Biographical note

Maya Cameron-Gordon is an author, a mom, and a former teacher. She also graduated with an MFA in filmmaking and is extremely passionate about the representation of Black children in media. Through her film and children’s books, Maya hopes to further diversify children’s fantasy and make it a genre in which Black children can easily find characters that look like themselves. Mirelle Ortega is a writer and an artist in Los Angeles. She is the author-illustrator of Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land, a Pura Belpré Honor Book, and River of Mariposas. She is the illustrator of several books, including Small Room, Big Dreams: The Journey of Julián and Joaquin Castro by Monica Brown and Pepe and the Parade by Tracey Kyle. Visit her online at mirelleortega.com.