How it all started

Why did I become an author?

At the early age of nine years old, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. It was thanks to my third-grade teacher who ignited that spark! From the age of nine to my early thirties, there was no path except being a teacher.

In my fourth year of teaching, I was teaching my first graders a social studies lesson and reading books about 'our community'. A little boy became quiet and I talked to him after the lesson where he explained that he doesn't live in a house but in an apartment. Also, he doesn't have a mom and dad at home, he has two moms at home. Little did I know that this was the moment that made me question why there weren't books out there that represented ALL children and the world they know and live in.

Yes, everyone does not live in a house. Yes, everyone does not have just a mom and a dad. Yes, not everyone has a pet. Yes, everyone does not take a car as a mode of transportation. I wrote the draft of my first book that year but didn't pursue the path of the author until seven years later.

Many of my books are based on real-life events that happened in my career as a teacher, my own personal life, or events that I feel passionate about that are lacking in representation in the picture book industry.

As my journey as an author continues, I am continuously reminded of that social studies lesson that day in that classroom pictured above. My hope is for my books to have students and children be seen in the beautifully diverse world we live in!