Finalists of IBPA Innovative Voices Program Announced; Champions of Marginalized Voices

(Manhattan Beach, CA – September 18, 2024) – The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) is proud to launch the second year of IBPA's Innovative Voices Program with the support of principal sponsor IngramSpark and numerous other generous companies providing invaluable benefits. IBPA's program will provide guidance and support to five indie publishers to help them elevate their publishing programs that give voices to marginalized communities.

IBPA is proud to announce the 20 finalists who have been shortlisted for the 2024-25 program:

	1 PLUS BOOKS Yan Liu is a highly achieved publisher. She held executive roles at major Chinese publishing firms before immigrating to the U.S. and founding 1 Plus Books. Yan has received national awards in both China and the U.S., including the Book Award from the National Library of China. Through 1 Plus Books, Yan frequently collaborates with libraries, book clubs, and other organizations to host book events, panel discussions, etc. -- creating a vibrant cultural platform for Chinese communities abroad.

	THE AUTHOR'S JOURNEY Elona Washington is an accomplished author, inspirational speaker, and dedicated #metoo activist. With 25 years of marketing experience, with nine in self and traditional publishing, this three-time bestselling author has designed award-winning marketing campaigns for New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. A proud alumna of Howard University, Elona also holds a Master of Science in Marketing Management from the University of Maryland University College.

	CON TODO PRESS Naibe Reynoso is a multi-Emmy award-winning journalist, author, and speaker based in Los Angeles. She founded Con Todo Press, a publishing company focused on celebrating Latino culture and amplifying underrepresented voices. Naibe has contributed to networks like CNN Español and Univision and authored over 10 children’s books, including adaptations for Disney/Pixar and Netflix. She cofounded Latinafest® LLC and serves on boards such as the Mexican American Cultural Education Foundation.

	DUKEScomics DUKEScomics is an international small press and studio based in southern New Mexico led by husband-and-wife duo Ronnie Dukes, illustrator, animator, and Black Chicago native, and Dr. E.C.-Dukes, a Xicana author and native New Mexican. Their motto is visualizing the future through comics., and specialize in graphic novels, Chicanafuturism, borderland culture, technology, and BIPOC characters. DUKEScomics received the 2024 Outstanding Emerging BIPOC Creator Award presented by Latinx Pop Lab.

	ETERNAL TREE BOOKS Priya Kumari is a multi-award-winning children's author and the founder of Eternal Tree Books, which publishes inspiring and uplifting stories from under-represented Indian and Asian cultures. Her book, Leaf Talks Peace: Buddha’s Message of Harmony, is the first picture book with a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Raised in the Himalayan foothills, Priya’s connection with nature and spirituality drives her mission to share the values of peace, compassion, and cultural understanding.

	FOREST PATH BOOKS Jeanine T. Hennig has been a pro equestrian, a dancer, an actor, a teacher…yet never managed to not be a storyteller. To enable said storytelling—her own and others’—she founded SFF publisher Forest Path Books, focusing on diverse voices. As Talulah J. Sullivan, she wrote Indigenous SFF series debut Blood Indigo, the Indigi-gothic Raven Mocker and, as J Tullos Hennig, historical series The Books of the Wode. She was awarded the SLF Older Writers Grant, and is a member of IBPA, AG, HNS, & SFWA.

	GLOBAL BOOKSHELVES INTERNATIONAL Janan Sarwar is a dynamic publishing professional based in Louisville, Kentucky. As the CEO of Global Bookshelves International, she is dedicated to building community and fostering empathy through the books she publishes. She recently delivered a TEDx speech on the transformative power of diverse books for children and adults. Since 2014, she has overseen the publication of over 60 titles, collaborating with 200+ authors across traditional, hybrid, and independent domains.

	GOOD RAIN PUBLISHING Tala El-Fahmawi earned a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley and a Master’s in Education from BU. Before founding Good Rain Publishing, Tala worked as a classroom teacher and curriculum developer. Her experience in education and motherhood deepened her passion for creating inclusive, engaging content. At Good Rain Publishing, Tala leads with the mission to provide high-quality books that feature diverse representation, promote social justice, and inspire a love of reading.

	ISKANCHI PRESS Kenechi Uzor is a Nigerian-born writer and editor with degrees in Philosophy, English Literature, Creative Writing, Business Creation, and a Graduate Certificate in Publishing. Kenechi’s writing has appeared in Electric Literature, The Millions, Catapult, and others. He is a Tin House Scholar and winner of multiple writing awards. Kenechi Uzor teaches writing at the University of Utah and is a board member of Portland State University’s Publishing program, and PubWest.

	KUWENTO CO. Pat Lindsay C. Catalla-Buscaino, also known as Dr. Pinky, is the founder and publisher of Kuwento Co. dedicated to empowering people to share their life stories, or kuwentos. Specializing in storytelling, Kuwento Co. publishes memoirs, anthologies, and hosts writing events. The latest release, With Love: What We Wish We Knew About Being Queer and Filipino in America by Dr. Dustin Domingo, highlights her commitment to diverse voices.

