We recently connected with Prosser Project and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Prosser thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
Prosser Project is a collective of three female psychologists–Dr. Veronica Coriano, Dr. Trenesha Hill, and Dr. Ashlee Yates Flanagan–who saw a need for more representation in children’s literature. We met while pursuing our PhDs in school psychology. During our training, we relied heavily on children’s books to support emotional and social development. However, we noticed a glaring gap: most of the books available for bibliotherapy featured animals, objects, or white protagonists.
Imagine walking into a library filled with hundreds of therapeutic books designed to help children navigate emotions, only to realize that none of the characters look like the children you serve or like you. That lack of representation was disheartening and deeply personal. We knew that children deserve to see themselves reflected in stories meant to heal, teach, and empower.
What began as frustration soon became motivation. We decided to write the books we wished we had on our library shelves: stories that celebrate diversity while nurturing emotional wellness. From that vision, The Prosser Project Publishing Collective was born.
Like many entrepreneurial journeys, ours started from a simple truth: we needed something that didn’t exist. We believed in our concept, children’s books with diverse protagonists focused on social-emotional growth, and knew the need was real. With our combined expertise in child psychology and our shared drive to overachieve, we had both the insight and the determination to bring our idea to life, from concept to publication.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
The Prosser Project is a publishing collective founded by three mental health professionals: Dr. Veronica Coriano, Dr. Trenesha Hill, and Dr. Ashlee Yates Flanagan. We are dedicated to promoting the well-being of children and adolescents, particularly those who are underserved and underrepresented, through inclusive children’s literature.
Our books serve as valuable tools for parents, caregivers, educators, and clinicians, providing resources that nurture emotional intelligence and healthy development in young readers.
Our flagship series, the Tamir and Naya series, focuses on emotional awareness and coping strategies through engaging storytelling. The series includes three titles: Tamir & Naya take on Anger, Tamir & Naya take on Fear, Tamir & Naya take on Sadness. Each book is designed to help children identify emotions, express them safely, and practice effective coping skills. These stories empower children to talk about their feelings in ways that promote resilience and self-understanding.
In 2024, we launched our first imprint, For the Culture (FTC), a subsidiary of Prosser Project focused specifically on celebrating Black culture. Our debut title underthis imprint, Bb is for Baby Hairs, is a joyful, girl-centered alphabet book honoring Black culture for children ages 0-3. Its companion title, Ff is for Hi-top Fade’, developed with young Black boys in mind, is set to release in Winter 2025.
We are incredibly proud of nearly a decade of collaboration and five years as an established business. Our growth has been made possible by the support of bookstores, families, educators, andmental health professional who believe in our mission. Looking ahead, we are excited to expand our catalog and uplift new authors whose work aligns with our vision of inclusion, empowerment, and wllness for all children.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
Not yet. We know that may surpise some people. Many successful entrepreneurs will say you have to leave your full-time job to succeed in business, but that’s not our story . Each of us continues to work full-time in our respective fields while dedicating our free time to Prosser Project. Dr. Coriano works full time as a school psychologist within an educational school system, Dr. Hill sees patients and conducts research in an academic medical center, and Dr. Yates Flanagan also works in an academic medical center, seeing patients in a children’s hospital and conducting research.
Our professional work informs our creative work and vice versa. It’s a truly symbiotic relationship, and for now, balancing both worlds feels
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
All three of us come from science-based, analytical careers, so it’s been incredibly rewarding to express our creativity through writing and publishing. The Prosser Project gives us a space to transform evidence-based psychological principles into imaginative, relatable stories for children. We love every aspect of the creative process, from conceptualizing a new book idea to selecting illustrators, overseeing character sketches, and even choosing colors and fonts. Being able to blend our professional expertise with our creative passion is deeply fulfilling. Most importantly, seeing children light up when they recognize themselves in our stories reminds us why we started and why we’ll keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://prosserproject.com
- Instagram: @theprosserproject