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Events

Events- Dia de los Muertos @ Molaa

This was a dope event I participated in down in Long Beach, California. I hadn’t been to the museum before and after participating in this I plan to come back! For this “Dia de Muertos” event I set up with 30-40 other local vendors who were selling jewelry, pottery, comics, clothing, candles, and more.

During the pandemic I participated on a panel discussion with some good friends Cathy Camper and Isabel Quintero alongside moderator Professor Frederick Aldama which was awesome. Watch it here.

I drove down with my family, hit the Lightbox Expo on my second day out there and then hit Molaa on day 3. I brought my whole set up.

While I was there I met some new friends and had a great time. I’m hoping to do more school and library visits in the Los Angeles area so if you know of someone hit me up.

I didn’t get a chance to go inside or see all the performances but I caught a glimpse of a the Mariachi Cumbia and one of the alters outside. it was beautiful and somber being that ICE has been terrorizing Black and Brown folks in LA, Chicago, Portland, NYC, here in the Bay and many other places.

Dig this? Check out this video of me talking to Gabriela Martinez about Furqan’s First Flat Top

Or check out these photos of my set up at SJ Made in San Jose, Ca.

October 29, 2025
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Fairyland Children’s Book Fest-9/20/25

Hey fam, I will be at this years “Fairyland Children’s Book Fair” supporting the Youth Writers Workshop. This past Spring I had the distinct pleasure of working with artist Michaela Ellis to design and plan an awesome series of workshops incorporating team building, games, writing, and drawing exercises, and time to work on their own stories. Some of those stories have been completed and will be published in a journal which you can get that supports young writers. At this years Fest Whitley Gilbert and I will be introducing some of these young creators to you and tabling with them where you can come get your book signed by them 🙂

Ok, come check us out and meet one or two of the 30+ authors who will be there such as Nidhi Chanani, Natasha Triplett, Laura Atkins, Bo Lu, Eugenia Yoh, Malick Sickstein, Charlotte Cheng, Angela Dalton, and more.

September 20th , 10am-4pm

MORE INFO HERE

Dig this? Check out their Instagram

September 8, 2025
in Creative Resources, Events
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Story Sunbirds Virtual Summit (Panel)

Hey fam, I have the pleausre of speaking on a panel for the Story Sunbirds, a new children’s book organization. This is their mission:

At Story Sunbirds, our mission is to cultivate a dynamic and inclusive children’s literature community rooted in justice and anti-racism and anti-colonialism. As a collective of writers, illustrators, and publishing professionals, we prioritize the holistic growth and needs of all children, ensuring their voices and experiences are at the forefront of our creative work.

I will be on a panel called “Finding a Unique Path That’s True to You” which will be about getting into making children’s books by any means necessary, with Intisar Khanani, Navjot Kaur, Zetta Elliott, and moderated by Danielle Davis.

REGISTER TO JOIN US

Here is a schedule for the other panels and discussions. Even if you dont ask questions or speak, you can still participate by attending.

Dig this? Check out their Instagram

September 5, 2025
in Creative Resources, Events
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Photos from Storyland Reading @ Kinfolx

This past June I read at a great cafe called Kinfolx in Oakland for a team of story lovers called “Storyland” started by Indya McGuffin and Bean Tupou. They are a new organization trying to bring stories to families.

It was a great event and my brother Eli Jacobs Fantauzzi (Fist Up Films) came through and blessed us with some photos from the event!! This one above is me sitting behind Indya and Bean.

During and after the readings they had coloring supplies and pasta shells there for making necklaces or bracelettes! Activities are always a hit with kids; especially those who have wiggles and want to move their hands, arms, etc.

Here’s a photo of the amazing set up Marcus Books had at the event! In case you didn’t know, Marcus is the oldest Black owned bookstore in the Bay!

Chapter 510 was also there with books created by young people and information about the incredible work they do as a literary organization that gives kids instruction and space on creative writing.

Here are some fotos from my portion of the reading. Eli really captured the work Bean and Indya put into the event because it was packed with families!

This was super fun and a great way to spend Juneteenth reading stories featuring Black families:) The babies had lots of questions and very cute comments to share as always!

That’s it fam. I’ve linked all the folks involved so please scroll back up to learn more about them.

Dig this? Check out these fotos from my visit to Alvarado elementary in Union City.

July 11, 2025
in Events, School or Library Visit
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Bay Area Book Fest- Panels

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.

May 29, 2025
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Video – Social Justice Children’s Book Fair

link to watch

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….

CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUNDRAISER

Dig this? Check out this time Oaklandside did a write up about our fair

Group photo from 2023 by Mark Rea

May 23, 2025
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Social Justice Children’s Book Fair-$5K Match

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

DONATE HERE

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

May 19, 2025
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Malcolm X Jazz Fest- May 17th in Oakland

❤️Fam, I’m so happy to share I’ll be at the 25th Annual “Malcolm X Jazz Festival” in Oakland May 17th, 11am-7pm selling books, prints, stickers, and more

🖤This event is Family friendly so bring your kids, elders, friends, folks , etc for food, jazz, vendors, graffiti, dance, politics, culture, and community.

💚This event is historic in its unity between Black, Asian, Latino, and working class activists and artists. You may have never been before, you might’ve missed it last year (as I did) , but this is your invitation to come home. Leave a comment below of why this is a good place to be. Go to East Side Arts Alliance to get more info!

Bring good energy, love, and an open mind .

Dig this? Check out some videos and info from Life is Living

May 7, 2025
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Youth Writers Workshop- Fairyland

This is pretty damn cool, I get to be an instructor alongside Michaela Ellis w/ young storytellers at thee FAIRYLAND! Isnt that cool, no? I have been going to Fairyland since the 80s yall. First as a child, then as a young parent in the mid 2000’s, and now as a writer/illustrator for the past 4-5 years and as a parent to mydaughter. This workshop is a way to get young storytellers some practice and community. We’ll be working on writing AND drawing our stories in this series so tell a friend. More info: https://fairyland.org/youthwriters

Dig this? Check out that time I was invited to lead a picture book workshop for MFA Comics students at CCA.

February 25, 2025
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