hello I am Angela Dominguez I am a children’s book author and illustrator
children’s book author and illustrator
children’s book author and illustrator I’m lucky to be able to draw and tell
I’m lucky to be able to draw and tell
I’m lucky to be able to draw and tell stories all day long
stories all day long
stories all day long I’m also Mexican the wonderful thing
I’m also Mexican the wonderful thing
I’m also Mexican the wonderful thing about my work my children’s books is I
about my work my children’s books is I
about my work my children’s books is I get to bridge the two together the
get to bridge the two together the
get to bridge the two together the creative part with the Mexican part into
creative part with the Mexican part into
creative part with the Mexican part into one product a book I do that often by
one product a book I do that often by
one product a book I do that often by either making the book bilingual or
either making the book bilingual or
either making the book bilingual or showcasing a bit of the Latino
showcasing a bit of the Latino
showcasing a bit of the Latino experience for me it’s more than
experience for me it’s more than
experience for me it’s more than teaching the language or showing a
teaching the language or showing a
teaching the language or showing a culture it’s about being inclusive it’s
culture it’s about being inclusive it’s
culture it’s about being inclusive it’s about saying that Latinos should be in
about saying that Latinos should be in
about saying that Latinos should be in books along with everyone else now to
books along with everyone else now to
books along with everyone else now to understand why I do what I do we have to
understand why I do what I do we have to
understand why I do what I do we have to go back to the beginning 1982 to be
go back to the beginning 1982 to be
go back to the beginning 1982 to be exact that is the era was born and I was
exact that is the era was born and I was
exact that is the era was born and I was born in Mexico City Mexico City is an
born in Mexico City Mexico City is an
born in Mexico City Mexico City is an amazing place it’s built on Aztec ruins
amazing place it’s built on Aztec ruins
amazing place it’s built on Aztec ruins surrounded by two volcanoes and when I
surrounded by two volcanoes and when I
surrounded by two volcanoes and when I was little it was the most populated
was little it was the most populated
was little it was the most populated city in the world
city in the world
city in the world sadly I don’t have any memories of
sadly I don’t have any memories of
sadly I don’t have any memories of living there I only lived there for a
living there I only lived there for a
living there I only lived there for a little bit my family moved to Texas in
little bit my family moved to Texas in
little bit my family moved to Texas in 1984
1984
1984 growing up I was a shy little girl you
growing up I was a shy little girl you
growing up I was a shy little girl you see I struggled with language basically
see I struggled with language basically
see I struggled with language basically my English my Spanish were jumbled up
my English my Spanish were jumbled up
my English my Spanish were jumbled up together I was caught between two worlds
together I was caught between two worlds
together I was caught between two worlds two languages I even had to take speech
two languages I even had to take speech
two languages I even had to take speech classes those speech classes are a big
classes those speech classes are a big
classes those speech classes are a big reason that I have no accent today
reason that I have no accent today
reason that I have no accent today although I’m still known to mess up or
although I’m still known to mess up or
although I’m still known to mess up or stammer over a word or two or more it
stammer over a word or two or more it
stammer over a word or two or more it was also recommended to me at that time
was also recommended to me at that time
was also recommended to me at that time that I only speak English the reasoning
that I only speak English the reasoning
that I only speak English the reasoning was that if I tried to speak the two and
was that if I tried to speak the two and
was that if I tried to speak the two and might slow down my speech progress so I
might slow down my speech progress so I
might slow down my speech progress so I grew up hearing and understanding
grew up hearing and understanding
grew up hearing and understanding Spanish but only being able to reply it
Spanish but only being able to reply it
Spanish but only being able to reply it back a little bit this was hard when
back a little bit this was hard when
back a little bit this was hard when extended family came to visit from
extended family came to visit from
extended family came to visit from Mexico Hispanics hug and kiss everyone
Mexico Hispanics hug and kiss everyone
Mexico Hispanics hug and kiss everyone so I knew that they loved me but it can
so I knew that they loved me but it can
so I knew that they loved me but it can be
be
be only when you don’t have the words that
only when you don’t have the words that
only when you don’t have the words that you want to say to your own family
you want to say to your own family
you want to say to your own family thankfully I had books and drawing words
thankfully I had books and drawing words
thankfully I had books and drawing words were much easier to read than to fail
were much easier to read than to fail
were much easier to read than to fail loud and I’ve been drawing since I’ve
loud and I’ve been drawing since I’ve
loud and I’ve been drawing since I’ve been able to hold a crayon I would draw
been able to hold a crayon I would draw
been able to hold a crayon I would draw on everything even the furniture upon
on everything even the furniture upon
on everything even the furniture upon reflection it sounds like a straight
reflection it sounds like a straight
reflection it sounds like a straight shot to a bilingual children’s book
shot to a bilingual children’s book
shot to a bilingual children’s book career right
career right
career right well not exactly like most people I had
well not exactly like most people I had
well not exactly like most people I had my lost days where I had no idea what I
