About me
My name is NJ Mvondo. (Pronounced “mm-VON-do.” The “m” is silent.)
I’m writer, storyteller, cultural educator, actor, musician, social entrepreneur and the founder of Multiculturalism Rocks!, an organization that celebrates cultural diversity in the arts, with a strong emphasis in children’s books. While i find heritage months wonderful, I also believe that one needs not to wait for a particular season to celebrate the cultural richness of our world. Like any other mainstream successes, multicultural books, and culturally diverse media in general, are not just a wonderful source of information. They also provide a great escapism and, dare i say, promote world peace. What is there not to like? *smile*
Multiculturalism Rocks is home to a BIPOC Bookstore and to the Interactive Healing Arts Project. It also inspired the creation of Multicultural Families Rock.
I wrote and sold my first book when I was seven, in Cameroon. My mother would not give me any allowances, so I tore off the back pages of my notebook. I made up characters, drew and wrote, creating identical artisanal comic books. I glued the pages with the resin of mango trees, and sold the copies to my classmates for ten cents. The next week they came asking for more: a series was born. I however got into trouble when my mom asked why she needed to buy me a new notebook so early into the school year. Ever since, I have fallen in love with writing and followed my tribe’s–Bulu–tradition of storytelling.
I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), a member of the Association of Children’s Authors and Illustrators of Color (ACAIC), and a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature.
I live in Northern California. I write children’s stories and young adult fiction; English is my third language. I own a multicultural bookstore, Multiculturalism Rocks! Pop-Up, through which I primarily sell multicultural and bilingual books by small presses and independent authors. I’m available for school events (bookstore) and speaking engagements.
Contact Information
Email: info (at) multiculturalism dot rocks
MultiCulturalism Rocks! on Websites/Social Media
Handles:
@mcrpop on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
NJ’s Projects: MCR, BIPOC Bookstore, Interactive Healing Arts Projects, Multicultural Families Rock, and more, can be found on her LinkTree page.
NJ Mvondo on social Media:
o Because He Says So – Devotional
o Instagram
o Facebook
o Twitter
o Soundcloud
o YouTube
o IMDb
Interviews
1- Added 02/01/2010: @ Ari, from Reading in Color! You can read all about it here. (First written interview ever) Thanks, Ari!
2- Added 05/27/2010: Support school libraries. Edi Campbell, Librarian, blogger and book reviewer, interviewed me in April for School Library Month on her blog Crazy Quilts. On her home page you will learn more about getting involved and making a difference for (our endangered) public libraries.
3- Food for thought, thoughts on food. Edi Campbell interviewed me for our blog It’s Just Food. Read about it here.
4- A shout out to award winning journalist Amy Bowllan for all her work, and especially for hosting the Writers Against Racism series. To contribute to the fight against racism, to promote children’s books as an efficient tool of progress and education, please contact Amy with your answers to the W.A.R. questions, a picture (head shot, book jacket if it applies) and a 3-sentence biography. Read my W.A.R. responses here.
5- Black History Month Round-Up Question: The Color of Universal Narrative Experience, by Dhonielle Clayton of Teen Writers Bloc – Feb.25.2011