Ronnie Vazquez (they/them) is a southern-raised queer Puerto Rican illustrator and comic artist with a background in visual development. Their work has been featured in several indie anthologies, including the Eisner-winning anthology, Puerto Rico Strong. Their graphic novel debut, Saving Chupie, is a Louisiana Reader’s Choice and CYBILS award nominee, and has been featured in the Texas Maverick, New York Public Library, and IndieBound reading lists.

Self-Identifiers: Puerto Rican; Latin; Queer; Neurodivergent

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Kelly and Nichole Matthews are a twin art team making a living in the Emerald City. They have brought to life many stories and worlds, including a magic treehouse, a little mermaid under the sea, the world of Thra, a young boy lost in time, and many more.

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Brenna Burns Yu (she/they) is the author and illustrator of two Hazel and Twig books published by Candlewick Press. Brenna has an MFA from the Fiber Department of Cranbrook Academy of Art, and their artistic practice continues to be shaped by their love of fabric, paper, and patterns. Brenna works ink, pencil, watercolor, and gouache, and they love to see visible traces of the art-making process in their finished work. Brenna also brings their love for nature and early scientific exploration to libraries, leading art activities based on the Hazel and Twig books.

Self-Identifiers: Non-binary; LGBTQIA + Family

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Bianca Xunise (they/them) is an illustrator, writer, and educator based out of Chicago, Illinois. With two Ignatz Awards under their belt, Bianca enjoys being a voice for those who march to the beat of their own drum and hopes that their comics are comforting to those who feel like they don’t fit in. In 2020, Bianca became the first nationally syndicated non-binary cartoonist when they joined thecomic strip Six Chix in 2020 as their first Black creator. In April 2024, their graphic novel Punk Rock Karaoke (Penguin Teen) debuted with rave reviews. “…a gripping narrative, relatable situations, and evocative artwork with an aesthetic that oozes with late-1970s zine flair.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review

Self-Identifiers: African-American; Queer; Woman-Focused; Punk

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Wendy Xu is a bestselling, award-nominated Brooklyn-based illustrator and comics artist. She is the creator of Infinity Particle (2023, HarperCollins), Tidesong (2021 HarperCollins), and the co-creator of Mooncakes, a young adult fantasy graphic novel published in 2019 from Oni Press. Her work has been featured on Catapult, Barnes & Noble Sci-fi/Fantasy Blog, and Tor.com, among other places.

Self-Identifiers: Chinese; Queer

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Hannah Vardit is a Minnesotan living in Brooklyn, NY. She has worked for publishers such as Marvel and Boom! Studios, but is better known for her self-published work.

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An old vagabond that loves a good story, Morgan Thompson is a Cherokee artist that loves telling stories. She is Keetoowah Cherokee with membership in Cherokee Nation and comes from the Cherokee Nation Reservation in Northeastern Oklahoma. When not drawing, you can find her writing, and when she isn’t writing you can find her beading. She has a deep love for her Cherokee community and telling Indigenous stories to a wider audience.

Self-Identifiers: Indigenous; Native American; Cherokee; First American

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Stephanie Rodriguez, a Bronx-born published author-illustrator, made waves with her debut middle-grade graphic novel, Doodles from the Boogie Down. This semi-autobiographical gem follows a young Dominican girl who navigates middle school, her strict mother, shifting friendships, and her dream of being an artist. Stephanie is also a Character Designer, contributing her talent to animated series in development. Her passion for authentic storytelling, rooted in her experiences as a first-generation Dominican American, drives her artistic endeavors. Based in LA, she is forging her path in TV Animation while maintaining her presence in the publishing world.

Self-Identifiers: Latina; Caribbean Latino; New Yorker; Urban; Femme

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Ariel Slamet Ries is the Ignatz-award winning cartoonist and author of graphic novels Witchy and Cry Wolf Girl. They’re interested in using a fantastical lens to examine the mundane, and curating empathy for flawed characters. Their debut graphic novel with HarperCollins, Strange Bedfellows—a queer YA sci-fi romance about a boy who develops the ability to manifest his dreams in real life, including his infuriatingly attractive high school crush—is set for release in March of 2025.

Self-Identifiers: South East Asian; Mixed race (Asian/White); Queer; Trans; Neurodivergent; Non-Binary 

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K. O’Neill (they/them) is a self-taught writer and illustrator based in New Zealand. She is interested in nature and all kinds of creatures, mindfulness and mental health, and the magic of everyday life. To date, she has published three books, which have won Eisner, Harvey, and Dwayne McDuffie awards for children’s comics, as well as being Cybils Award finalists, and featured on the ALA Rainbow List.

