Our Advisors

EVETTE DIONNE

Evette Dionne, known across the internet as “free Black girl,” is a journalist, pop culture critic, and magazine editor.

She’s the National Book Award-nominated author of Lifting As We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box (Viking), a middle-grade nonfiction book about Black women suffragists. Presently, she’s an Editorial and Publishing Manager at Netflix.

JASON REYNOLDS

Jason Reynolds is the New York Times best-selling author of All American Boys, the Track series, Long Way Down, For Everyone, and Miles Morales-Spiderman.

He is an American author who writes novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audiences, including Ghost, a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.

Deirdre hollman

Deirdre Hollman is an avid educator with over twenty years of experience engaging youth and teachers in the study of black history, art, and culture.

She served as Director of Education and Exhibitions at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture for fifteen years where she engaged teachers and learners of all ages, a co-founder and senior producer of the Schomburg Black Comic Book Festival, and the Founder of The Black Comics Collective.

JEWEL JONES TRUXON

Jewel Jones Truxon is a communications manager and PR Specialist that has over a decade of experience using storytelling and strategy to captivate audiences.

Based in Washington, D.C., Jewel uses her limitless curiosity, audience focus, and knack for creative problem-solving to bring about change in the health, justice, and family arenas.

Jewel is currently the Executive Producer of The Family Room.