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AFYA health clinic poster

Last spring a doctor (Kara Durand) who is also a parent at a school I’ve done some work at in Oakland reached out to commission me to do an illustrated poster for the Afya Center for Health Equity at Kaiser Permanente Oakland. Afya means health in Swahili.

The center was founded by Dr Nailah Thompson. Listen to her talk about why the clinic was founded and how they are aiming to care for and uplift the health of the East Bay’s Black commmuity.

Here are some photos from when the clinic opened taken by Dr Rita Ng.

And here’s a little bit of artwork to show how the piece was created. For this piece I wanted to illustrate a primary care physician having a conversation with a patient. Something simple but intimate and caring.

Link to watch video process

Dig this? Check out this illustrated poster to inform folks about how to fight back against ICE raids. We Are Sanctuary.

Photo of Nailah and Kara holding the original painting!

December 10, 2025
in Ilustration
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Picture Book Recommendation- Jenny Mei is Sad

Heres a recent picture book review of a newish book called “Jenny Mei is Sad” which I LOVE by Tracy Subisak who is an author and illustrator. Its about friendship, big feelings, sadness, and its gorgeous. Never heard of it? Watch the video.

What is this? I have been working as a picture book illustrator/ writer since 2013 officially and I’ve been reading picture books since I became a young dad in 2004. In that time I’ve read nearly 700 picture books. Some trash, some ok, but with these videos I’m sharing my favorites! Watch all of them here. My last book is Fresh Juice.

Dig this? Check out the last review of “Perfect Harmony” by Charles R. Smith Jr.

December 8, 2025
in Creative Resources, Educational Resources
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Mini Comic 6 – ICE out of Schools

Here’s a short comic about what has been happening to adults, families, and children in the United States who have been targeted by racist ICE agents who are seeking Brown and Black folks. There are a few words in it. Check it out.

Whats this? I’ve had fits and starts with comics since 2007. In 2016 I started working on an epic graphic novel and it was too much, I couldn’t finish. So I took a break and began doing mini comics in 2021 (shorter more manageable stories) so I could do the most important part; finish them. This is a continuation of that. My accountability partner is my cousin and artist; Zhanne Easter.

Dig this? Check out some of my other mini comics

Check out Art of Rob feat 130 pages of drawings, sketchbook pages, illustrations, etc.

December 8, 2025
in Comics
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Social Justice Children’s Book AWARD

So this is new for the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair, for the first time we’re giving away an award to 3 authors the night before the fair. Check out the awardees.

These are the three writers!

  • Raquel Donoso
  • Mona Damluji
  • Maya Gonzalez

RSVP for the event here whether you’ve been coming to the fair for years, you’re new, or you really support the kid lit world. Also, come check out the 9th annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair.

Dig this? Check out this article from Oaklandside

November 27, 2025
in Creative Resources, Educational Resources, Events
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Inspiration Board 47

Errrray, this is my second inspiration board for the year. And what a tough fucking year it has been and its not even over yet. Top to bottom, left to right:

  1. Illustration: Eva Sanchez Gomez is a Spanish illustrator who’s work I dig!
  2. Book: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson is a huge puzzle piece of Black, American, and world history. I highly recommend reading it.
  3. Art: Bobby Pontillas is a filmmaker, animator, educator, and concept artist who’s work is beautiful.
  4. Book: Drawing Walls by Matthew Burgess & Josh Cochran is a phenomenal picture book biography about artist Keith Haring.
  5. Music: One of my fav hip hop groups ever-The Coup blends funk, mob music, hip hop, and political education beautifully. Listen!
  6. City: Earlier this year I visited Seattle for the 4th time and I really love this city!
  7. Music: I started listening to Flwr Chyld last year and really love his music (Soul, R&B). Listen.
  8. Podcast: This is a native podcast about politics and culture. Listen.
  9. Graffiti: I always wish to see more radical Graf and this blog collects and curates them! Radical Graffiti.
  10. History: Ashley Barron is someone making great use of social media to educate. Watch.
  11. Event: Lightbox Expo is an annual animation industry event in Los Angeles. Learn more.
  12. Film: Fatherhood is a sweet film about being a parent starring Kevin Hart. Watch.
  13. Journalism: LA Taco is a food blog who’s reports on ICE activity in LA was heart breaking and inspiring to watch. Read.
  14. Politics: I like so many were inspired by the campaign of the Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani!
  15. Journalism: Erik Garcia takes incredible moments in Xican@ history and remixes them on social media.
  16. Animation: Had to post about this film in 2022 and K Pop Demon Hunters did not disappoint. Such an aspiring film. Watch!

