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Art for Rethinking Schools Magazine

Ok, Its been over a decade since I worked for Rethinking Schools but I’m so happy to be back in the mix. In a day and age where books can be too long, and tik tok clips too short, and the internet filled with AI slop its nice to have a form of physical media that informs. About what you say? Read on….

Rethinking Schools MISSION and VISION:

Rethinking Schools is a nonprofit publisher and advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism. Our magazine, books, and other resources promote equity and racial justice in the classroom. We encourage grassroots efforts in our schools and communities to enhance the learning and well-being of our children and to build a broad democratic movement for social and environmental justice. 

Our Zinn Education Project — coordinated with Teaching for Change — has more than 100,000 educators who have registered to access our “people’s history” materials.

Here’s a bit of process art to show my thinking when ingesting, sitting with, dissecting, and analyzing former principal Gilbert Juan Armenta’s piece about how school systems continuously target Black children by overly discipling them, singling them out, punishing them, and trying to track them into special education. I know this experience intimately after being suspended from my school for “talking” as a 3rd grader!!!!

The cool thing about this article and the magazine is that it talks about real issues that teachers, educators, and others are experiencing in the classroom. They talk about race, gender, identity, politics, class, racism, and how to address these issues in a way that is radical, sensitive to the age group, and respectful. This is what drew me to the magazine years ago. See my old piece here.

Here are some color directions for this piece.

Heres the final painting, done in ink and watercolor. Shout out to AD Nancy Zucker for the call!

Wanna get this magazine issue? COP Volume 40, Number 4 HERE.

Dig this? Check out

Wanna peak inside the magazine? See it a little bit here.

July 13, 2026
in Art, Ilustration
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Book Cover – 826 Valencia + De Marillac Academy

Last Spring I began working with 826 Valencia to illustrate a book cover for the De Marillac Academy, a middle school in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. And I have a history with this organization as I read there when I was just beginning to work in kid lit and I took my son and his class on a field trip there over 12 years ago.

The thing I remember back then was that the folks who started the org had a sense of duty and wonder. Duty in that they were taking it seriously; the charge to encourage literacy and creative writing. And wonder, in that their organization was housed in a pirate ship! Imagine pirate jokes and 4th graders telling you that they are “published”.

And they still have that dedication as this book is one of several published anthologies of creative writing by middle school students. Here’s the synopsis:

“In these vibrant poems, students in grades 6-8th from De Marillac Academy explore their own potential and the comfort of the things they hold dear. They find refuge in the bounces of a basketball and uncover a quiet hero in a cherished eyelash curler. In these pages you’ll find heartfelt declarations of love to their beds and a tenderness towards the quiet world their headphones offer. Students imagine life through the delicate wings of a butterfly, the sharp mind of a beloved teacher, and even providing hope as a lawyer. No matter who holds the narrative today, in the future they are building, these students assert one thing is for sure, they’ll be the ones.

Here’s a bit of process art from the making of the cover.

Shout out to Amanda Boesen and Lucy Goseline-Ratliff who assisted me in narrowing down and refining the sketch until it was right.

You can see the line work here and the color directions. Ultimately it ended up being a combination of colors. The uniforms for the actual students are red and grey though so thats what we ended up using.

And heres the final cover illustration! My fav poem from the book was called “lies” and I loved all the pieces about their video games, favorite foods, etc.

About the organization that does this work and commissioned this art:

826 Valencia equips students with writing skills to create change.

We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting under-resourced students ages six to eighteen with their creative and expository writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Our services are structured around the understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with individualized attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

And with chapters in:

  • Boston
  • Chicago
  • Washington DC
  • Los Angeles
  • Michigan
  • Minneapolis
  • New Orleans
  • NYC

and the founding chapter San Francisco (Bay Areaaaaaa) they are taking the task to the next level.

Dig this? Check out this book cover I did for Robert Alexander’s book “He Hit Me First” OR the cover of Libros Solidarios written by Luz Yadira Herrera and Carla España.

July 10, 2026
in Educational Resources, Ilustration, Lettering/ Typography
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Art for Berkeley Public Library-Mr Jacobs

This Spring, I got the opportunity to work on something for the Berkeley Public Library! An illustration of famed Black librarian from South Berkeley, Mr Jim Jacobs who pioneered some historic programs at the library back in the 60’s! Here’s a little background on Jim.

And here’s the added bonus, when doing work like this I get to assist what librarians are already doing which is providing a rich array of stories, creativity, knowledge, and information for their patrons; finding what folks want to read, and showing what they might like! So, take your kids to any of the Berkeley library branches. Sign them up for a library card, get them reading, and log the books for prizes:)

Here’s a bit of sketching to do the illustration.

There’s a pretty cool photo of Jim reading and playing his guitar to kids so we kind of went with that but it was fun to imagine him a few ways.

