A Night for the Rice Carriers

Carmen Rubin is a children’s book author and playwright. In 1999, she founded a nonprofit organization, One Blue Village, which supports youth in underserved communities. She has a degree in history and taught kindergarten before becoming a full-time writer. Rubin maintains a robust nationwide school-visit schedule. She serves on the national advisory board for Reading Is Fundamental and is a sixteen-year member of SCBWI. In July 2024, the stage play adaptation of her picture book Ashti’s Journey to Jazz debuted at the Children’s Performing Arts Center in Minnesota.

Matt Williams is a versatile artist, illustrator, and author in Brooklyn. His work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, British Vogue, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, and TIME magazine. Williams has been recognized by American Illustration 40 (Selected Winner 2x, Chosen Archived Winner) and American Illustration 38 (Selected Winner). He earned his master’s degree from the School of Visual Arts and holds a bachelor’s degree from Pratt Institute. Alongside his artistic endeavors, Williams is a professor at Pratt Institute and Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), teaching fine art and illustration.