Celebrate with us the first weekend of 2022 Latinx Heritage Month with our Latino/a/x authors and illustrators. Salvadorean author Cynthia Gonzalez will host a book signing session of Lil’ Libros newest children’s story “The Life of / La vida de Llort.” Matt Sedillo and David Romero will share their Chicano poetry with the audience and Javier Hernandez, Kayden Phoenix, Rafael Navarro and Maxi Rodriguez will be there representing the Latino Comics Expo.
Reservations are not necessary.
Program:
1 p.m.: MOLAA Pop Up Shop begins, location: MOLAA Lobby
Art workshop inspired by Fernando Llort, location: Art Studio
1:30 p.m.: Book reading by author Cynthia Gonzalez, Lil Libros “The Life of / La vida de Llort”
2:45 p.m.: Poetry Reading by Matt Sedillo & David Romero
4:00 pm: MOLAA Pop Up Shop ends
Featured Authors and Illustrators.
Lil’ Libros - Cynthia Gonzalez
Cynthia Gonzalez was born in El Salvador and raised in South Los Angeles. She’s multi-faceted with talents as an author, poet, Cultural Advisor, and Entertainment Director for the L.A. LGBT Center. Cynthia has served as an executive board member for non-profits in Los Angeles and Long Beach, has written articles for the local Long Beach press, and has been featured in the L.A. Times. Her passion for seeing a positive representation of the Salvadoran community led her to establish Salvies Who Lunch, a platform dedicated to connecting and empowering Salvadorans of all backgrounds through events. Cynthia’s recent contributions include translating eight books for Lil’ Libros’ VAMONOS series and being Associate Producer and Cultural Advisor on upcoming film projects. On her free days, she enjoys watching sci-fi movies and rocky road ice cream.
Instragram: @soycyngonzalez / @lil_libros
Cynthia Gonzalez
Latino Comics Expo guests:
Javier Hernandez
Javier Hernández. Javier Hernandez is a cartoonist and arts educator. He launched his comics career with El Muerto, which he's been publishing under his imprint Los Comex since 1998. In 2007 El Muerto was adapted as a live action film starring Wilmer Valderrama for which Javier served as Associate Producer. Javier co-founded the Latino Comics Expo in 2011, the country's first convention dedicated to spotlighting the work of Latino creators in comics, animation and related popular arts.
Instagram: @javierloscomex
Facebook: @Javier.F.Hernandez
Youtube channel: @LosComexTV
Rafael Navarro
Rafael Navarro For almost thirty years, Rafael Navarro has been working as a gun for hire artist in the diverse fields of animation, illustration, and comic books. It has earned him a Daytime Emmy as well as two nominations for outstanding special class in animated program, and a recipient for the Xeric Foundation Award. As a story artist, he specializes in action adventure, but finds comfort in any genre, whether action/ adventure, comedy, cartoony or even surreal. His only purpose is to always tell a good story no matter what medium it is in. Comic Books have also proven just as colorful a resume as well. What with projects such as Gumby’s Gang starring Pokey, to Bela Lugosi’s Tales from The Grave as well as the Xeric Award winning cult classic SONAMBULO, his sole creation. His latest book, Guns A’ Blazin’ co-created with Mike Wellman, a science fiction western, is slowly becoming a revered classic. Clients have included: Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Warner Bros, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Mattel/Technicolor and Lego just to name a few. Some show credits include: The Batman, Scooby Doo, Spectacular Spiderman, Rugrats, Mucha Lucha, Lego’s Hero Factory, Tutenstein, and many more.
Facebook: @rafael.navarro
Kayden Phoenix
Kayden Phoenix is the Creator and Writer of the 1st Latina superhero team in comicbook history, A LA BRAVA. In this superhero universe, Latinas of different heritages fight against female injustices. Each book tells their origin story and social cause. In the end, the Latina superheroes form team A LA BRAVA.
TikTok: @LatinaSuperheroes
Maxi Rodriguez
Maxi Rodríguez is a Latina body positivity cartoonist and multimedia designer who self-publishes the comics "Chronicles of a ChubbyBunny," "Plus Size Girl Magic," "BrownGirl Awkwardness," and "ChibiBunny’s Rules of Boundaries." A native of Long Beach, CA, Rodriguez's works–comics, stickers, bookmarks, prints–center on body positivity, mental health, and the dynamics of a mixed-size relationship. Rodriguez has a BA in Graphic Design from CSU Dominguez Hills and an MFA in Comics from California College of the Arts. She is currently based in Southern California with her partner, in-laws, and her dogs.
David A. Romero is a Mexican-American spoken word artist from Diamond Bar, CA. Romero is the author of My Name Is Romero (FlowerSong Press), a book reviewed by Gustavo Arellano (¡Ask a Mexican!), Curtis Marez (University Babylon), and founding member of Ozomatli, Ulises Bella. Romero has received honorariums from over seventy-five colleges and universities in thirty-three different states in the USA. www.davidaromero.com
Matt Sedillo has been described as the "best political poet in America" as well as "the poet laureate of the struggle". His work has drawn comparisons in print to Bertolt Brecht, Roque Dalton, Amiri Baraka, Alan Ginsberg and various other legends of the past. Sedillo was the recipient of the first ever Dante's Laurel presented in Ravenna Italy, the 2017 Joe Hill Labor Poetry award, a panelist at the 2020 Texas book festival, and a participant in the 2012 San Francisco International Poetry Festival, the 2022 Elba Poetry Festival. Sedillo has appeared on CSPAN and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Axios, the Associated Press among other publications. Sedillo has spoken at Casa de las Americas in Havana, Cuba, at numerous conferences and forums such as the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, the National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education, the National Association of Chicana/Chicano Studies, the Left Forum, the US Social Forum, and at over a hundred universities and colleges, including the University of Cambridge, among many others. Matt Sedillo is the author of Mowing Leaves of Grass (FlowerSong Press, 2019) and City on the Second Floor (FlowerSong Press, 2022). Both of which are taught at universities throughout the country. Sedillo is the current literary director of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Los Angeles California.
Fb Matt Sedillo and Matt Sedillo author
