Ty-Juana Taylor is an endless learner. Born and raised in the small town of Smiths Grove, Kentucky, Ty-Juana received her Masters Degree in Social Welfare and a PhD. in ethnomusicology from UCLA. While always hungry for knowledge, she thinks of herself as being more than just a scholar. Ty-Juana understands the value of community, the power of advocacy, and the importance of valuing the marginalized. She is a proponent of "Because of them, we can" and that echoes in all of her work. Ty-Juana believes it is essential that she uplifts the voices and stories of people of color and the marginalized in all that she does as an educator, advocate, and therapist.
Jade Johnson is a New Orleans based illustrator. After receiving her BFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design, she taught visual arts in non-profit arts education programs until hanging up her apron in 2021. Her work has been recognized by Creative Quarterly, Applied Arts, and the Society of Illustrators. @jadejohnsonillo
Vanessa Lee Christensen graduated with an M.A. in Education & Human Development from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is daughter to an American father and Taiwanese mother and grew up in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. More recently, Vanessa lived in Japan where she worked in education with children. Her inspiration for Baby Go! is based on her travels and life abroad. Vanessa currently lives in the beautiful state of Minnesota with her husband and three young children.
Audrey Lee is an illustrator, designer and art director from Los Angeles. Her work is highly influenced by the vibrant spirit of her community, her love for color and expressive shapes, her role as a mother, and the power of visual storytelling. She continues to explore a variation of styles and mediums to create work that she hopes will uplift, nurture and inspire others.
Michael Martinez is a former elementary school teacher, a father, and the founder of LA Compost. Growing up in Los Angeles, he was amazed at the ways in which his family could repair and restore everyday items that he assumed were destined for the trash. He loves riding his bike, eating tacos, and “staycations” with his family. He is fascinated with life within the soil, and honored to know so many people who are cultivating joy above it.
Hannah Abbo is a self-taught, award-winning illustrator from the United Kingdom. She currently lives with her partner, child and cat in Lisbon, Portugal. When she's not drawing she loves gardening, rollerblading and knitting.
Collin Hall is a dad, creative and biracial Korean-American living out of Austin, Texas with one dog, two children, three chickens and no time. Collin started writing Mostly Me shortly after his first daughter was born with the hope to provide her a foundational way to approach multiracial identity and learning to claim her own space. He is a decent gardener, mediocre fly angler, adequate husband, and bedtime story reader extraordinaire.
Crystal is a biracial Filipino-American artist based in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She loves to paint, make drawings, move, and drink a lot of coffee. Crystal has a passion for bringing stories to life with memorable characters both on the page and on screen. In her artwork, she takes inspiration from her observations of nature, everyday life, and her love for bold mid century design. She enjoys exploring the use of shape, color, and texture, while also using her experience in animation to add rhythm in her illustration work.
Amira Humes is a Filipino-Black illustrator, pattern artist, and food enthusiast based in Milwaukee. She has no fear in embracing her inner child and loves bright, bold colors and appreciating the things in life that feel magical. In her art, she enjoys illustrating food and embraces the unique beauty of the endless cultures the world holds.
Kim Thai Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American artist, currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Kim is most passionate about communicating and connecting with others through illustration and design. She especially loves drawing characters and food while using delicate lines and bright colors. She hopes her artwork in A Very Asian Guide to Vietnamese Food helps readers of all ages learn more about her culture and gather inspiration for their next meal.
Cat Nguyen is a native of Houston, Texas and the daughter of two Vietnamese refugees. When she became an aunt and later a mom, Cat searched high and low for books in English about Vietnamese food and traditions without much success. She decided to write a book for Vietnamese-American families like her own. Cat works as a lawyer focusing on education and civil rights. She is a co-founder of VietLead, a non-profit that aims to connect and protect communities of color. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter, son, and their two cats.
Julie Ajinkya is a mom, equity advocate and professor of public policy who works to make sure that college is a true possibility for any student who wants to pursue a higher education. She was born and raised in New Jersey, but grew up traveling between the U.S. and India, where much of her large, extended family lives. She enjoys cooking and creating and lives in Washington DC with her partner and two boys.
Aditi Kakade Beaufrand is an Indian illustrator based in France. She likes experimenting with bright and happy colours. She grew up reading fairytales, watching animated films imagining adventure stories. Likewise her style is an embodiment of her Indian heritage and western culture. She loves animals and taking long walks on the beach but is never too far from a pencil and paper to draw her perception of the world.
Michelle Li is an award-winning, veteran journalist who co-launched The Very Asian Foundation in January 2022 alongside friend and fellow journalist Gia Vang. Her #veryasian response to a racist voicemail became a global movement of unity. Michelle spent years supporting adoptees through heritage camps and volunteer tours to Korea. She also launched a program to support Missouri children in foster care. All of this led to a congressional award in 2010. Michelle's journalistic work - often dealing with race or gender inequity - has been honored with a national Peabody Award, several national Murrows, and multiple regional Emmys. Michelle lives in St. Louis with her family.
Sunnu Rebecca Choi is an award-winning Korean/Canadian illustrator & printmaker based in London. Her goal is to create art that inspires people to connect with their inner selves and find joy within themselves. Her work is often inspired by various movements, thoughts, emotions and social issues we encounter. Her work is a documentation of life, covering small daily events to more significant moments. Her art is a way of looking back on the past, appreciating the present, and thinking of a better future.
Basia Tran is a Polish-Vietnamese children's book illustrator currently based in Jersey City, where she lives with her husband. She hopes that she can share her love of laughter and learning with the world through her art.
Karen Chan is a mom, entrepreneur and attorney who lives in Los Angeles. What’s That? is her debut children’s book and she is the founder of Gloo Books. She loves cooking and eating and is always thumbing through a new cookbook or children’s book.
