AUTHOR'S CORNER | Readprogram

Joy Sewing

Joy debuted her first book, “Ava and the Prince: The Adventures of Two Rescue Pups, which chronicles the true-life story of her rescue boxer dogs, Ava and Prince. Her children’s book was selected for the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation home-library program and was a bestseller on Amazon.com.

Calida Garcia Rawles

Author, illustrator, fine art artist, and graphic designer Calida Garcia Rawles directly credits the education she received at Spelman for molding her into the full creative professional she is today.

Jo'Ana Morgan

Jo'Ana Morgan is an author and owner of a self-publishing partnership agency in the Chicagoland area. She likes comedies and buttery pancakes and is currently learning sign language and how to use Snapchat.

Tonya Duncan Ellis

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the award-winning, best selling Sophie Washington children's books series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has received awards for literary excellence and worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer.

Marjuan Canady

Marjuan Canady, a native Washingtonian with Trinidadian/African-American roots, is an award-winning entrepreneur, writer, performer, director, educator and producer for both film and the stage. Canady is the founder and CEO of her multimedia production company, Sepia Works. She is the CEO / Author / Co-Creator of the children’s media brand, Callaloo.

Dr. Christie Black-Murrell

Christie Black-Murrell was born and raised in Columbus, GA. All her life she has used writing as a avenue to express her feelings and creative imagination. She released (2020) her very first interactive Children's book, Do You Know...powerful praise from parents to child. She believes that writing is a part of her purpose in life and gives her all in everything that she writes. Lastly, Christie Black-Murrell is a devoted wife and mother who believes in finding the positive in all things.

Dr. Arian Moore

Arian T. Moore, Ph.D. is a leader in education, media and literature. Dr. Moore has 10 years of experience serving as an adjunct professor for a number of universities, teaching leadership, journalism and communications courses. She also develops and improves curriculum content at the collegiate level as a curriculum consultant.

Ariel T. Watkins

Ariel T. Watkins is the Owner and Creative Director of All About Movement Dance Company. She discovered her love for dance at the age of 9 as a
member of the youth liturgical dance ministry at her home church in New Orleans, LA.

Derrick Barnes

Derrick Barnes is the author of the New York Times bestseller The King of Kindergarten, as well as the critically acclaimed multi-award winning picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the 2018 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award, and the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers.

Angela Bryce

Author, Speaker, and lover of books, poetry, and music, Angela Bryce has been writing

since she was a little girl, but never really considered herself a "writer". However, she could never ignore the song in her heart to create, whether it's a song, melody, or story to share with the world.

Stephanie Peters-Monarch

Stephanie Peters-Monarch has been a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for 15 years after completing her Master’s of Science in Nurse Anesthesia. Her program was 32 months of clinical and didactic studies from LSUHSC where she was president of her class.

Kyle A. McMurty

Kyle A. McMurtry is a Detroit, Michigan native and recent graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. He envisions his future work focusing on community organizing to fight for the liberation of oppressed people worldwide.