Amber Akin is a cartoonist, illustrator, and educator from Massachusetts. She is the illustrator of the graphic novel, Penny and the Yeti by Jimmy Gaspero. She adores drawing sweet animals, joyous and silly tales, magical creatures, and all things whimsical. When not busy making art or teaching, Amber can be found bookselling, devouring vegan pastries, and spotting the native bird species of the Pioneer Valley.

Self-Identifiers: LGBTQIA+; Women authors/illustrators; Mixed race (white and Lebanese)

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Paulina Suárez has a BFA in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, and graduated in 2011. She currently lives in México as a freelance illustrator and arts teacher. Her work has been published with editorials such as Mudpuppy, Kids Can Press, Editions FLBLB, Cacciani, FCAS, Esto es un libro, Revista Marvin, and Far Faria. She’s taught workshops in museums, cultural centers, and foundations.

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Mohammed (Meka) Karam is a Toronto-based full-time Concept and Environment Artist with over 10 years of experience in the animation and gaming industry, working closely with clients including PlayStation, Marvel, Netflix, and Mattel. He’s worked on a wide range of projects, including comics, AAA video games, VR experiences, and theme park attractions. Some of these projects have been featured in and won awards at major film festivals, including Sundance. His work has been featured in A Dark Horse’s the Art of He-Man Masters of the Universe artbook. He has a bachelor’s degree in Illustration from Sheridan College.

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Victor Bizar Gómez is a Mexican-American illustrator who mixes urban city iconography, dreamlike surrealism, stylized figures, and social consciousness to create interesting visuals and narratives. Raised in the desert of Phoenix, AZ and now living among the trees in Portland, OR Gomez graduated from Pacific Northwest College of Art with a BFA in Illustration.

Self-Identifiers: Latine; Mexican-American; Chicano; Portlander

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Cornelius Van Wright is an award-winning children’s book illustrator, an author, and an art instructor. He has illustrated numerous picture books, many of which he co-illustrated with his wife, Ying Hwa-Hu. His work has appeared on Reading Rainbow and Storytime and has been exhibited in Bologna Book Fair and the Society of Illustrators. Cornelius’ authored-illustrated picture books have garnered praise from The Horn Book, Kirkus Review, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and many others. Cornelius also teaches at Fred Dolan Art Academy. His students have attended and graduated from many top art colleges in the country. Cornelius lives with his wife in New York City.

Self-Identifiers: African-American

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Ying-Hwa Hu is an educator, picture book author, and illustrator. She has worked solo as well as collaborated with her husband, Cornelius Van Wright, for over 50 books. Her debut author/illustrator book Ten Blocks To the Big Wok was selected as Best Books for NYPL, CPL, Bank Street Books, and won Delaware Library Association Blue Hen Book Award, and the Mathical Books Honor Award. Ying-Hwa teaches at Fred Dolan Art Academy and helps young artists in the Bronx community to enter art colleges. Her students have attended and graduated from many top art colleges in the country. Ying-Hwa lives with her husband in New York City.

Self-Identifiers: AAPI

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Léa Charbonnier is a French illustrator based in Berlin. She began her career in graphic design before succumbing to her love of books, graphic novels, and stories, and transitioning full-time into literary illustration. After illustrating over 15 book covers, small comics, and other marketing pieces for authors and companies such as Alison Cochrun, Adam Sass, Justine Pucella Winans, T.J. Klune for Edition Bookmarks, and more, she’s decided to work on THEY NEED A VILLAIN, her first full-length graphic novel.

Self-Identifiers: LGBTQIA+

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