I’ll be at this market tomorrow in Alameda. If you’re around come through! I’ve been to Faction Brewing before but this will be my first time working with Alternative Entertainment. Here’s the link for the event!
Dig this? Check out some photos from the 6th annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair
Monica is the homie and as someone who got to work with her she’s a bad-ass artist and organizer. Peep this video which introduces how to make art for social change! Very good info for beginners or experienced artists.
Dig this? Check out my crew “Trust Your Struggle Collective”
This is Cleo from the 1996 film “Set It Off” played by actor and emcee extraordinaire Queen Latifah. I try to do these characters as my fan art, for fun in between books and other projects to practice. In Set it Off Cleo is a lowrider, a masculine queer woman, a get away driver, and a big source of strength within the crew of friends. In order to escape poverty, she and three of her friends pull off multiple bank heists. Stay tuned for more.
On the film: I saw Set It Off when it came out. I think it was shortly after F. Gary Gray did “Friday” with Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Chris Tucker. I loved it back then. You never got to see 4 Black women wreck shit in a heist film back then so I was excited. I loved all of their characters, how they struggled, cared for each other, and I think writer Takashi Bufford who wrote the screenplay did a great job. I know he’s mentioned there are things that he’d change if he could redo the film. But I think it still stands up today. Shout out to Jada, Latifah, Vivica, Kimberly, and all of the cast and crew.
About me: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco”. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
Dig this? Check out my throwback drawings of three characters from the 90’s film Mi Vida Loca
Hey fam. I’m excited to share this. I’ve known the host of this pod for 20 years I think. He is an awesome educator and we met while teaching for a program called “Making Waves”. Colin is a husband, dad, educator for public schools and university students, and he’s a former emcee who used to kill them rhymes as Senbei w/ DJ Dahi. LINK to listen to the episode.
In this episode, we talk about three of my favorite books because we’re nerdy.
1-Spraycan art-James Prigoff (RIP), Henry Chalfant
2-Baby Baby Please-Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee, and Kadir Nelson
3-Fighting to Belong-Amy Chu, Alexander Chang, and Louie Chin
We also talk about hip hop, ethnic studies, and more. Take a listen to this episode and some of the many others he’s done!
Dig this? Check out an interview I did with emcee and educator Maddy Clifford
Yo, this weekend at the Bay Area Book Festival I will be on two panel discussions and representing for the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair who helped to plan the “Family Day” this year. This event has been happening for 10 years! I’ve been a vendor there, a panelist, and attendee. There’s a book market place, a family day curating the best in kid lit, panel discussions, workshops, your favorite authors, and there are a bunch of activities.
Wanna go? check out the organization and the schedule here. Wanna see the panels I’ll be on? Scroll down.
This one is about the themes of activism in stories and the activism happening in real life around stories, book bans, diverse books, history, and more. Here’s more info about this panel.
Here’s the second panel I’ll be on with Zetta Elliott, Matthew Smith, Maya Gonzalez, and Laura Atkins. We’ll be talking about alternative methods to the traditional publishing worlds. More info about this panel here.
Dig this? Check out some press from the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair.
I really enjoyed watching this film, the cast of characters, the writing, the story, and the sentiment which is true for any parent or guardian; but really resonant as a father of two myself. Its funny of course because its Kevin Hart, but its heartfelt too!
Dig this? Check out my 46th inspiration board
Hey fam, this is my video explainer/pitch about the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair, what it does, and why its existence is so important right now. We’re in a $5k fundraising drive to match a $5k grant that was given to us. Since 2017 we’ve brought the funk here in the Bay Area re: Bipoc, Queer, Immigrant, and Social Justice minded kid lit creators. We have been volunteer based until last year and we’re trying to make our work more sustainable.
Watch the video, share it, and….
Dig this? Check out this time Oaklandside did a write up about our fair
Group photo from 2023 by Mark Rea
Ey, Bodies Are Cool is a really great book and its a hit in my household. Check out this video where I explain. I love this book because it flows, it’s short and to the point. And it really does emphasize an understanding and curiosity to see all types of people and bodies.