	LEAP FORWARD PUBLISHING Deborah C. Mortimer is CEO of Leap Forward Publishing®, an independent publisher focused on creating diverse children's books that amplify underrepresented voices. She passionately promotes writing and literacy through partnerships with organizations like PBS and frequently speaks on the importance of diversity in children's literature. A successful author of three books, Deborah is also a seasoned intellectual property attorney and brand strategist, empowering authors with her legal expertise.

	MATHXPLORERS Gigi Carunungan, an educational innovator from the San Francisco Bay Area, co-founded Synapse and Imagination Schools. She developed the Helical Model™, enhancing K-8 education with deep-dive, STEAM-based learning. Gigi also founded Young Outliers and Playnovate, creating impactful STEAM lessons and camps. She holds an Ed.D. from San Jose State University and leads in arts, physical education, and teacher development.

	NATURECULTURE Lis McLoughlin is founder and director of NatureCulture, a publishing company through which she directs the Writing the Land Project, which pairs poets with conserved lands, and creates anthologies sold for land conservation. Lis works with over 350 poets and 150 land conservation organizations, and has published 13 WTL anthologies and 6 other books. Her degrees are in Civil Engineering, Education, and Science and Technology Studies. She lives off-grid in Massachusetts and in Montréal.

	QUEEN OF SWORDS PRESS Catherine Lundoff is the publisher at Queen of Swords Press, a Minneapolis-based publisher of LGBTQ fiction from out of this world. She is also a former bookstore owner and an award-winning writer and editor of fiction and nonfiction in different genres.

	QUIET STORM SERVICES Danielle Ramirez dealt with adversity by reading, writing, and connection. Her passion for equity-based collaboration led to 15 years of coalition-building and advocacy around mental health and substance use. Her passion for growth and the art of writing led her to create Quiet Storm in 2022, which focuses on memoirs and anthologies. She is studying to get her CAPF cert. so she can offer writing groups to underrepresented groups like jails, hospitals and youth.

	SHAHERAZAD SHELVES Samiha Hoque is a Bangladeshi-American writer, editor, and co-founder of Shaherazad Shelves, the leading publisher of Muslims in fiction. She was a Climate Justice Fellow at the University of Maryland in 2024 and holds a B.S. in the Earth and Environmental Sciences with an English minor. Samiha is the author of the picture book A Country of Beautiful People. Her essays have won the Dean Myrtle Saxon-Jacobson Award in Expository Prose and were nominated for the Brooklyn Non Fiction Prize.

	SHERO COMICS Shero Comics is an award-winning Los Angeles-based multimedia company founded by writer-creator Shequeta L. Smith. The company is on a mission to help women and girls of color find their superpowers by publishing diverse comic book IPs and graphic novels. Since 2016, the company has independently published nine comic books and sold over 8000 copies. In the fall of 2024, the sequel to their critically acclaimed new children’s manga series, Young Grandmaster Choi will be released

	STRANGE INC. Aishah Alam is a social worker and author who founded Strange Inc., a non-profit publishing house for Muslim women. She is passionate about empowering others and has published several books on topics like writing and personal growth. Aishah also offers coaching services to help women heal and transform their experiences.

	THREE FORTNIGHTS PRESS Shai August is a country girl with a big imagination that she funnels into her publishing company, alongside her education in political science and public administration. Three Fortnights Press is an award-winning boutique press working to create a never-ending catalog of Black woman led books; with over 50 titles centering stories of love that uplift and celebrate healthy, affectionate, joyful, romantic love. It specializes in romance because we love LOVE and want the world to Love Us Back.

	WAUB AJIJAAK PRESS & FOUNDATION Cecelia Rose LaPointe (wiin/they) is the Founder & Executive Director of Waub Ajijaak Press & Foundation. They are Ojibway/Métis and is enrolled in the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians and maintains a strong community affiliation with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. They have a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and a Master of Arts in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.

IBPA congratulates all the finalists, who, each in their own way, have demonstrated a commitment to publishing excellence while telling the stories of their communities.

On September 27, 2024, IBPA will announce the five publishers from these 20 finalists who will participate in the second annual Innovative Voices Program, that will begin October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

Each Innovator will receive a comprehensive package consisting of a $750 cash grant from IngramSpark, $750 from IBPA to spend on IBPA book marketing programs, a one-year membership in IBPA, registration to attend IBPA Publishing University 2025 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, free printing for 250 books from IngramSpark, an assigned mentor, a publishing course, and a robust list of free or discounted products and services.

About the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)

Founded in 1983 to support independent publishers nationwide, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) leads and serves the independent publishing community through advocacy, education, and tools for success. With over 3,500 members, IBPA is the largest publishing association in the U.S. Its vision is a world where every independent publisher has the access, knowledge, and tools needed to professionally engage in all aspects of an inclusive publishing industry. For more information, visit ibpa-online.org.