Join us as we round out Black History month and celebrate Black voices in children's literature. Featuring four favorite Tandem authors talking about why they write, what their books are about, and what they want children and grownups to take away from reading them!

Learn more about our featured authors

Angela Dalton is a published author of fiction and nonfiction in children’s literature. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism, she self-published her award-winning children’s book If You Look Up to the Sky in 2018. Her forthcoming books include Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner (HarperCollins, 2021), Show the World! (Philomel, 2022), and To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Civil Rights (HarperCollins, 2023). She is a member of SCBWI and the Bay Area #Ownvoices Book Creators. Visit her website at angeladalton.com.

Robert Liu-Trujillo is an Oakland native, raised by student activists who watched lots of science fiction and took him to many demonstrations. Always drawing, Rob grew up to be an artist falling in love with graffiti, fine art, illustration, murals, and children’s books. In that order, sort of. Through storytelling he’s been able to scratch the surface of so many untold stories. Rob is the author and illustrator of Furqan’s First Flat Top. He’s a dad of a teen and a toddler. He loves ice cream and his wife who laughs big and corrects his grammar every chance she gets. Down with the system and soggy french fries!

Breanna J. McDaniel is an author, book reviewer, education consultant and researcher. She holds an MA in Children’s Literature from Simmons University and is currently pursuing her PhD with research focused on representations of Black children in contemporary picture books at the University of Cambridge. She's the co-founder of Researchers Exploring Inclusive Youth Literature (REIYL) and though she's originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she now splits her time between the US and UK.

Dr. Khalid White (He/Him/His) is an award-winner in the fields of Education, Film and Literature. A career educator, Khalid began teaching in CA public schools in 2005. He is an African American Studies Professor at San Jose City College.

As an entrepreneur, Khalid owns the multi-media company Blkmpwr (Black Empower), LLC www.blkmpwr.com. The company focuses on equity, empowerment and cultural inclusion through books, film, fashion, music, and technology.

Khalid’s children’s book series features the books, Little Sister and Little Brother, as well as the bilingual books, Hermanita (Little Sister) and Hermanito (Little Brother). Khalid continues to work with educational and community groups, striving towards increased equity, inclusion, and social justice.

About this event:

This event is hosted by Tandem, Partners in Early Learning and was produced in association with Bank Street College of Education's Early Childhood Symposium titled, "Disrupting Anti-Black Racism in Early Childhood Education: Center, Abolish, Liberate." This event supports the "Black Lives Matter At Schools Year of Purpose" as educators, teachers, and leaders explore inequities in the educational system and their impact on Black children.