Did you miss the previous inspiration board? Here it is, plus a few more

What’s this? This inspiration board is one of the ways I stay inspired and sane through all of life’s trials, and tribulations, work, etc. I’ve been making inspiration boards full of films, books, music, events, people, artists, movements, and more for over a decade. Do you have an inspiration board? Please share in the comments. Who am I? My name is Rob Liu-Trujillo and I’m an artist working in kid lit, public art, and other disciplines. Go to my website, or follow me on IG or YouTube. You can also cop my first art book here.

November 26, 2025
in Creative Resources
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Speaking @ Howard Zinn Book Fair

Hey fam, I’m excited to be a part of a panel discussion at the legendary @zinnfair in Frisco on Sunday Dec 7th about empowering kids w/Social Justice picture books. I’ll be w/my co-conspirators Laura Atkins and Innosanto Nagara and big shout out to Anne Broyles and Michelle Markel who’ve done the heavy lifting of organizing this.

Howard Zinn Book Fair is a historic Fair where u can get knowledge, exchange ideas, and come away w/Action plans for how we get rid of this fucked up system.

I’m going to be talking about “Alejandria Fights Back” pub by @feministpress written by @mucha_muchacha15 and @risehomestories and why the fight to keep people housed and to find affordable housing connects working class and poor folks of all backgrounds across the US.

LINK TO MORE INFO

Dig this? Check out the 9th Annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair

November 24, 2025
in Events
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9th Annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair

Fam, it’s that time of year. The 9th annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair is upon us. This fair celebrates Bipoc, Queer, Immigrant, and Social Justice minded kid lit creators, literacy organizations, and the Bay kid lit community. We got over 50 creators, panels, performances, story time, and activities!!

Shout out The Conscious Kid and the Bay Area Book Festival for sponsoring this event!

Saturday Dec 6th, 11am-3pm in Oakland California

Its free and open to the public. If you’d like to attend, rsvp here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-social-justice-childrens-book-fair-tickets-1967246325717?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wanna help us get press? Send them the press release. Wanna see some photos from past fairs? Check out these albums of photos taken by Janine Macbeth, Mark Rea, Alejandra Domenzain, and more. Follow us on Instagram. Wanna see some press? Peep this from Ronnie’s List and Oaklandside.

November 20, 2025
in Creative Resources, Educational Resources, Events
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Library visit-81st Ave Library Oakland

This summer I got to do two presentations at the 81st Ave branch of the Oakland Public Library. One was about art books and one was about character design. These photos are from a huge room of students and families doing an exercise in character design.

I have done this workshop several times but never to a room this large. It was organized by Aspire Education in Oakland who provide tutoring, mentoring, and support to public school students in the Bay Area.

When I start the workshop I talk to them about “line of action” and how to make characters seem calm, or dynamic. I demonstrate figure drawing to get them to warm up, then I have them model for each other. Librarian Isaiah Hurtado brought a bunch of cool books for them to see examples of what they were learning in practice!

Here you can see kids drawing. While they’re doing that I typically talk about how character design and how its used in the media they use like films, video games, animation, and more. These kids are freaking awesome!