Synopsis: This cheerful love-your-body picture book for preschoolers is an exuberant read-aloud with bright and friendly illustrations to pore over.
From the acclaimed creator of Dancing at the Pity Party and Roaring Softly, this picture book is a pure celebration of all the different human bodies that exist in the world. Highlighting the various skin tones, body shapes, and hair types is just the beginning in this truly inclusive book. With its joyful illustrations and encouraging refrain, it will instill body acceptance and confidence in the youngest of readers. “My body, your body, every different kind of body! All of them are good bodies! BODIES ARE COOL!”
What’s this? Whew, I’ve read over 600 picture books y’all! An author who I admire and respect “Adrianna Cuevas” was sharing her favorite books and it inspired me to share some of mine with you. I’ve read ok books, garbage ones, and some that I think are incredible examples of the picture book format. Here and on the socials I’ll be recommending some of my favs. Please support your community and the creators by requesting them at your library or local independent bookstore. Peace. My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I am the author and illustrator of Fresh Juice.
Dig this? Check out my other picture book recommendations:
Yo, take a seat to read this one:
I’m one of several founders, and organizers of an annual book festival called the “Social Justice Children’s Book Fair”that takes place annually in the Bay Area since 2017. We highlight Bipoc, Queer, Immigrant, and Social Justice minded kid lit creators and we invite in literacy organizations.
Beyond the shit show of a presidency, there’s an intensifying attack on books from book banning, firing librarians or educators, burning books, death threats, to defunding entire libraries. Why? The bans are not new, but it’s gotten worse over the last 5 years. The types of books they go after are the kinds of folks me, librarians, parents, teachers, and my fellow organizers champion.
And that shit makes my blood boil. It’s not just a passion for me, this shit is personal. I hated reading growing up. There were few to zero mirrors in books back then for me. I know too well what happens when Bipoc/Queer stories are erased from shelves. It sends a message that says “You, your culture, your story, your life is unimportant. And I’m not having that shit.
As we approach our 9th year, we as an organization have big plans to expand our work. Already this year we were selected to partner with the Bay Area Book Festival to build out their Family Day programming (come join us in Berkeley on May 31).
That’s just the beginning. We hope to launch an Award highlighting the best of indy social justice children’s books. We want to mentor aspiring creators, and so much more. The challenges are massive and to face them, we’re going to need back up.
With Over eight years of volunteering we’ve have laid a solid foundation. Now it is time for growth.
Peep. A dope creator offered to give us a $5k grant and we’re trying to match it in 30 days. If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, help us amplify the word. If you know folks who love kid lit, books, social justice, or children’s books that feature voices who’ve been ignored for too long. Share this with them and
Thank you!
-Rob w/ hella support from the book fair organizers (Innosanto Nagara, Laura Atkins, and Alejandra Domenzain)
Dig this? Check out some photos from the 6th fair
This is Tisean or TT from the 1996 film “Set It Off” played by actor Kimberly Elise. I’ve been slacking on my characters and its nice to stretch out by doing this illustration of TT. In the film she was quiet, timid, a single mother, but a fierce ally and team member of the crew. In order to escape poverty, she and three of her friends pull off multiple bank heists. Stay tuned for more.
On the film: I saw Set It Off when it came out. I think it was shortly after F. Gary Gray did “Friday” with Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Chris Tucker. I loved it back then. You never got to see 4 Black women wreck shit in a heist film back then so I was excited. I loved all of their characters, how they struggled, cared for each other, and I think writer Takashi Bufford who wrote the screenplay did a great job. I know he’s mentioned there are things that he’d change if he could redo the film. But I think it still stands up today. Shout out to Jada, Latifah, Vivica, Kimberly, and all of the cast and crew.
About me: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco”. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
Dig this? Check out my throwback drawings of three characters from the 90’s film Mi Vida Loca