Yamile S. Mendez

Yamile Saied Mendez is the author of many books for young readers, including Furia, a Reese's YA Book Club selection and the 2021 Inaugural Pura Belpre Young Adult Gold Medalist. She was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina. An Inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she is also a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She's a founding member of Las Musas, a marketing collective of Latine authors.

Amparo Ortiz is the author of Blazewrath Games and Dragonblood Ring (Page Street Kids). She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and currently lives on the island's northeastern coast. When she's not teaching ESL, she's streaming Kpop videos, vlogging for her eponymous YouTube channel, and writing about worlds both contemporary and fantastical.