Here i shared some color ideas with the staff there, shout out to Erica, Elaine, and Juan.

Here’s what the final linework looked like which they used to make……

Photo by my wife joy

If you’re a Berkeley resident and you’d like to get this bag, a free book, or other prizes go to this page, log the books you read , and get on it. Also, OG librarian ms Erica said these are limited edition so….

They also made these cool stickers 🙂

Dig this? Check out my work for..

June 15, 2026
in Ilustration
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Libros Solidarios – Book Cover

photo by my wife

I did the cover illustration for this book by accomplished teachers Dr. Luz Yadira Herrera (CA) and Dr. Carla España (NY) a couple years back. I had some footage of the painting process but I misplaced it and cannot find it. But, lemme share some of the process with you.

First and foremost, this is a guide for teachers and educators. It’s meant to help Spanish and bilingual teachers recognize the life experiences of their Latine students, outline kids books that affirm that, and pack in hella tips, tricks, resources, and guides for how to get it cracking. Get the book here.

In this book you’ll find Unit projects, Sample activities, Language study, Translation discussion and reading group guides.

You’ll also find guides for dozens of great kid lit books by creators such as Duncan Tonatiuh, Claribel A. Ortega, Adrianna Cuevas, Emma Otheguy, Margarita Engle, Juan Felipe Herrera, Aida Salazar, Lisette Norman, Yuyi Morales, and more.

Ok, when I’m vibing out and really diving into a story or project for a client I’m exploring lots of options. I probably had 3 or 4 times as many ideas for how this cover could look. I settled on three main ones and pitched those to the art director from Brookes Publishing; Rachel Word who would then share key images with Luz and Carla. They chose A3.

From there, I refined the sketch and added some grey tones to convey light, shape, and composition. After that I did an outlined version with the last few tweaks.

From there, I shared some ideas for color and I try to pick some that are a bit odd, or different from what I’ve seen on other curriculum books.

Then, the final cover painting was done with ink and watercolor.

I passed it on to Brookes and designers there brought it to life with the accompanying type and back cover design. It came out really fresh and I hope K-6 grade educators are able to make use of the wealth of information provided by these two bad ass educators. Cop this book here for your classroom!

Dig this? Check out my cover for Robert M. Alexander’s book “He Hit Me First”

May 10, 2026
in Ilustration
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Book Cover – He Hit Me First

This is the cover for author, educator, and filmmaker Robert M. Alexander‘s book “He Hit Me First”.

I did the cover for the first book in this series entitled “She Hit Me First” and I was super excited to get the call to do this one. I illustrate and write picture books but I also love middle grade, especially doing covers! Here’s a bit of process art behind this one. You can purchase the book here.

Written by Dr. Robert Mossi Alexander, educator, counselor, and author of She Hit Me First, this heartfelt story teaches young readers—especially boys—about emotional intelligence, accountability, and the strength found in respecting elders and listening to ancestral wisdom. Perfect for classrooms, mentorship programs, and parents looking to spark important conversations around conflict resolution, masculinity, and healing.

At this stage I usually send my client a bunch of ideas for where people, places, or things could be. Robert chose one, I refined, through some grayscale on it to give an idea of who it would look, then I refined the sketch w/ the typography until he was good with it.

Next were some color directions. I’ve been a freelance illustrator for nearly 20 years and I enjoy adding different ideas for color; not the typical. Lately I’ve really been feeling the combination of purple, orange, and green so I was excited that he picked that one.

And here’s the final artwork for the cover! Wanna know about the story? Here’s the synopsis:

He Hit Me First is a powerful coming-of-age story for readers ages 8–13 that explores cycles of violence, emotional healing, and the power of mentorship. Set in East Oakland, the book follows Elijah, a young boy navigating school, family struggles, and peer pressure. After a schoolyard fight, Elijah is forced to confront the deeper pain behind his anger. With the help of his uncle, a former boxer, and guidance from community mentors, Elijah learns how to channel his energy into personal growth and self-control.

You can purchase the book here.

Dig this? Check out my artwork for

Process video:

March 4, 2026
in Ilustration
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Open Space Authority- Coloring Book

Photo by my wifey

Hey yall, This is a photo of me holding a coloring book I illustrated for a south Bay organization called the Open Space Authority of Santa Clara. They are a an organization that stewards and protects over 30k acres of land in Santa Clara County from being bulldozed and turned into malls. The land includes hills, valleys, trees, wetlands, and lots of animals and critters.

Check out some of the land they protect even in the heart of silicon valley. Its a vast area! Thank goodness for organizations that do this kind of advocacy for all to appreciate nature and wildlife.

Here’s a bit of process of drawing one of the spreads from the book. This is the first spread from the coloring book. I also did the hand lettered typography for the title below.

