Wednesday, September 21st, 2:00pm CDT
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, join young adult and middle grade authors Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe) and Ryan Calejo (the Charlie Hernández series) in an engaging and uplifting conversation about providing mirrors for young people, across genres, that reflect their cultures and identities.
A Certificate of Attendance will be issued to those who attend this webinar. A recording will be posted to Mackin.com for those who cannot participate in the live session.
Speakers
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Author & Artist
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland is a Mexican American poet, novelist, and painter. She received an MFA in poetry from the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 2017. She’s most inspired by fog and seeds and the lineages of all things. When not writing, Raquel tells stories to her plants and they tell her stories back. She lives in Tennessee with her beloved family and mountains. Raquel has published two books of poetry, and is also the author of Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, and How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe.
Ryan Calejo
Author
Ryan Calejo is the author of the Charlie Hernández series. He was born and raised in south Florida, where he graduated from the University of Miami with a BA. He teaches swimming to elementary school students, chess to middle school students, and writing to high school students. Having been born into a family of immigrants and growing up in the so-called “Capital of Latin America,” Ryan knows the importance of diversity in our communities, and is passionate about writing books that children of all ethnicities can relate to.
Kia Heise, Ph.D. – Host
Mackin Learning
Kia Heise holds a doctorate in Sociology and taught in Los Angeles and the Twin Cities for several years before joining Mackin Learning. Her approach is informed by thousands of hours learning how to navigate discussions of social inequality with diverse groups of young people. She is also the author of the Little Sock picture books.
