(PODCAST) National Ambassador Meg Medina on Empowering Readers #authorinterviews

Meg Medina is a Cuban American author and the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She writes for readers of all ages, focusing on cultural identity, resilience, and strong female protagonists. Her middle-grade novel Merci Suárez Changes Gears won the Newbery Medal, with its sequels also receiving widespread acclaim.Her young adult novel Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass won the Pura Belpré Author Award and the Cybils Award, and was adapted into a graphic novel in 2023, illustrated by Mel Valentine Vargas. Despite its critical success, Yaqui Delgado has faced book bans and censorship due to its themes of bullying, identity, and resilience, issues Medina passionately advocates for in schools and libraries.Among her celebrated works, Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away won the Charlotte Zolotow Award and reached 2.24 million readers through Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. Her novel Burn Baby Burn was longlisted for the National Book Award and shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize. Medina has also published bilingual works, including No More Señora Mimí/No más Señora Mimí, as well as biographies She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor and She Persisted: Pura Belpré.Recognized as a CNN Visionary Woman and named a Top Ten Latino Author to Watch, Medina actively fights for literacy, Latino youth, and the freedom to read. She lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia.visit her website: https://megmedina.com/