Join us for a conversation with Juana Medina, a D.C.-area author and children's book illustrator! This event is sponsored by Mason's Creative Writing Program, the School of Art, and CVPA's Global Arts Coffeehouse. Hosted by Mason Libraries.

About the artist:

Juana Medina was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. She is the author and illustrator of the Pura Belpré Award-winning chapter book Juana & Lucas. Juana is also the author and illustrator for Juana & Lucas: Big Problemas, 1 Big Salad, ABC Pasta, and Sweet Shapes. She illustrated Smick! by Doreen Cronin, Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous by Keith Calabrese, and I’m a Baked Potato! by Elise Primavera; and has participated in two recent anthologies: The Hero Next Door (Crown Books, 2019) and We Are The Change (Chronicle Books, 2019). 

Juana has been lucky to earn recognitions from the Colombian Presidency, the National Cartoonists Society, the National Headliner Award, International Latino Book Awards, and Ridgway Award honors — which is quite impressive for someone who was a less-than-stellar student, who often got in trouble for drawing cartoons of her teachers. Despite all trouble caused, Juana studied and taught at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), George Washington University, and the Corcoran College of Art + Design (all places where students had plenty of chances to draw cartoons of her). She lives with her wife, twin sons, and their dear dog, Rosita. Visit her work at juanamedina.com