Juana Medina

Juana Medina is the author and illustrator of multiple children’s books, including the chapter book series Juana & Lucas, winner of the prestigious Pura Belpré Award and two International Latino Book Awards. The New York Times says of Juana & Lucas “Medina’s beautiful, vivid prose conjures the Colombian setting with tactile language… the story itself is a giant hug.”

Juana’s passion for storytelling has led her to work on exciting projects—ranging from illustration and animation to interactive design—with numerous clients, among them the Library of Congress, Facebook, and PBS, as well as publishers such as Candlewick Press, Chronicle Books, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Juana has taught at RISD, George Washington University, and the Corcoran College of Art + Design. She is proud to join George Mason University’s School of Art, to start new conversations and develop collaborations involving visual storytelling, inclusivity, and representation.

Degree:

Graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design

Specialist Areas:

• Editorial Design
• Illustration
• Latinx & LGBTQIA+ Representation in Publishing
• Motion Design
• Visual Narrative