my lost days where I had no idea what I
my lost days where I had no idea what I wanted to do but I did do well in school
wanted to do but I did do well in school
wanted to do but I did do well in school and I received a scholarship to study
and I received a scholarship to study
and I received a scholarship to study art in college and eventually I figured
art in college and eventually I figured
art in college and eventually I figured out I wanted to illustrate children’s
out I wanted to illustrate children’s
out I wanted to illustrate children’s books thankfully I was referred to the
books thankfully I was referred to the
books thankfully I was referred to the Society of children’s book writers and
Society of children’s book writers and
Society of children’s book writers and illustrators by an editor
illustrators by an editor
illustrators by an editor they have conferences across the country
they have conferences across the country
they have conferences across the country where you meet people working in the
where you meet people working in the
where you meet people working in the industry it was actually at my first
industry it was actually at my first
industry it was actually at my first conference where I came up with the idea
conference where I came up with the idea
conference where I came up with the idea for my book Maria had a little llama you
for my book Maria had a little llama you
for my book Maria had a little llama you see the illustrators were given the
see the illustrators were given the
see the illustrators were given the assignment to do mary had a little lamb
assignment to do mary had a little lamb
assignment to do mary had a little lamb a storyboard and I thought that sounded
a storyboard and I thought that sounded
a storyboard and I thought that sounded really boring we all know what Mary
really boring we all know what Mary
really boring we all know what Mary looks like she’s from the English
looks like she’s from the English
looks like she’s from the English countryside and has a big fluffy white
countryside and has a big fluffy white
countryside and has a big fluffy white dress and has a lamb I had no clue how I
dress and has a lamb I had no clue how I
dress and has a lamb I had no clue how I can make him my own but I was determined
can make him my own but I was determined
can make him my own but I was determined to make it good so I went to the library
to make it good so I went to the library
to make it good so I went to the library for inspiration it was there that I
for inspiration it was there that I
for inspiration it was there that I found a picture of a girl hugging a
found a picture of a girl hugging a
found a picture of a girl hugging a llama and then it clicked llamas often
llama and then it clicked llamas often
llama and then it clicked llamas often live with lambs and where do llamas
live with lambs and where do llamas
live with lambs and where do llamas lives Peru so I began looking on books
lives Peru so I began looking on books
lives Peru so I began looking on books on Peru I found color pattern beautiful
on Peru I found color pattern beautiful
on Peru I found color pattern beautiful faces and incredible landscapes there
faces and incredible landscapes there
faces and incredible landscapes there was something inspiring but also
was something inspiring but also
was something inspiring but also relatable I saw aspects of my heritage
relatable I saw aspects of my heritage
relatable I saw aspects of my heritage in their faces and in their culture I
in their faces and in their culture I
in their faces and in their culture I worked really hard on that dummy or that
worked really hard on that dummy or that
worked really hard on that dummy or that storyboard and it was well-received
storyboard and it was well-received
storyboard and it was well-received at the conference people even
at the conference people even
at the conference people even recommended that I should try to publish
recommended that I should try to publish
recommended that I should try to publish it well it was
it well it was
it well it was published in 2013 by Henry Holt and
published in 2013 by Henry Holt and
published in 2013 by Henry Holt and later received the boat’ll Beaupre honor
later received the boat’ll Beaupre honor
later received the boat’ll Beaupre honor from the American Library Association in
from the American Library Association in
from the American Library Association in 2014 and in case you’re wondering little
2014 and in case you’re wondering little
2014 and in case you’re wondering little Beaupre is the name of the first Latina
Beaupre is the name of the first Latina
Beaupre is the name of the first Latina librarian in New York who brought many
librarian in New York who brought many
librarian in New York who brought many Latinos into the library with her famous
Latinos into the library with her famous
Latinos into the library with her famous story times and puppet shows the honor
story times and puppet shows the honor
story times and puppet shows the honor recognizes Latino books that best
recognizes Latino books that best
recognizes Latino books that best promote and represent the Latino
promote and represent the Latino
promote and represent the Latino experience I still pinch myself a little
experience I still pinch myself a little
experience I still pinch myself a little bit I had just done this for an
bit I had just done this for an
bit I had just done this for an assignment but I realize now why the
assignment but I realize now why the
assignment but I realize now why the book resonates to the majority of kids
book resonates to the majority of kids
book resonates to the majority of kids it shows them a world they’re not
it shows them a world they’re not
it shows them a world they’re not familiar with which is great but to a
familiar with which is great but to a
familiar with which is great but to a smaller group it’s a world that they do
smaller group it’s a world that they do
smaller group it’s a world that they do know but rarely see the reality is
know but rarely see the reality is
know but rarely see the reality is according to a poll by the co-operative
according to a poll by the co-operative
