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent in 2009 for her work in her first picturebook, Bird, written by Zetta Elliott. Strickland co-illustrated Our Children Can Soar, winner of a 2010 NAACP Image Award. She has published with Lee and Low Books, Simon and Schuster, Random House, Candlewick, Chronicle Books, and Little Brown. Her books have received recognition from the American Library Association, Junior Library Guild, and other prominent literary organizations. She is represented by Lori Nowicki at Painted-Words.

Shadra currently teaches illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland.

Visit Shadra’s Website

Talia Skyles is a Baltimore-based illustrator and painter and is currently working towards her BFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Growing up in a family that appreciated the arts, she fell in love with painting both digitally and traditionally at an early age. She currently loves telling stories and creating colorful, emotionally expressive illustrations with a sprinkle of whimsy. Inspired by fantasy books and films, Impressionism, and Rembrandt-era master portraits, she often blends these motifs with strong female subjects to create portraits that feel both classical and modern. She’s also intrigued by color and light and enjoys exploring its impact on the composition, emotion, and storytelling of her work. When not at her drawing table, Talia enjoys reading books, rollerskating with friends, and taking care of her many plant children.

Learn More about Talia

Vanessa Brantley Newton was born during the Civil Rights movement, and attended school in Newark, NJ. She was part of a diverse, tight-knit community and learned the importance of acceptance and empowerment at early age. Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats was the first time she saw herself in a children’s book. It was a defining moment in her life, and has made her into the artist she is today. As an illustrator, Vanessa includes children of all ethnic backgrounds in her stories and artwork. She wants allchildren to see their unique experiences reflected in the books they read, so they can feel the same sense of empowerment and recognition she experienced as a young reader.

Vanessa celebrates self-love and acceptance of all cultures through her work, and hopes to inspire young readers to find their own voices. She first learned to express herself as a little girl through song. Growing up in a musical family, Vanessa’s parents taught her how to sing to help overcome her stuttering. Each night the family would gather to make music together, with her mom on piano, her dad on guitar, and Vanessa and her sister, Coy, singing the blues, gospel, spirituals, and jazz. Now whenever she illustrates, music fills the air and finds its way into her art. The children she draws can be seen dancing, wiggling, and moving freely across the page in an expression of happiness. Music is a constant celebration, no matter the occasion, and Vanessa hopes her illustrations bring joy to others, with the same magic of a beautiful melody.

Visit Vanessa’s Website

Zetta Elliott is a Black feminist writer of poetry, plays, essays, novels, and stories for children. She was born and raised in Canada, but have lived in the US for almost 30 years. She earned her PhD in American Studies from NYU in 2003; She’s taught at Ohio University, Louisiana State University, Mount Holyoke College, Hunter College, Bard High School Early College, and Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her poetry has been published in New Daughters of Africa, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, the Cave Canem anthology The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, Check the Rhyme: an Anthology of Female Poets and Emcees, and Coloring Book: an Eclectic Anthology of Fiction and Poetry by Multicultural Writers. Her novella, Plastique, was excerpted in T Dot Griots: an Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers, and her plays have been staged in New York, Cleveland, and Chicago. Zetta’s essays have appeared in School Library Journal, Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly. Her short story, “The Ghost in Her Bones,” was published in a 2020 special issue of Obsidian.

Visit Zetta’s Website