Cinda Williams Chima nearly failed first grade because she was always daydreaming. By junior high, she got in trouble for writing novels in class. Yet the magic of books took her from first grade failure to first generation college graduate… Continue Reading

L. M. Elliott was a senior writer with Washingtonian magazine before becoming an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of 14 historical and biographical fictions. Her YA novels include “Under a War-Torn Sky;” “Bea and the New Deal Horse;”  “Hamilton… Continue Reading

As the prolific author of numerous books, Sharon G. Flake’s novels have brought a bold dimension to literature for young people, selling more than a million copies worldwide, and reaching readers across the globe through numerous translations and theatrical productions.… Continue Reading

Zakiya N. Jamal was born in Queens, raised in Long Island, and currently resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. In other words, she’s a New Yorker through and through. She holds a B.A. in English from Georgetown University and an M.F.A. in… Continue Reading

Kim Johnson held leadership positions in social justice organizations as a teen and in college, then made her life’s work to transform higher education to advance equity and access as a vice provost. She is now an author, speaker, faculty… Continue Reading

Tony Keith Jr. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist and hip-hop educational leader from Washington, D.C. He is author of the YA memoir in verse, “How the Boogeyman Became a Poet.” Tony’s writings have appeared in the… Continue Reading

Amanda McCrina is a writer, historian and bookseller. She holds a degree in history and political science from the University of West Georgia. Her novels include “Traitor,” “The Silent Unseen”—named a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year 2022—and… Continue Reading

Yohuru Williams is a professor of history and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. A regular contributor to a variety of media programming on CNN and History, he is… Continue Reading

Ibi Zoboi is The New York Times best-selling author of “American Street,” a National Book Award finalist; “Nigeria Jones,” a Coretta Scott King Award winner; “Pride; My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich;” “Okoye to the People: A Black Panther… Continue Reading