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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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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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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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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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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