We’re blessed to work with some amazing authors and illustrators. Read on to learn more about them!
Janine Macbeth
Janine started Blood Orange Press to create the books that were missing when she was a child – books that recognize and celebrate diverse families and communities like the ones she grew up in. Since the second grade, Janine has found both a home and a battle ground in books. Books are a world that merge her love of writing and her work as a visual artist, yet to this day, depict a world in which she and the people she knows and loves are still all too hard to find. Janine was born and raised in Oakland, California, where she’s now raising her two sons with their loving father. She identifies as a woman of mixed Asian, Black, white, and Native descent. www.j9macbeth.com
Books: Oh, Oh, Baby Boy!
Laurin Mayeno
Laurin is a mixed-race woman, community educator, blogger, and first-time children’s book author. Her son Danny, who loved dressing up as a princess, helped her see the importance of supporting young people who aren’t limited by gender boxes. She founded Out Proud Families to build this support and fill a gap in resources for mixed-race families and families of color.
Books: One of A Kind, Like Me / Único como yo
Robert Liu-Trujillo
Robert is the author and illustrator of Furqan’s First Flat Top. He was born in Oakland, California and raised all across the Bay Area. As a visual artist, a father, and a husband, Rob employs the use of illustration, public art, and storytelling to tell tales. These tales manifest in a variety of forms and they reflect his cultural background, dreams, and political / personal beliefs. Rob’s motivation comes from the desire to unearth beautiful and un-told stories, to be a positive and nurturing influence on his son, and to honor his ancestors and family who worked so hard for him to be here.
Rob is a co-founder of The Trust Your Struggle Collective, a contributor to Rad Dad, and the founder of Come Bien Books.
Books: One of A Kind, Like Me / Único como yo