Equity and Inclusion

Every child deserves to see themselves in books.

If you are interested in writing or illustrating for children and young adults and are from a group historically marginalized or underrepresented in children’s literature, we invite you to join the New Mexico-El Paso Chapter of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for one of our free events to get to know our community. If you have questions or feel uncomfortable joining us for whatever reason, our Regional Advisor, Susan Metallo (newmexico-ra@scbwi.org), and our Equity and Inclusion Coordinator, Sandra Agurre-Magaña (magana.sandra525@gmail.com), would love to hear from you, listen to your concerns, and help to welcome you.

SCBWI's Mission

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), a 501c3 nonprofit, is the preeminent membership organization for children’s book creators. We are a global community of writers, illustrators, translators, publishers, librarians, advocates, and other industry professionals working to establish a more imaginative and inclusive world through the power of children’s literature. Our mission is to support the creation of an abundance of quality children’s books, so that young people everywhere have the books they need and deserve.

SCBWI's Vision

We believe there can never be too many good children’s books, and this simple belief guides everything we do. We are committed to breaking down barriers and opening doors for everyone with a story to tell. By harnessing the collective power of this vibrant global community, we make the children’s publishing industry more inclusive and elevate the art of children’s literature.

SCBWI's Values

Creativity. We take children’s books seriously as an art form, and provide a range of tools, content, education, and events that nurture the limitless imaginations and creativity of our members.

Connection. No one does this alone. We celebrate the power of connection and strive to ensure our members find lasting and meaningful community through our organization.

Professionalism. We conduct our business with integrity. Guided by principles of transparency and accountability, we set standards that members can rely upon, follow through on our commitments, and take responsibility for our actions.

In support of SCBWI's commitment to equity and inclusivity, SCBWI New Mexico-El Paso has taken the following concrete steps to welcome and support underrepresented creators:

• Offering free monthly events on Zoom where anyone can join an informal discussion about craft or the industry
• Educating our membership about issues of equity in publishing through Kidlit Community features on our homepage and monthly newsletter
• Interviewing our members for a newsletter and Kidlit Community spotlight and ensuring that our interviewees reflect the diverse population of New Mexico, where at least 64% of residents belong to a historically marginalized community (goal for 2025)
• Offering scholarships to historically marginalized and low income members of our community at all of our virtual events (goal for 2025)
• Launching an Equity in Publishing Fellowship for underrepresented creators (goal for 2025)

We welcome your input and involvement in current and future equity and inclusion initiatives. Email newmexico@scbwi.org to share your ideas or sign on as a volunteer!