Here’s the cover for the book which features coloring pages, puzzles, and some other observant activities for children to do. It’s a cool way to introduce them to the Santa Clara Valley.

Here are some screen shots from Open Source’s Instagram account where they took the books to a local hospital and made them available for kids in the pediatric waiting area. Visit Open Space Authority of Santa Clara here. If you wanna watch their video about this coloring book check it out here.

Dig this? check out some art I did for the AFYA Center for Health Equity or the cover of The Public Eye magazine

December 26, 2025
in Educational Resources, General, Ilustration, Lettering/ Typography
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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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We Are Sanctuary poster collab

Art by Me, Lettering by Jules Cowan

Back in March, designer Jules Cowan, fellow illustrator Micah Bizant, myself, and the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant got together to collaborate on this poster illustrating information about immigrant rights when being stopped or approached by ICE. The EBSC has been supporting immigrant and migrant families for decades in the Bay Area. Nuff respect. The raids have happened in the past (under Obama and Trump) but they were just ramping up again to what we see now in LA, Chicago, Central California, and other cities.

Art by Me, Lettering by Jules Cowan

If you keep up with me you should know my position on this is FUCK ICE and FUCK Donald Trump. Actually, fuck any politician Democrat or Republican who continues to lie or hide when talking about the real reasons for these racist, xenophobic, coward ass attacks on Brown people. Mexicanos, Central Americans, Haitians, etc are not the reason White Americans are losing $ or jobs. The billionaire class are the reason and these politicians and mainstream media are being paid to confuse folks.

Art by Micah Bizant, design by Jules Cowan

Now, if you reader would like one of these posters or postcards in English or Spanish, please download them here:

DOWNLOAD LINK

Art by Micah Bizant, design by Jules Cowan

If you’d like a physical copy of a poster or postcard (English or Spanish) for your school, library, office, organization, etc please email me at info@robdontstop.com or art@somossantuario.org.

Thankfully, the folks at EBSC have already handed these out to folks on the ground protesting, but we need information like this up in more places so allies and immigrant families can access it and put it to work. No one is illegal on stolen land!

Dig this? Check out the work of designer Jules Cowan, illustrator Micah Bizant, and support the work of the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant!

July 11, 2025
in Ilustration, Resources
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“Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies” collaboration

I started working with CLES –the Coalition for a Liberated Ethnic Studies in 2022 and it has been awesome to contribute to the incredible work they are doing to provide resources, curriculum, and advocacy for folks trying to get ethnic studies to kids in public schools, amplify those currently teaching it, and to stand up for those facing attacks because………surprise surprise, lots of reactionary adults are scared of their children feeling uncomfortable. Yeah, the true history of the United States and how it realtes to the world is uncomfortable af, but as a great writer once said :

"Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin

Please follow them on IG and cop some merch, to support their work. If you follow me you know how I feel about ethnic studies curriciulum and why it is vital for young people to get and understand.

Dig this? Check out this painting of a phrase I like to use “Ethnic Studies in Every School”.

January 16, 2024
in General
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People’s Kitchen Collective Zine

This is a recent project I forgot to post about last year. Its a mini zine I did some illustrations for. The title of the zine and project is “Earth Seed” led by my comrades over at PKC –The Peoples Kitchen Collective based out of Oakland California. “Earth Seed” comes from the incredible Parable Book series by Octavia Butler and is a recent project by PKC.

I first came across the founders of PKC (Jocelyn Jackson, Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, and Saqib Keval) as a crew at Oakland’s Life is Living Festival. Here’s a video so you can get the vibe for that event because this is also where this mini zine was given out as a way to talk about self suficiency, mutual aid, organizing, creativity, and more.

See PKC at the 1:55 min mark.

Here are some of the images from this zine collaboration with PKC which I am so honored to create. I’m a big fan of Butler and a huge fan of PKC so for this project designed by the talented Kamakshi Duvvuru I wanted to try a very loose style. And because it needed to be produced in black and white I wanted to keep it super simple. This one of the flowers is my favorite.

EARTH SEED INVITES US TO ENVISION AND ENACT OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE FROM A WORLD AWAKENING TO ITS UNRAVELING.

Led by People’s Kitchen Collective, EARTH SEED centers a pilgrimage through California from present-day Los Angeles to Mendocino Woodlands that happened from March – June 2023.  We visited with people and places building models for survival and our collective future. 

Rooted in Octavia Butler’s Parables series, the legacy of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, and the diaspora of the global south, EARTH SEED enacts radical hospitality as a survival practice.  It does so by deepening our relationships with BIPOC activists, artists, educators, farmers, youth, and elders.

Want more info about EarthSeed? You can learn more from PKC’s website here.

Dig this? Check out these illustrations I did in collaboration w/ the ACLU and the Central Valley Report

January 13, 2024
in General
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