according to a poll by the co-operative Children’s Book Center in 2015
Children’s Book Center in 2015
Children’s Book Center in 2015 seventy three point four percent of
seventy three point four percent of
seventy three point four percent of picture books only featured white
picture books only featured white
picture books only featured white characters Latinos or Hispanics only
characters Latinos or Hispanics only
characters Latinos or Hispanics only represented 2.4 percent of characters
represented 2.4 percent of characters
represented 2.4 percent of characters and picture books a picture book is more
and picture books a picture book is more
and picture books a picture book is more likely to show an animal truck or a
likely to show an animal truck or a
likely to show an animal truck or a fantastical creature like a dragon than
fantastical creature like a dragon than
fantastical creature like a dragon than any minority this does not reflect the
any minority this does not reflect the
any minority this does not reflect the role that we live in
role that we live in
role that we live in thankfully the numbers are changing and
thankfully the numbers are changing and
thankfully the numbers are changing and this is a growing conversation there’s
this is a growing conversation there’s
this is a growing conversation there’s even a wonderful organization called we
even a wonderful organization called we
even a wonderful organization called we need diverse books that advocates
need diverse books that advocates
need diverse books that advocates essential changes in the publishing
essential changes in the publishing
essential changes in the publishing industry this is progress
industry this is progress
industry this is progress but there are two big things that I
but there are two big things that I
but there are two big things that I would love to see the first is to see
would love to see the first is to see
would love to see the first is to see diverse books not be on a separate
diverse books not be on a separate
diverse books not be on a separate bookshelf diverse books shouldn’t be
bookshelf diverse books shouldn’t be
bookshelf diverse books shouldn’t be cast into a subcategory away from the
cast into a subcategory away from the
cast into a subcategory away from the rest of the books and they shouldn’t be
rest of the books and they shouldn’t be
rest of the books and they shouldn’t be brought out for one month a year like
brought out for one month a year like
brought out for one month a year like Hispanic Heritage Month or Black History
Hispanic Heritage Month or Black History
Hispanic Heritage Month or Black History Month
or a special holiday like Cinco de Mayo
or a special holiday like Cinco de Mayo there’s room for all of us on the main
there’s room for all of us on the main
there’s room for all of us on the main bookshelf second I would love to see
bookshelf second I would love to see
bookshelf second I would love to see books be inclusive books the widen the
books be inclusive books the widen the
books be inclusive books the widen the scope of characters so it better
scope of characters so it better
scope of characters so it better reflects the world that we live in we
reflects the world that we live in we
reflects the world that we live in we all know it but books teach empathy for
all know it but books teach empathy for
all know it but books teach empathy for the span of a book you can walk in
the span of a book you can walk in
the span of a book you can walk in someone else’s footsteps and understand
someone else’s footsteps and understand
someone else’s footsteps and understand where they’re coming from so I’m doing
where they’re coming from so I’m doing
where they’re coming from so I’m doing my part but a more inclusive future
my part but a more inclusive future
my part but a more inclusive future really rests on the next generation and
really rests on the next generation and
really rests on the next generation and on all of you we need a more diverse
on all of you we need a more diverse
on all of you we need a more diverse group to go into publishing
group to go into publishing
group to go into publishing that way the people that are making the
that way the people that are making the
that way the people that are making the books acquiring editing and marketing
books acquiring editing and marketing
books acquiring editing and marketing can make sure they’re getting content
can make sure they’re getting content
can make sure they’re getting content out there that represents everyone and
out there that represents everyone and
out there that represents everyone and you can make a difference today by
you can make a difference today by
you can make a difference today by reading and purchasing a book by diverse
reading and purchasing a book by diverse
reading and purchasing a book by diverse author try even a bilingual one being
author try even a bilingual one being
author try even a bilingual one being bilingual is awesome knowing two
bilingual is awesome knowing two
bilingual is awesome knowing two languages just means double the
languages just means double the
languages just means double the friendships so I’m happy to say after
friendships so I’m happy to say after
friendships so I’m happy to say after years of struggling I’m finally fluent
years of struggling I’m finally fluent
years of struggling I’m finally fluent in Spanish I took classes as an adult
in Spanish I took classes as an adult
in Spanish I took classes as an adult and I did it it’s never too late I feel
and I did it it’s never too late I feel
and I did it it’s never too late I feel like I finally found my voice in Spanish
like I finally found my voice in Spanish
like I finally found my voice in Spanish and that’s what we all want to have a
and that’s what we all want to have a
and that’s what we all want to have a voice we all just want to be heard no
voice we all just want to be heard no
voice we all just want to be heard no matter where we come from our skin tone
matter where we come from our skin tone
matter where we come from our skin tone or background we all matter and we all
or background we all matter and we all
or background we all matter and we all deserve that right thank you
”
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