KWELI COLOR OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE CONFERENCE

SUCCESS STORIES

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Angeline Boulley, Author of Firekeeper’s Daughter (Henry Holt & Company, March 16, 2021)

“I attended the Kweli Color of Children's Literature conference in April 2019. I submitted my first page and was in awe of Tiffany Liao's astute feedback. I hadn't realized it, but my future editor had just met my main character Daunis. It took six months from that day at Kweli to the book auction where Tiff became the editor for my debut YA novel. Kweli is a special part of my author journey. Chii Miigwetch to Laura Pegram for her commitment and passion helping our author dreams come true!"

 
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Joanna Ho, New York Times Bestselling Author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners (HarperCollins, January 5, 2021)

The Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Conference was one of the most empowering experiences I’ve ever had. I could have sat in those rooms and the panelists could have been completely silent for a whole day and I still would have drawn from the wisdom and inspiration and power in the room. Being in spaces surrounded by and learning from BIPOC authors, illustrators, agents, editors, publishing pros was incredible. Since my first time going, it has become the one writing conference I definitely attend each year. It is something of a dream come true that this year, I have the incredible opportunity to be one of the presenters.

 
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Laura Obuobi, Author of Black Gold (HarperCollins, 2022)

The Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Conference has been seminal in my journey to become an author. I submitted a poetic picture book at #Kweli19—my second year in attendance—and an editor at Macmillan encouraged me to query agents with it because she believed it was ready. A few weeks into my first semester in graduate school, I signed with an agent, and later signed my first book deal with HarperCollins for Black Gold. That conference changed the trajectory of my life.