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Madeline McGrane is a cartoonist and illustrator. She is the author and illustrator of The Accursed Vampire and its sequel The Accursed Vampire #2: The Curse at Witch Camp. She has created illustrations and comics for various clients on topics ranging from superheroes to renewable energy, in her spare time she self-publishes zines. Madeline lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Kiku Hughes is a Yonsei cartoonist based in the Seattle area. Her first graphic novel, Displacement, was published by First Second in 2020 and was an APALA Literature Award honor title and an Eisner Award nominee. Her work explores themes of identity, queer romance, soft sci-fi, and anti-capitalist futures.

Self-Identifiers: Japanese-American (Nikkei); Asian-American; Mixed Race; Lesbian

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Connie Hernandez (he/him/his) is a cartoonist and community organizer from Chicago, Illinois. Seeing comics as an opportunity for radical re-imagination of the state of the world, Connie draws from his personal relationships between family and friends, as well as his political experience organizing in Chicago. His current projects are middle grade graphic novels, such as his background illustrations in Johnnie Christmas’ Swim Team, and Connie’s own upcoming debut graphic novel. His dream projects range from silly middle grade books to weird adult fiction, comedy, and horror.

Self-Identifiers: Filipino; Asian; Transgender; Disabled; Fat

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Paige Hender is responsible for upcoming graphic novels from Silver Sprocket and Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. With toes in both the adult and young adult markets, she seeks to bring mature stories to young readers and whimsical tales to grown-ups. Hopefully her corrupting influence will inspire a generation of horror fans. Hender was born in Ottawa, Ontario and currently resides in Louisiana.

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Kat Fajardo (they/she) is a Honduran Colombian award-winning cartoonist and illustrator from the lively and magical place of Loisaida, New York City. They are the creator of Miss Quinces, which was a National Indie Bestseller, received a Pura Belpré Honor for illustration, two starred reviews, and was selected as a summer reading pick by Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Self-Identifiers: Latine; Latinx; Honduran; Colombian; Queer

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Sarah Dvojack was born and raised in Washington State and graduated from Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts with a degree in graphic design, she went on to study in the School of Visual Arts’ MFA Illustration as Visual Essay program. She is the author-illustrator of Welcome to Fear City and Rosie the Riveter, and the illustrator of Ruby’s Hope (Junior Library Guild Selection) and Madame Alexander (Junior Library Guild Selection; Sydney Taylor Notable Picture Book). After a decade in New York City, she now lives with her partner and cats in that bastion of American horror and children’s books, Maine, and works as a book designer.

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Sage Coffey is a trans non-binary cartoonist living in Chicago, Illinois, who is best known as the creator of Wine Ghost, for their work on the GLAAD award nominated video game BUGSNAX, and as the illustrator on one of Vulture’s funniest books of 2021, I Am Not a Wolf. Since 2016, they’ve edited the Ignatz award nominated anthology Sweaty Palms, a comic anthology about anxiety and have helped organize Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) since 2019. Clients include: Design Museum of Chicago Millie Magazine, We Testify, Cards Against Humanity, The American Independent, and more.

Self-Identifiers: Trans; Nonbinary; LGBTQIA+

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Megan Brennan is a comics artist and author in Brooklyn, New York. Her goofy, exuberant comics are influenced by shoujo manga, newspaper comics, and the absurd. Her debut solo graphic novel, Magic Girls 1: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess, was published by Random House Graphic in 2024. She’s also written multiple Amazing World of Gumball graphic novels published by Boom! Studios in addition to self-publishing comics on the web and in print. Megan has also been an art/production assistant for various graphic novels, including Drama, Teen Boat, Amulet, and The Adventure Zone: Here Be Gerblins.

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Nico Bocalan (or Nico or skelehime) is a horror cartoonist working on her first full-length horror graphic novel. She enjoys horror movies, books, junk food, coding, and biking at a leisurely pace.

Self-Identifiers: Filipino; Queer; Woman

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Rachelle Baker (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary artist and illustrator from Detroit, Michigan, known for her illustrative style and beautifully crafted digital paintings. Her works are cultural infusionsof women, Shoujo Manga, anime, early 2000’s R&B music videos, and everyday elements that inspire her. Published books include: Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream by Blair Imani (Ten Speed Press), the NYT bestseller, Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X Kendi and Jason Reynolds (Little, Brown Young Readers), and the recent release Show Up & Vote by Ani DiFranco (Rise x Penguin Random House).

Self-Identifiers: Black/African American; LGBTQIA+; Midwesterner

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