When Claudia Walker set out to publish The ABCs of HBCUs, she desired an illustrator and creative partner with lived HBCU experience. With our shared background at Spelman College, I met that expectation with flying colors and provided art direction and digital illustration that seamlessly reflected the beautiful and diverse nuances of HBCU culture. Because of this cultural rootedness, every element from the book’s visual identity to character design resonated with audiences authentically following the book’s launch and beyond. I also provided illustration for Walker’s second release, The ABCs of Black Wall Street.

• The fall 2020 release of The ABCs of HBCUs was a breakout success—moving 1,000 copies in its first month, far surpassing the typical lifetime sales of 250 copies for self-published children’s books. 

• Both titles were instrumental in HBCU Prep School’s win of $25,000 and business mentoring from entrepreneur and Shark Tank investor Daymond John, in the Build Black Shopify Pitch Competition.

• Both titles also went on to land retail placement on Macys.com and Bloomingdales.com, as well as on the shelves of over 1,900 Target stores nationwide during Black History Month 2022.

• The books also earned recognition on “best of” lists by Essence magazine and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, as well as major national media recognition in Forbes and others.