The topics I talked about:

  • Figure drawing
  • Fan Art
  • Group work
  • Remixing existing characters
  • Film, Gaming, Animation, Theater, etc
  • Art career

Aspire hit them with a double whamy of food, snacks, and lots of books so families went home with bellies full and lots of books. Hopefully some inspiration too.

I ran out of time on this one, but we still got some fan art, drawing, and group work in during the workshop before folks had to leave.

Early in the afternoon I spoke to some teen students about the power of art books. Its always hard to tell if they’re feeling the topic, but there were a few students who came forward to ask questions about careers in the arts and I definitely had fun talking about ART!!!

Dig this? Check out some photos from other visits:

November 19, 2025
in School or Library Visit
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Authors Against Book Bans-JOIN THE FIGHT!

This is an incredible organization that formed recently to combat the barrage of bullshit, empty, hollow, and down right dangerous book bans that have been happening and exploding across the US. Those who are challenging and removing kids books from shelves (w/o reading them) are not worried about children being too young to learn about race, gender, sexuality, or political protest. They don’t want their kids and others in their state to develop critical thinking, empathy, and/or understanding. And even more sinister, this is a way to target, disrupt, shut down, and defund public libraries and public schools. Why? To privatize them and make sure there is LESS access to information. But don’t take my word for it, read about it. The situation is URGENT!!!!

Articles/videos about what is happening:

  • Fast Company: A revolution happening in kids publishing
  • Huff post: Author Laurin Mayeno talking about OUR BOOK being banned
  • Code Switch Podcast: Truth and lies behind book banning
  • Blavity: Zetta Elliott speaking abt one of her books being banned
  • Book Riot: A new era of banned books week
  • Lee & Low: Record surge in book bans
  • Video: Pen America testimony
  • Video: Trailer for the film The Librarians
  • Video: The Daily Show interviews Jerry Craft

After digesting that information that is where “Authors Against Book Bans” comes in because they mobilize parents, teachers, librarians, authors, illustrators, and activists to fight back. This is coalition of folks across the US. But, unlike the very well funded right wing organizations they have been doing this work with little to no funding. But they got a fiscal sponsor now and can take donations. If you can, please consider making a donation to their efforts.

LINK to donate

Dig this? Check out this post about one of my books being banned OR my “Read Banned Books” print.

November 14, 2025
in Creative Resources, Educational Resources
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Installing “Not In Our Name” w/ Juana Alicia

OG muralist and teacher Juana Alicia hit me and some other painters/muralists to come help her install her piece in support of Palestinians in Gaza on a church in Oakland/Berkeley. We had lots of help from David Solnit, Yazmin Madriz, Keena Romano, Nadya V, my crew mate and sister Cece Carpio of Trust Your Struggle Collective, and myself. Here we are with some of the folks who work at the church! Diego Mendoza snapped this photo. Shout out to David Solnit who helped lead the installation w/ Tirso (Juana’s husband).

Here are some words from Juana herself:

Thank you so much to the crew that helped us install our mural, Not in Our Name, on St. Columba Catholic Church in Oakland yesterday! San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim’s poem and my illustration are proudly displayed on the exterior wall of the church, facing San Pablo Avenue at Adeline.

This work, which expresses our profound solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine, seeks to touch the hearts of those who see it, and move them to action to support those who are suffering from an ongoing genocide.

Our mural fam came through to work with Tirso Araiza, David Solnit and I on mounting the 7′ x 15′ canvas on the church wall. Deep bows to Father Aidan McAleenan and the staff at the church (Harriet, Margaret and Joyce) for their kindness, cooperation and solidarity! Thanks so much to Keena Romano, Cece Carpio, Yazmín Madriz, Diego Mendoza, Robert Trujillo Liu and Nadya Voynoskyva for their great energy and elbow grease!

This church is super progressive and as a result has been fucked with. But, from what they told me its very inclusive and they stand ten toes down. If you’re in the East Bay go see it.

Dig this? Check out this street mural take over in front of Black Rock in SF.

November 13, 2025
in Art
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